Actor Dermot Mulroney, known for roles in romantic comedies like My Best Friend’s Wedding and his recent turn in Scream VI, has filed for divorce from his wife, singer Prima Apollinaare, after 14 years of marriage.
Court documents obtained Monday, June 23, in Los Angeles confirm the 61-year-old actor initiated the proceedings.
Inside the Divorce Filing
In the filing, Mulroney cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for the dissolution of the marriage. The official date of separation is currently listed as “TBD” (to be determined).
Regarding financial matters, Mulroney has requested spousal support for himself from Apollinaare, 52, whose birth name is Tharita Cesaroni. Conversely, he has asked the court to terminate its ability to award any spousal support from him to Apollinaare. The actor also requested that certain assets and debts be confirmed as his separate property, while the rights to community and quasi-community assets and debts are to be determined. He is asking that both parties cover their own attorney fees and costs.
The couple shares two daughters: Mabel, 17, and Sally, 15. Notably, both daughters were born before Mulroney and Apollinaare officially tied the knot in December 2010. Mulroney is seeking joint legal and physical custody of their teenage children. He also has a son, Clyde, 26, from his previous marriage.
Sources noted the couple is still listed at the same Sherman Oaks, California address, which could suggest they are currently cohabiting or sharing a mailing address. Representatives for both Mulroney and Apollinaare have reportedly not commented on the matter.
Relationship Timeline and Shared Passions
Dermot Mulroney and Prima Apollinaare’s relationship began in 2008, a year after Mulroney’s divorce from his first wife, actress Catherine Keener, was finalized after 17 years of marriage (1990-2007). They married in December 2010.
Speaking about the speed of their connection during a 2012 appearance on “The Rosie Show,” Mulroney candidly shared, “A lot of it doesn’t make sense, but you can’t deny your heart.”
A significant bond for the couple has been their shared love for music. Mulroney is not just an actor but also a professional cellist with credits on film scores, while Apollinaare is an Italian singer-songwriter. She has expressed a lifelong passion for music, influenced by her musical parents, though she finds challenges with having enough time and money for her work.
Just last year, the pair made a rare public appearance together on the Fox game show “We Are Family,” performing a duet of Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers’ “Island in the Stream.” Mulroney described them as a “musical family” and even a “secret couple” or “stealth Hollywood couple,” highlighting their shared love for karaoke and playing instruments together at home.
Apollinaare has also been supportive of Mulroney’s film career, telling Entertainment Weekly in February 2024 that she has seen “all of his movies” except for Scream VI, which she avoided due to a personal aversion to the horror genre. She consistently praised his work, stating she always finds his films “excellent.”
Family Life and Parenting
Beyond their artistic pursuits, Mulroney has offered glimpses into his parenting style with his daughters. He’s described himself as a “pretty easy-going guy” but focused on exposing his children to the arts, like music and museum trips. While prioritizing academic tasks like homework, he emphasized not putting pressure on them to follow in his acting footsteps, explicitly stating he would not allow them to be child actors due to concerns about its impact on young individuals.
Despite largely keeping their private life out of the spotlight, reports noted that Mulroney may have still been wearing his wedding ring in an Instagram video posted earlier in June, while Apollinaare reportedly promoted a scheduled show on her Instagram Stories as news of the divorce broke.
