HOLLYWOOD couple Eric McCormack and Janet Leigh Holden met on the set of CBS TV series Lonesome Dove.
Actor Eric McCormack may be more of a household name thanks to his role as Will in the hit TV sitcom, Will And Grace, but his soon to be ex-wife, Janet Leigh Holden, used to have Hollywood ties of her own, too.
Who is Eric McCormack’s wife, Janet Leigh?
Janet Leigh Holden was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Her personal life has remained relatively private despite her high-profile relationship with actor Eric McCormack.
The duo met on the set of the 1994 CBS TV miniseries Lonesome Dove.
McCormack was an actor on the miniseries, while Holden was the TV show’s third assistant director.
Since romances between cast and crew were generally frowned upon, they kept their relationship a secret during the show’s first season.
In a 2007 interview with The Guardian, McCormack revealed details on how their relationship blossomed.
He said: “I was just coming out of a relationship, and not to be trusted. I’d been dating actresses but Janet was different.”
“She wore jeans, drove a pick-up truck … At first she wasn’t too keen. She knew actors are a lot of work: it would be like taking your work home with you.”
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The actor also added: “But I managed to convince her. We had a secret affair the first season.”
Holden’s IMDB also lists additional movie, TV show, and TV movie credits.
She was the third assistant director for the 1996 TV movie Angel Flight Down.
She was also the third assistant director for two episodes of the 1996 TV miniseries In Cold Blood, starring Eric Roberts, Anthony Edwards, and Sam Neill.
Holden was the second assistant director for the 1996 TV movie Portraits Of A Killer, starring Jennifer Grey and Michael Ironside.
She also served as the second assistant director for the 1997 movie The Edge, starring Anthony Hopkins, Alec Baldwin, Elle Macpherson, and Harold Perrineau.
Her most recent Hollywood credit is serving as the third assistant director for the 1997 movie Mr. Magoo.
The film had a star-studded cast including Leslie Nielsen, Jennifer Garner, Malcom McDowell, and Stephen Tobolowsky.
Holden and McCormack officially tied the knot in August 1997.
McCormack landed the titular role of Will in Will And Grace the same year, and starred in the show from September 21, 1998 to May 18, 2006.
The show was also rebooted for a second run between September 28, 2017 and April 23, 2020.
Both McCormack and Holden split their time between Vancouver and Los Angeles.
They are also both Democrats, supporting causes including same-sex marriage and LGBTQ+ rights.
Are Eric and Janet getting divorced?
On Wednesday, November 22, 2023, just one day before Thanksgiving, Holden filed to divorce her longtime husband, McCormack.
The celebrity couple were married for over 26 years.
According to legal documents obtained by TMZ, Holden cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for the divorce.
It is unclear how long the duo were separated, as she did not list a date of separation on any legal documents.
Holden did request that the Los Angeles County Superior Court end McCormack’s ability to receive spousal support.
She also stated that she was going to be seeking spousal support from her ex.
Representatives for both McCormack and Holden did not respond to multiple media requests, including TMZ and People, for comment.
Do they have kids?
Eric McCormack and Janet Leigh Holden have one child together.
They welcomed their son, Finnigan Holden McCormack, on July 1, 2002, in Los Angeles, California.
Since Finnigan is a legal adult, neither McCormack nor Holden have to deal with a custody battle as part of their divorce.
McCormack revealed that he named his son after a Canadian children’s TV series.
The show, Mr. Dressup, aired on CBC from 1967 to 1996, and even inspired McCormack to pursue a career as an actor.
Finnigan, or as his parents call him, Finn, was named after Mr. Dressup’s dog puppet, Finnegan.
Finn made his first Hollywood appearance by joining his parents at an InStyle magazine party when he was just four years old.
The 2007 Beverly Hills soirée was held to celebrate the publication of Joyce Ostin’s book, A Tribute To Hollywood Dads.
Finn also made an appearance alongside his parents when his father was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2018.
The celebrity couple’s son is currently a junior at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts.
Based on his social media accounts, he enjoys entertainment and participates in his school’s theater clubs.
Photos on his Instagram indicate that he’s also interested in music.
Finn is listed as the president of Northeastern’s student-run record label, Greenline Records.
Finn’s parents both hold dual American and Canadian citizenship.
In an interview with iNews in 2018, McCormack toyed with the idea of moving back to Canada if Donald Trump was elected president, but says his son made him rethink his decision.
McCormack said: “[Finn] identifies as Canadian but he’s an American citizen and he needs to see that we’re fighting for his country.”
