Myrna Colley-Lee is widely known as the former wife of legendary actor Morgan Freeman, but her own life has never been limited to that relationship. She built a respected career in costume design, scenic design, art collecting, and cultural work long before becoming associated with Hollywood fame.
Over the years, Myrna has worked behind the scenes in theatre, supported cultural organizations, and helped bring attention to African American art. She has generally preferred a private life, which has made people even more curious about her background, marriage, career, family, and life today.
Profile Bio
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Myrna Colley-Lee |
| Birth year | 1941 |
| Birthplace | Hamlet, North Carolina |
| Age in 2026 | Approximately 84 or 85 |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Costume designer, scenic designer, art collector, and arts advocate |
| Education | University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Brooklyn College, and Temple University |
| Master’s degree | Scenic and costume design |
| Former husband | Morgan Freeman |
| Marriage date | June 16, 1984 |
| Divorce finalized | 2010 |
| Height | Reportedly around 5 feet 5 inches; not officially confirmed |
| Net worth | Not publicly confirmed |
Who Is Myrna Colley-Lee?
Myrna Colley-Lee is an American costume designer, scenic designer, arts advocate, collector, and philanthropist. Her professional work has mainly focused on theatre and visual arts, where she has spent decades helping create costumes, stage settings, and artistic experiences.
Although many people first recognize her as Morgan Freeman’s former wife, Myrna had already developed her own career before their marriage. Her professional identity is closely connected to theatre, design, African American culture, and community arts projects.
She has never been someone who actively chased celebrity attention. Instead, much of her recognition has come through creative institutions, museums, theatre organizations, and arts communities.
Early Life
Myrna Colley-Lee was born in 1941 in Hamlet, North Carolina. She grew up in a family with several siblings and developed an early interest in art and creativity.
Unlike many celebrity figures, Myrna has kept most details about her childhood private. There is limited public information about her early home life, but her later educational choices show that art and design became important interests at a relatively young age.
Her upbringing eventually led her toward formal training in art, theatre, and design. Those studies provided the foundation for a career that would last for decades.
Education
Myrna studied art at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she completed her undergraduate education. She later continued developing her artistic abilities by studying scene painting and stage properties at Brooklyn College.
She then attended Temple University, where she earned a master’s degree in scenic and costume design. This combination of education helped her understand costume, stage design, painting, and visual storytelling.
Her academic background became extremely useful once she entered professional theatre. Costume designers do much more than select clothing. They must understand history, personality, setting, movement, and the emotional tone of a production.
Career
Myrna Colley-Lee began working professionally in theatre during the late 1960s. Her career developed at an important time for African American theatre, and she became associated with the broader Black Theatre Movement.
She worked as a costume designer, scenic designer, art director, and set designer. Instead of appearing in front of the camera, Myrna helped create the visual world surrounding performers.
Her work has been connected with productions such as The Piano Lesson, Wedding Band: A Love/Hate Story in Black and White, and Forest City. She was also involved in costume and wardrobe work for Frederick Douglass: An American Life.
Her professional reputation grew because of her ability to combine artistic creativity with historical and cultural understanding. Much of her work focused on making stage productions feel visually believable and emotionally connected to their stories.
Art and Cultural Work
Art has remained one of the strongest themes throughout Myrna Colley-Lee’s life. Beyond costume design, she became an art collector and supporter of museums and cultural organizations.
Her personal collection includes works connected to African American experiences, history, community, and Southern life. Pieces from her collection have been displayed publicly in exhibitions focused on Black culture and artistic expression.
One exhibition, Reflections: African American Life from the Myrna Colley-Lee Collection, presented dozens of works from her collection. It included art by respected figures such as Romare Bearden, Elizabeth Catlett, James Van Der Zee, and Betye Saar.
Her involvement in museums and arts organizations shows that she views art as more than decoration. For Myrna, art has also been a way to preserve history, encourage education, and represent communities that have sometimes been overlooked.
Marriage to Morgan Freeman
Myrna Colley-Lee married Morgan Freeman on June 16, 1984. Their marriage came during a period when Freeman’s acting career was gaining wider recognition.
The couple spent much of their married life in Mississippi. Although Morgan became internationally famous, Myrna continued focusing on her own work and generally avoided constant media attention.
She occasionally joined Freeman at premieres, award ceremonies, and public events. Still, she remained much more private than many spouses of major Hollywood stars.
Their marriage lasted approximately 26 years, making it an important chapter in both of their lives.
Family
Myrna and Morgan Freeman did not have biological children together. However, Myrna became part of Freeman’s extended family and developed relationships with his children and relatives.
One particularly important family connection was E’dena Hines, Freeman’s step-granddaughter. Myrna and Morgan helped raise her, and she became a close part of their family life.
E’dena was tragically killed in New York in 2015. Her death received major media attention and was extremely painful for those close to her.
Myrna’s relationship with E’dena shows that family played an important role in her life even though she did not have biological children of her own.
