You probably know James Gunn as the guy who saved the Guardians of the Galaxy and is now rebuilding the entire DC Universe. And you definitely know Jenna Fischer as the heart of The Office. But if you didn't spend your 2007 scrolling through MySpace blogs, you might have missed the fact that they were once one of Hollywood's most interesting creative couples.
Honestly, it's one of those "wait, really?" facts that hits you like a ton of bricks. They weren't just dating; they were married for a solid seven years.
The St. Louis Connection
Before the blockbuster movies and the Emmy nominations, they were just two kids from St. Louis trying to make it in Los Angeles. Their origin story is actually kinda sweet. Jenna moved to LA in 1998, basically broke. Her childhood friend was Sean Gunn—James’s brother and the future Kraglin in Guardians. Sean helped her get a showcase part, which led to her first manager. More importantly, he introduced her to James.
They clicked. Fast.
By October 2000, they were married. This was long before The Office premiered and way before James became a household name for directing talking raccoons. Back then, they were grinding together in the indie scene. They even made a mockumentary called LolliLove in 2004. Jenna directed it, and James starred in it alongside her. If you watch it now, you can see the dry, improvisational humor that eventually helped Jenna land the role of Pam Beesly.
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In fact, she used the camera James gave her as a wedding present to film the auditions for that project. Talk about a productive gift.
Why James Gunn and Jenna Fischer Split
When they announced their separation in September 2007, fans were genuinely shocked. They were the ultimate "indie cool" couple. They didn't go the messy tabloid route, though. No dramatic cheating scandals or public feuds. Instead, they posted a joint statement on—you guessed it—their MySpace blogs.
Basically, they just grew apart as their careers exploded.
By 2007, The Office was a massive hit. James was becoming a sought-after writer and director. Sometimes, the pressure of two skyrocketing careers just doesn't leave enough room for the marriage itself. They finalized the divorce in 2008.
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But here is the wild part. They actually stayed friends. Like, real friends.
The "Successful Divorce"
We hear the phrase "amicable split" all the time in Hollywood, but it’s usually PR fluff. With James Gunn and Jenna Fischer, it was the real deal. In 2010, two years after their divorce was final, Jenna was the one who pushed James to cast Rainn Wilson in his movie Super. She knew her ex-husband’s script was brilliant, and she knew her Office co-star was perfect for the lead.
She didn't have to do that. She did it because she still believed in his talent.
James has spoken about this, too. He’s gone on record saying that Jenna is one of the smartest people he knows. They still talk about pizza from their hometown and support each other's new families. Jenna has been married to director Lee Kirk since 2010, and James married actress Jennifer Holland in 2022.
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It’s a weirdly healthy dynamic for a town built on drama.
What You Should Know Now
If you’re looking at the trajectory of both their lives, the divorce wasn't a failure. Jenna has called the relationship "necessary" for her growth. It gave her the confidence to navigate the brutal early years of Hollywood. James, meanwhile, has built a creative empire, often casting people he met through Jenna or the circles they ran in during the early 2000s.
Key takeaways from their story:
- Creative collaboration can last longer than romance. Even if the marriage ended, the work they did together (like LolliLove) set the stage for their future successes.
- Networking is everything. Jenna’s connection to the Gunn family was the catalyst for her career, proving that who you know matters just as much as what you can do.
- A "good" divorce is possible. By prioritizing respect over resentment, they managed to keep their professional reputations intact while supporting each other’s new chapters.
If you’re a fan of either, you can find Jenna co-hosting the Office Ladies podcast, where she occasionally mentions "her ex-husband James" with zero bitterness. James is currently heads-down at DC Studios, likely prepping the next big superhero epic. Both are thriving, which is probably the best possible ending to a Hollywood love story.
To stay updated on their current projects, you can follow James Gunn's frequent updates on Threads or check out Jenna Fischer’s latest episodes of Office Ladies where she breaks down the behind-the-scenes history of Dunder Mifflin.