Samira Wiley and Lauren Morelli Announce Divorce After Nine Years of Marriage

Actors and producers Samira Wiley and Lauren Morelli have decided to end their marriage.

The former couple filed for divorce on Friday, Jan. 30, after nine years together and one child. On the same day, they shared a joint statement with Out, confirming the news.

“After nine years together we have decided to end our marriage, however, our lifelong commitment to co-parenting will forever remain,” they said.

Wiley, 38, and Morelli, 43, first met in 2012 on the set of Orange Is the New Black. Wiley starred as fan-favorite character Poussey Washington, while Morelli worked as a writer and producer on the Netflix series.

Morelli has previously spoken about realizing she was gay while working on the show. In a 2014 essay for Mic, she shared that she came to this realization during her early days on set, at a time when she was still married to a man. She later separated from her husband that same year.

Wiley has also been open about her own journey. In past interviews, she revealed that her sexuality became public without her consent after a co-star mentioned her in an interview. She said the experience was painful but ultimately helped her grow and accept herself, especially through playing LGBTQ+ characters.

After several years together, Wiley and Morelli got engaged in October 2016 and married in 2017 in Palm Springs, California. In April 2021, they welcomed their first child, a daughter named George Elizabeth.

Despite their separation, the two emphasized that they remain committed to raising their child together and moving forward with mutual respect.