Myrna Colley-Lee is much more than the former wife of Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman. She is an accomplished American costume designer, artist, arts advocate, philanthropist, and longtime supporter of Black theater and Mississippi’s cultural community. Her professional career began during the late 1960s, when Black theater was entering an important period of growth and recognition. Over the decades, she built a respected name through costume design, art direction, set design, exhibitions, and community work.
This biography looks beyond her famous marriage and examines Myrna Colley-Lee’s early life, education, career highlights, love of art and design, relationship with Morgan Freeman, divorce, family connections, philanthropy, and life after Hollywood attention. It also separates documented facts from online estimates, especially when discussing her age, physical stats, income, earnings, and net worth.
Quick Bio Table
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | Myrna Colley-Lee |
| Age in 2026 | About 85, based on widely reported 1941 birth year; exact birth date is not reliably documented |
| Birthplace | North Carolina; Hamlet is widely reported |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Costume designer, artist, art director, set designer, arts advocate |
| Education | BFA in Art Education; MFA in Scenic and Costume Design |
| Height | Not reliably verified by authoritative sources |
| Weight | Not reliably verified by authoritative sources |
| Net Worth | No independently verified public figure |
| Known For | Costume design, Black theater, arts advocacy, former marriage to Morgan Freeman |
Who Is Myrna Colley-Lee?
Myrna Colley-Lee is an American costume designer whose career has been closely connected with theater, visual arts, and cultural preservation. She became active during the late 1960s and worked during the rise of the Black Theatre Movement. Her responsibilities eventually expanded beyond costumes into art direction and set design. She has designed for regional theaters across the United States and has contributed to both stage and screen productions.
Her public profile increased considerably after she married Morgan Freeman in 1984. However, describing her only as Morgan Freeman’s ex-wife leaves out much of her professional story. Arizona Theatre Company notes that she has designed more than 70 productions and worked at roughly 50 theaters and venues. Her work has also appeared in exhibitions, while a permanent collection of her vintage clothing and costumes is preserved by Mississippi State University.
Myrna’s Early Life and Education
Detailed information about Myrna Colley-Lee’s childhood and parents remains limited in reliable public records. Institutional sources identify her as a North Carolina native, while several biographical sources specifically name Hamlet, North Carolina, as her birthplace. Rather than repeating unverified family details, it is more useful to focus on the educational and creative path that shaped her professional career.
Her formal education gave her a strong foundation in visual storytelling. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and later studied scenic and costume design at Temple University, where she earned a Master of Fine Arts. She also studied scene painting at Brooklyn College. These studies helped connect her interest in visual art with the practical demands of theater production.
How She Built Her Career
Colley-Lee entered the professional theater world in the late 1960s, a period that she later described as a formative time for Black theater. In her early work, she designed posters and flyers before moving into scenery and eventually finding her strongest professional niche in costumes. Her work developed alongside productions written by and featuring African American artists, giving her career a strong cultural dimension.
Her career later included costume design, art direction, and set design for theater, film, and television. Arizona Theatre Company records more than 70 productions across approximately 50 venues, including notable productions connected to works by playwright August Wilson. Her design credits include productions such as Fences, Seven Guitars, Trouble in Mind, and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.
The recognition followed. Her honors include Outstanding Costume Design from the National Black Theatre Festival and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters. In 2022, Mississippi honored her with a Governor’s Arts Award for Excellence in Costume Design and Arts Patron.
Her Love for Art and Design
For Colley-Lee, costume design has never been simply about clothing. Theater costumes help establish character, historical setting, social position, mood, and personality. Her training in art education, scenic design, and costume design gave her the tools to approach a production visually from several angles. Her work therefore sits between fashion, theater, history, and storytelling.
Her interest in preserving visual history is also reflected in the Myrna Colley-Lee Costume Collection at Mississippi State University. The collection contains vintage clothing and costumes, with pieces ranging from the 1920s to the present. Some items are available for Mississippi school and community theater programs, allowing future performers and designers to study and use historic pieces.
Her creative interests have also extended into interior design and visual art. Earlier profiles documented her work on residential interiors and other design projects. Meanwhile, her renderings, collages, and costumes have appeared in exhibitions at institutions including the Mississippi Museum of Art and the Marion Koogler McNay Art Museum’s Tobin Collection of Theatre Arts.
Myrna’s Marriage to Morgan Freeman
Myrna Colley-Lee married actor Morgan Freeman on June 16, 1984. By that point, Freeman was already an experienced performer, while Colley-Lee was developing her own career in theater and costume design. Their marriage lasted more than two decades and became one of the most recognizable parts of her public biography.
The couple lived and worked largely around Mississippi, and Colley-Lee continued pursuing her design career during the marriage. Public records and theater sources show that her professional identity remained separate from Freeman’s acting career. She was involved with theater productions, arts organizations, exhibitions, and community initiatives while Freeman became increasingly successful in Hollywood through films such as The Shawshank Redemption, Se7en, and Million Dollar Baby.
They separated in December 2007. Divorce proceedings were filed in Mississippi in 2008, and a Tallahatchie County judge entered the final divorce decree on September 15, 2010. According to reporting from the Associated Press, the terms of the settlement were sealed and the divorce was completed without a trial.
Why Did Myrna Colley-Lee and Morgan Freeman Divorce?
The exact private reasons behind Myrna Colley-Lee and Morgan Freeman’s divorce have never been fully established through a detailed public account from both parties. What is confirmed is the timeline: the couple separated in December 2007, divorce proceedings were filed in 2008, and the marriage officially ended in September 2010. The court settlement itself was sealed.
