Michelle Pfeiffer’s husband David E. Kelley has an Oscar-winning actress ex — see who

David E. Kelley and Michelle Pfeiffer have one of the most successful marriages in Hollywood history having been happily married since 1993. 

But before their life-changing blind date, the Big Little Lies creator was involved with another big name in Tinseltown. 

Who did the celebrated producer have a three-year relationship with ahead of finding love with Michelle?

How did David meet Michelle?

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The couple were introduced to one another on a blind date in 1993. But it didn’t go well. 

During an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, Michelle confessed it was supposed to be a one-on-one date, but she invited numerous people, including her sister. 

“We didn’t speak the whole night, and then he left early to go to another party and I thought, ‘Okay that went well,'” she said. 

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In fact, Michelle thought he’d be better off with her sister, who he was sitting across from. 

She must have made a good impression though. “He actually finally called me two days later — that was also not okay,” Michelle quipped. “He called and we ended up talking on the phone for an hour, and it just went [from] that.” 

David took her to see Bram Stoker’s Dracula not long after and things quickly became serious. 

Who did he date before Michelle?

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David dated multi-award winning actress, Marlee Matlin from 1989 to 1992. She had just come out of a short lived relationship with John Stamos. 

The actress, activist and author — who was the first deaf performer to win an Academy Award for best actress for her debut film performance, in Children of a Lesser God — remarked on her love life in her book I’ll Scream Later when she spoke of navigating her relationships, from David to Rob Lowe, William Hurt and Richard Dean Anderson.

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The couple lived together in the Hollywood Hills after she moved in with the L.A. Law producer. 

David cast her in the recurring role of Mayor Laurie Bey in his Picket Fences from 1992-1996.

Their split

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Neither party has publicly addressed their breakup and kept their romance out of the spotlight despite their fame. 

Years later Marlee named David as one of her favorite directors to work with, suggesting they ended their romance amicably.

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David went on to marry Michelle and Marlee married police officer Kevin Grandalski in 1993. They have four children together. 

Michelle was already in the process of adopting her daughter, Claudia Rose, when she was introduced to David. 

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He later adopted Claudia too and they went on to welcome their son John Henry together through adoption the year they were married.