Author: Freya

Adda Quinn is best known as the first wife of Larry Ellison, but her place in his story is very different from that of the women he married after becoming wealthy. Adda knew Ellison before Oracle existed, before he became a technology celebrity, and long before his fortune reached billions of dollars. The couple married in 1967 and divorced in 1974. Those seven years covered an uncertain period when Ellison was still searching for direction, working different programming jobs, and taking the risks that would eventually lead him toward the database business. His company, later known as Oracle, was not…

Barbara Boothe is best known as the third wife of Larry Ellison, the billionaire co-founder of Oracle, but her own story reaches far beyond a short marriage to a technology mogul. She worked at Oracle during its early years, became the mother of Hollywood producers David and Megan Ellison, raised them largely after her divorce, and later built a respected life in the equestrian world through Wild Turkey Farm. While Larry became one of the richest people in the world, Barbara stayed mostly outside the spotlight. Her children, however, eventually became powerful figures in Hollywood. David founded Skydance and later…

Kim Weeks is best known as the third and final wife of Charles Bronson, the legendary action star behind Death Wish, The Great Escape, The Magnificent Seven, and Once Upon a Time in the West. But Kim was not simply someone Bronson met after leaving Hollywood behind. She had an acting career of her own and appeared in several television films, including projects in which Bronson himself starred. Born Kim Michele Weeks in Florida, she worked in entertainment during the 1980s and 1990s. Her credits include Traxx, Night of the Fox, Memories of Midnight, The Sands of Time, Donato and…

Gena Charmaine Avery is best known as the wife of American philosopher and public intellectual Cornel West. While West has spent decades in the public eye as a professor, author, speaker, and political activist, Gena has chosen a very different path. She keeps most of her personal life away from interviews, social media attention, and celebrity-style publicity. The couple married in 2016, making Gena West’s fifth wife. Their relationship has lasted through his continued academic work, public speaking, political activism, and his independent campaign in the 2024 U.S. presidential election. Yet searches for Gena often produce surprisingly little dependable information…

Lisa Pemberton became widely known through her relationship with legendary Canadian-American singer and songwriter Paul Anka, the voice behind classics such as Diana, Put Your Head on My Shoulder, and Puppy Love. Yet Lisa entered his life long after his rise to fame, when Anka was already a father of six and had experienced two previous marriages. Lisa and Paul reportedly met at a friend’s wedding around 2010. They spent about six years together before marrying in an intimate Los Angeles ceremony in October 2016. One of the most memorable moments came when Paul’s young son Ethan walked Lisa down…

Gillian Greene is often introduced as the longtime wife of Sam Raimi, the filmmaker behind The Evil Dead, the original Spider-Man trilogy, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. But Gillian grew up inside the entertainment industry long before meeting Raimi. She is the daughter of Bonanza and Battlestar Galactica star Lorne Greene, trained seriously as an actress, became involved behind the scenes in filmmaking, raised five children, and eventually established herself as a director and producer. Her marriage also has a complicated current status. Gillian married Raimi in September 1993 and filed for divorce in May 2024 after…

Amanda Levy McKeehan is best known as the longtime wife of TobyMac, the Grammy-winning Christian singer, rapper, songwriter, and former member of DC Talk. But Amanda has played a much bigger role in his life than simply appearing beside him at awards shows. She is the Jamaican-born woman TobyMac has credited with keeping their home together, challenging him when necessary, and helping shape the family behind his music. Amanda and TobyMac married in 1994 and became parents to five children: Truett, twins Moses and Marlee, Leo, and Judah. Their family has experienced remarkable success, adoption, a serious childhood disability, and…

Evy Norlund is best known as the longtime wife of James Darren, but she already had an unusual story before marrying the Gidget star. Born in Copenhagen, she worked as a trainee hairdresser, moved into modeling, became Miss Denmark 1958, reached the Top 15 at Miss Universe, and briefly entered Hollywood as an actress. Her Hollywood career was short, but her marriage was not. Evy married James Darren on February 6, 1960, and remained his wife until his death on September 2, 2024. They had two sons together, Christian and Anthony, and their marriage lasted more than 64 years. That…

Gloria Terlitsky is best known as the first wife of James Darren, the actor and singer who became a 1950s teen idol through Gidget before later starring in The Time Tunnel, T.J. Hooker, and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. But Gloria was part of Darren’s life before all of that fame. She was his teenage sweetheart, married him while he was still at the beginning of his career, and became the mother of his first son, television journalist Jim Moret. Their relationship was unusual for its time because Gloria came from a Jewish family while Darren was raised Roman Catholic.…

Lisa Meyers is best known as the third and final wife of country music legend Kris Kristofferson, but her story is much more than a famous marriage. A Pepperdine-trained lawyer, mother of five, stepmother to three more children, and one of Kristofferson’s strongest advocates during his later health problems, Lisa shared more than four decades of life with the songwriter and actor. She remained his wife until his death in September 2024. Their relationship began almost accidentally at a Malibu gym in 1982. Kris was divorced, raising a daughter, and openly reluctant to enter another serious relationship. Lisa was studying…