Kevin Grandalski is a retired Burbank police officer best known as the longtime husband of Academy Award-winning actress Marlee Matlin. Their relationship began away from a red carpet: Grandalski met Matlin while working a law-enforcement assignment connected with the filming of her television drama Reasonable Doubts. The couple married on August 29, 1993, and went on to raise four children. More than three decades later, they remain together and occasionally appear at major Hollywood events; in March 2026, they attended the 98th Academy Awards as a couple.
Kevin Grandalski Quick Facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Kevin Grandalski |
| Known for | Husband of actress and activist Marlee Matlin |
| Profession | Retired Burbank police officer |
| Spouse | Marlee Matlin |
| Wedding date | August 29, 1993 |
| Children | Sarah, Brandon, Tyler and Isabelle |
| How they met | During the filming of Reasonable Doubts |
| Recent public appearance | 98th Academy Awards, March 15, 2026 |
Who Is Kevin Grandalski?
Kevin Grandalski worked in law enforcement with the Burbank Police Department. Contemporary coverage from the early 1990s identified him as a police officer, while more recent reporting describes him as retired. Unlike his wife, Grandalski did not build his career in entertainment.
His connection with Hollywood comes primarily through his marriage to Marlee Matlin. Matlin became internationally known after winning the Academy Award for Best Actress for Children of a Lesser God and later developed a long career across film and television. Grandalski has generally remained outside the entertainment business while accompanying Matlin to selected industry events.
He is also credited as “Self – Husband” through archive footage in the 2025 documentary Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore. Directed by Shoshannah Stern, the documentary premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival and examines Matlin’s career and personal experiences.
How Kevin Grandalski Met Marlee Matlin
Grandalski and Matlin met because of her work on Reasonable Doubts, the NBC drama in which Matlin starred during the early 1990s. PBS’s American Masters biography places the meeting during the production of the series, while other accounts explain that Grandalski had been assigned to provide security and help control traffic during location filming.
The relationship had become serious by early 1993. A Los Angeles Times article published in March of that year described Matlin as engaged to Grandalski and reported that the couple planned to marry in August.
Their meeting is one of the more unusual details of their story: an acting job brought Matlin to a filming location, while Grandalski’s police work brought him to the same place.
Their 1993 Wedding
Kevin Grandalski and Marlee Matlin married on August 29, 1993. The ceremony was held at the home of Matlin’s longtime friend and mentor Henry Winkler and his wife, Stacey. PBS also records the August 29 wedding date and the Winklers’ home as the location.
A contemporary Los Angeles Times report said that both a priest and a rabbi participated in the ceremony.
That interfaith element continued in their family life. Matlin, who was raised Jewish, later discussed sharing traditions from both backgrounds with Grandalski. In an interview published by Oregon Jewish Life, she said their household celebrated holidays connected with both faiths.
Kevin Grandalski and Marlee Matlin’s Children
Grandalski and Matlin have four children: Sarah, Brandon, Tyler and Isabelle. PBS lists Sarah as born in 1996, Brandon in 2000, Tyler in 2002 and Isabelle in 2003.
As adults, the children have followed different paths. People has reported on Sarah’s work in fashion, Brandon’s work connected with sports communications, Tyler’s interest in screenwriting and Isabelle’s university studies.
The family entered another stage when Sarah welcomed a daughter, Brooklyn Rose Garriola, making Grandalski and Matlin grandparents.
By 2025, Matlin described a life in which the children had largely grown up and moved into adulthood. A Los Angeles Times profile referred to her as enjoying empty-nester life with Grandalski while also spending time with their granddaughter.
Kevin Grandalski Family Timeline
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1991–1993 | Matlin works on Reasonable Doubts, where she meets Grandalski |
| March 1993 | The Los Angeles Times reports that the couple is engaged |
| August 29, 1993 | Grandalski and Matlin marry at Henry and Stacey Winkler’s home |
| 1996 | Daughter Sarah is born |
| 2000 | Son Brandon is born |
| 2002 | Son Tyler is born |
| 2003 | Daughter Isabelle is born |
| 2024 | Their eldest daughter makes them grandparents |
| 2025 | Grandalski is credited in Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore |
| March 15, 2026 | Grandalski and Matlin attend the 98th Academy Awards together |
Life Beside Marlee Matlin
Kevin Grandalski’s public profile differs sharply from that of his wife. His career was in policing, while Matlin’s work placed her in film, television, advocacy and awards-season settings.
Matlin’s credits have included The West Wing, Seinfeld, The L Word and CODA, in addition to her Oscar-winning debut in Children of a Lesser God. Grandalski, by comparison, has most often appeared in media coverage in the context of their marriage and family.
He has nevertheless joined Matlin for significant entertainment events. One of the clearest recent examples came on March 15, 2026, when the couple arrived together at the 98th Academy Awards in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Times identified him on its Oscars red-carpet coverage as Matlin’s husband and a retired Burbank police officer.
Photographic coverage from the event provides a particularly current confirmation of their relationship, more than 32 years after their wedding.
Kevin Grandalski in Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore
The documentary Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2025. Directed by Deaf actor and filmmaker Shoshannah Stern, the film looks at Matlin’s rise in Hollywood, her personal experiences and her role in changing perceptions of Deaf performers.
Grandalski is credited as “Self – Husband,” with IMDb identifying his material as archive footage.
His inclusion makes sense within the documentary’s biographical scope. Grandalski has been Matlin’s spouse since 1993, meaning their marriage has accompanied most of the career she built after her historic Academy Award victory.
FAQs About Kevin Grandalski
Who is Kevin Grandalski?
Kevin Grandalski is a retired Burbank police officer and the husband of Oscar-winning actress Marlee Matlin. They have been married since August 29, 1993.
What did Kevin Grandalski do for a living?
Grandalski worked in law enforcement with the Burbank Police Department. The Los Angeles Times described him as a retired Burbank police officer in its March 2026 Academy Awards coverage.
How did Kevin Grandalski meet Marlee Matlin?
They met while Matlin was filming Reasonable Doubts. Grandalski was working a police assignment associated with security and traffic control during filming.
When did Kevin Grandalski and Marlee Matlin get married?
They married on August 29, 1993, at the home of Henry and Stacey Winkler.
How many children do Kevin Grandalski and Marlee Matlin have?
They have four children: Sarah, Brandon, Tyler and Isabelle.
Are Kevin Grandalski and Marlee Matlin still married?
Yes. Grandalski and Matlin appeared together at the 98th Academy Awards on March 15, 2026, where current coverage identified him as her husband.
Conclusion
Kevin Grandalski is a retired law-enforcement professional whose life became connected with Hollywood through his marriage to Marlee Matlin. The two met while she was filming Reasonable Doubts, married in 1993 and raised four children together. Their family has since expanded to another generation, and their appearance together at the 2026 Academy Awards shows a marriage extending across more than three decades of Matlin’s career.
Read also : Lucy Bronze Partner: What Reliable Sources Say About Ona Batlle in 2026
