By Heidi Parker and Sonia Horon For Dailymail.Com
20:43 24 Nov 2023, updated 21:37 24 Nov 2023
- Eric was seen alone while walking his dog in Los Angeles
- Holden filed the paperwork at a courthouse on Wednesday, per TMZ
- The director — who wed McCormack in 1997 — did not list a date of separation
- The pair share one child together, 21-year-old son Finnigan Holden McCormack
Will & Grace star Eric McCormack was seen for the first time since his wife, Janet Holden, filed for divorce after more than 26 years of marriage.
The TV star looked downcast as he wore athletic wear in Los Angeles.
Eric had on a blue zip-up hoodie jacket over a maroon T-shirt with above-the-knee khaki shorts with pockets. He also wore black sneakers and a cap.
He had a blue leash around his neck as his dog strolled next to him down a tree-lined street.
The star had just picked up his morning take-out coffee and a snack that was in a brown bag.
The 60-year-old actor’s estranged spouse filed the paperwork at a courthouse on Wednesday, as per TMZ, citing ‘irreconcilable differences.’
The Hollywood director — who wed McCormack in 1997 — did not list a date of separation.
Janet is seeking spousal support and reportedly wants to ‘end the court’s ability to award Eric spousal support’ as per the publication.
The Canadian actor — known for his role as Will Truman on the hit NBC sitcom — and Janet share one child together, 21-year-old son Finnigan Holden McCormack.
It’s unclear if McCormack and Holden have a prenuptial agreement in place.
The pair were seen together this year on July 24, while attending the opening night after party for The Cottage on Broadway in New York City, where they posed for a loved-up snap together.
They also attended the 31st Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards viewing party, held at West Hollywood Park in March.
Eric looked dapper in a black tuxedo and bowtie, while Janet wowed in a plunging burgundy gown. All seemed well between the couple who held hands while posing together on the red carpet.
And in 2018 Janet supported the actor as he accepted a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. They were also joined by their son for the special occasion.
The duo first met in 1994 on the set of the Lonesome Dove TV show in Canada, on which he starred and she was an assistant director.
‘I met my wife, Janet, in 1994 on the set of a TV series. She was the assistant director. 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,’ he told The Guardian about the start of their romance in 2007.
‘There was a little bit of mystery and danger, which was fun,’ Holden previously told People.
After falling in love, they kept their romance a secret for a while.
‘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. But I managed to convince her,’ he shared.
‘We had a secret affair the first season. I mean, dating crew! Actually, it was much worse for her, because she wasn’t supposed to give any of the actors preferential treatment.’
However, after she moved on to a different position following the first season, they took their romance public, showing up to the wrap party together in 1995.
The pair tied the knot in August 3, 1997, and welcomed Finnigan on July 1, 2002.
Five months after they said ‘I do’ McCormack landed the part of his iconic TV character on Will & Grace.
Eric previously shared that being married helped him navigate the new heights of fame better than had be been younger and single.
‘I think I was very lucky that I didn’t get well-known until my early thirties. If it had happened when I was younger, you might have seen me falling out of nightclubs,’ he told The Guardian.
‘I think I conducted myself as a much better human being because I was already married when all that came along (I got married five months after I got the role as Will).’
Set in New York, the show centers around the friendship between Will, a gay lawyer (played by McCormack) and a straight interior designer, Grace Adler (Debra Messing).
The beloved show originally ran for eight seasons from 1998 to 2006, and was based on four friends moving through their careers and love lives.
The show was rebooted in September of 2017. It permanently came to an end on April 23, 2020, after 11 seasons.
McCormack and Messing starred alongside series regulars Sean Hayes and Megan Mullalley.
Laura Davis is an entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to Broadway, she offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