That distinction matters because numerous websites have published dramatic claims about the relationship, including conflicting figures about the divorce settlement and claims about what caused the separation. Those claims should not be treated as established facts without primary documentation. The available Associated Press report confirms that the financial and legal terms were confidential. Therefore, a responsible biography should avoid presenting unverified settlement amounts or private allegations as fact.
What can be said with confidence is that the divorce ended a 26-year marriage. Both individuals subsequently continued their separate professional lives, with Colley-Lee remaining connected to art, costume design, and cultural organizations.
Family and Relationship with Morgan Freeman’s Children
Myrna Colley-Lee did not have biological children with Morgan Freeman, but their household included members of Freeman’s extended family. Freeman has four children: Alfonso, Deena, Morgana, and Saifoulaye. During their marriage, Colley-Lee also helped raise E’dena Hines, Freeman’s step-granddaughter from his first marriage.
Her relationship with Freeman’s family is therefore an important part of her personal story. E’dena was especially significant because she was raised with support from Freeman and Colley-Lee. People’s account of Freeman’s family notes that Colley-Lee helped raise Hines, who later pursued acting and theater. This family connection continued to be mentioned in biographies of both Freeman and Colley-Lee after their divorce.
Because the family has generally maintained a degree of privacy, there is limited reliable information about Colley-Lee’s current relationships with Freeman’s adult children. It is more accurate to acknowledge her documented role in the family than to speculate about private relationships today.
The Tragic Loss of E’dena Hines
One of the most painful events associated with Myrna Colley-Lee’s family history was the death of E’dena Hines in August 2015. Hines, who was 33, was fatally stabbed in New York City. She was Morgan Freeman’s step-granddaughter and had been raised with Freeman and Colley-Lee as part of the family.
Hines had an interest in acting and had studied the craft. Her death attracted national media attention, but the tragedy also had a deeply personal impact on the Freeman family. Morgan Freeman issued a statement mourning Hines and emphasizing her talent and the loss felt by those who knew her.
For biographies of Myrna Colley-Lee, this event should be handled with care. It was a devastating family tragedy, not simply a celebrity headline. Hines’ life and ambitions deserve to be remembered separately from the circumstances of her death.
Philanthropy and Community Work
Myrna Colley-Lee has spent decades supporting the arts beyond her professional design work. She has served on boards and advisory groups connected with organizations such as the Mississippi Museum of Art, the Mississippi Arts Commission, and other cultural initiatives. Mississippi State University also identifies her as an artist and member of its art advisory board.
In 2006, she established SonEdna, a nonprofit organization focused on celebrating and promoting literary arts and writers. She was also involved with the Charleston Arts Revitalization Effort and the Rock River Foundation. These activities demonstrate how her interests extend from costume and theater into literary culture, community development, and arts education.
Her contribution to Mississippi’s cultural landscape has received official recognition. The Mississippi Legislature recognized her as the recipient of the 2022 Governor’s Arts Award for Excellence in Costume Design and Arts Patron. The resolution also highlighted her service on arts boards and her continuing work through Gladrags Designs.
Where Is Myrna Colley-Lee Now?
Myrna Colley-Lee has maintained a considerably quieter public profile than her former husband. Reliable sources continue to connect her with Mississippi’s arts community, particularly through her longtime residence in Charleston and her involvement with cultural institutions. She has remained associated with costume design, visual art, arts advocacy, and community work rather than pursuing celebrity publicity.
Her professional legacy is also preserved through collections and institutions. Mississippi State University holds her papers and a permanent collection of clothing and costumes, while museums and theater organizations have exhibited her work. These archives give researchers, students, and theater communities a way to study her contribution long after individual productions have ended.
As for her current income, salary, earnings, lifestyle, or exact net worth, there is no independently verified public financial statement that provides a dependable figure. Online estimates vary widely and should not be presented as confirmed facts. Her professional achievements and cultural influence are much better documented than her private finances.
Bottom Line
Myrna Colley-Lee built a life that deserves to be discussed on its own terms. Although her 1984 marriage to Morgan Freeman brought significant public attention, her career began independently in theater and developed into a long record of costume design, art direction, set design, visual art, and arts advocacy. Institutional sources credit her with more than 70 theater productions and recognize her influence within the Black Theatre Movement.
Her honors, including the 2022 Mississippi Governor’s Arts Award and an honorary Doctor of Creative Arts from Mississippi State University, show the depth of her contribution. Myrna Colley-Lee’s story is therefore not simply about being Morgan Freeman’s ex-wife. It is about a creative professional who helped preserve theater history, support artists, and strengthen Mississippi’s cultural community over several decades.
FAQs
Who is Myrna Colley-Lee?
Myrna Colley-Lee is an American costume designer, artist, art director, set designer, and arts advocate. She is also known publicly as Morgan Freeman’s former wife.
Is Myrna Colley-Lee still married to Morgan Freeman?
No. Myrna Colley-Lee and Morgan Freeman married in 1984, separated in 2007, and finalized their divorce on September 15, 2010.
What is Myrna Colley-Lee known for?
She is best known professionally for costume design and her work in theater, especially during the Black Theatre Movement. She has also supported museums, arts organizations, and cultural programs.
Why did Myrna Colley-Lee and Morgan Freeman divorce?
The couple separated in 2007 and finalized their divorce in 2010. The court settlement was sealed, so specific private financial and relationship details are not publicly confirmed.
What is Myrna Colley-Lee doing now?
Myrna Colley-Lee has maintained a private life while remaining connected to arts, costume design, cultural organizations, and community initiatives in Mississippi. Her work continues to be preserved through museum and university collections.
Jacob Reed is a writer at BlessingDew.com, sharing daily blessings, inspirational quotes, and spiritual thoughts to spread positivity and hope.
