As we celebrate '80s and '90s star Jennifer Jason Leigh's birthday on February 5, we're taking a look into her personal life with her filmmaker ex-husband and their only child. Learn all about their family ties below.
© WireImageWho was Jennifer's ex-husband Noah Baumbach?
Noah Baumbach is originally from New York and he attended Vassar College, where he studied literature. During that time, he was also employed at The New Yorker as a messenger.
He got his start as a filmmaker at the age of 24, with his debut film Kicking and Screaming which came out in 1995. Noah went on to direct and write the projects Mr. Jealousy in 1997, The Squid and the Whale in 2005, Frances Ha in 2012, Marriage Story in 2019 and White Noise in 2022.
© Getty ImagesTheir relationship timeline
The pair met back in 2001 as Jennifer was out on a solo-date watching the show The Shape of Things. Their mutual friend Josh Hamilton introduced the two and the rest was history.
They tied the knot in 2005 and welcomed their son Rohmer Emmanuel Baumbach into the world together in 2010. Three years later, they called it quits due to "irreconcilable differences."
Noah is also a father to two more sons with wife Greta Gerwig.
© FilmMagicHow has Noah used his art for healing?
Noah's debut film Kicking and Screaming was firstly supposed to be a memoir based on his parent's divorce, before he made it into a screenplay and movie.
After his personal divorce with Jennifer, Noah used his art to heal. His personal life continued to influence his artistic vision, which inspired his film, Marriage Story.
Despite the movie being based on his personal marriage woes, Jennifer was still supportive. Noah revealed to WSJ Magazine: "I showed her the script and then I showed her the movie a little bit ago. She likes it a lot."
© FilmMagicJennifer's take on parenting
Jennifer spoke candidly about how she juggles her acting career and being a mother to a young child, while co-parenting.
She expressed to Closer: "I spend every moment when I'm not working doing things with my son. You make the most of the time you have."
Regardless of the demands, she learned unconditional love thanks to her son. Jennifer revealed to The Guardian: "They say you have no idea what love is like until you have a child. It supersedes romantic love by such magnitude it's insane."
© ABCJennifer's career
Jennifer got her start in acting in the 1970s, however, the film Fast Times in the Ridgemont High in 1982 was her breakthrough.
She went on to partake in Last Exit in Brooklyn, Single White Female, and The Anniversary Party. Her most recent project was the hit series Fargo.