Divorce
Myrna Colley-Lee and Morgan Freeman separated in 2007, and their divorce was officially finalized in 2010.
Because Freeman was already a major Hollywood star, the divorce attracted considerable media attention. Many reports speculated about possible reasons for their separation, but neither Myrna nor Morgan publicly confirmed a detailed explanation.
There were also online claims about a very large divorce settlement. However, the official financial terms were sealed, so exact settlement figures reported by entertainment websites cannot be confirmed.
After the marriage ended, Myrna largely stayed away from media coverage and continued her independent life.
Age and Appearance
Myrna Colley-Lee was born in 1941, making her approximately 84 or 85 years old in 2026, depending on her exact birth date.
Some online sources list her height at around 5 feet 5 inches, though that measurement has not been firmly confirmed by a major official source.
Public photographs show Myrna with a distinctive and elegant personal style. Her clothing choices often reflect her background in costume and visual design, with colorful outfits, carefully selected accessories, and artistic details.
Net Worth
There is no officially confirmed public figure for Myrna Colley-Lee’s net worth.
Several celebrity websites publish different estimates, but these numbers should be treated carefully. Her financial position may include earnings from costume design, art-related work, investments, property, and her divorce settlement.
Because the financial terms of her divorce were sealed, claims about exactly how much she received from Morgan Freeman remain unverified.
For that reason, it is better to describe her as financially private rather than present a specific net worth figure as fact.
Awards and Recognition
Myrna has received recognition for both her design work and her support of the arts.
In 2022, she received a Governor’s Arts Award in Mississippi for her achievements in costume design and her role as an arts patron.
Her work has also been recognized by theatre organizations and cultural institutions. Mississippi State University preserves materials connected to her professional career, including sketches, costumes, photographs, scripts, and design documents.
These honors show that Myrna built a meaningful professional legacy independent of Morgan Freeman.
Social Media
Myrna Colley-Lee maintains a very limited public online presence.
There are no widely recognized verified Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, or X accounts that appear to represent her as a public personality.
This matches the way she has lived much of her life. Instead of using social media for attention, Myrna has mostly appeared publicly through museums, theatre events, arts organizations, and cultural programs.
People searching for her accounts should be careful with unofficial profiles or fan-created pages.
Life Today
Myrna Colley-Lee continues to be associated with Mississippi and its arts community. She has spent many years supporting cultural institutions, local organizations, museums, and artistic projects.
She also remains respected for her long career as a designer and arts advocate. Even decades after she first began working in theatre, her contributions are still recognized by cultural organizations.
At the same time, she appears to enjoy a much quieter life than the one associated with Hollywood celebrities. She rarely gives interviews and keeps most personal matters outside the public eye.
Interesting Facts
One interesting fact about Myrna is that she had already entered the professional theatre world long before marrying Morgan Freeman.
She also became involved with the Black Theatre Movement, which played an important role in increasing representation for Black writers, actors, designers, and directors.
Her art collection has been large and significant enough to become the focus of museum exhibitions.
Another notable fact is that her career documents and costume-related materials have been preserved by academic institutions, allowing future researchers to study her work.
Most importantly, Myrna continued receiving professional recognition many years after her divorce, proving that her creative identity was never dependent on being Morgan Freeman’s wife.
Must Read: Terrence Duckett: Inside the Life of Jasmine Guy’s Ex-Husband
Final Thoughts
Myrna Colley-Lee has lived a life shaped by creativity, culture, family, and privacy. While her marriage to Morgan Freeman made her name familiar to millions of people, her own achievements tell a much broader story.
She built a long career in costume and scenic design, supported African American art, worked with cultural organizations, and earned recognition for her contributions to theatre and the arts.
Today, she remains a relatively private figure, but her work continues to speak for her. Myrna Colley-Lee’s story is ultimately not just about a famous marriage. It is about a woman who spent decades helping art, theatre, and cultural history remain visible and valued.
Must Read: Terrence Duckett: Inside the Life of Jasmine Guy’s Ex-Husband
FAQs
Who is Myrna Colley-Lee?
Myrna Colley-Lee is an American costume designer, scenic designer, art collector, and arts advocate. She is also known publicly as Morgan Freeman’s former wife.
How old is Myrna Colley-Lee?
Myrna Colley-Lee was born in 1941. In 2026, she is approximately 84 or 85 years old, depending on her exact birth date.
When did Myrna Colley-Lee marry Morgan Freeman?
Myrna Colley-Lee married Morgan Freeman on June 16, 1984. Their divorce was finalized in 2010.
What is Myrna Colley-Lee’s net worth?
Her exact net worth is not publicly confirmed. Online estimates vary, and the financial terms of her divorce settlement were sealed.
What does Myrna Colley-Lee do today?
Myrna remains associated with the arts and cultural community. She is known for her past theatre work, art collection, philanthropy, and support of cultural organizations.
