Updated: October 2026
Joanna Kerns Husband: Who Is Joanna Kerns Married To? (2026)
Joanna Kerns is an American actress and television director best known for playing Maggie Seaver on the ABC sitcom Growing Pains from 1985 to 1992. She was married to her second husband, Los Angeles architect Marc Appleton, from 1994 until she filed for divorce in August 2019 after nearly 25 years together. She was previously married to Richard Kerns, with whom she had her only child.
Who Is Marc Appleton?
Marc Appleton is a Los Angeles-based architect. He keeps a low public profile, but he discussed his work with Architectural Digest in 2017, including the design of the Santa Barbara property he shared with Kerns. No public information is available about his early life or professional background beyond his architecture career. The couple married on September 30, 1994, and did not have any children together. They separated in 2019, and Kerns filed for divorce in Los Angeles County Superior Court that August, just before their 25th wedding anniversary.
Marriage Timeline
Kerns married Appleton on September 30, 1994. The marriage lasted nearly 25 years before Kerns filed for divorce in August 2019, ending her second marriage. Her first marriage was to Richard Kerns, whom she married in 1976; that marriage ended in divorce in 1985. As of 2026, there is no public record of Kerns remarrying, and she is listed as currently single.
Children
Joanna Kerns has one child: a daughter named Ashley Cooper Kerns, born in 1978 during her first marriage to Richard Kerns. She did not have any children with Marc Appleton.
Career Highlights
Joanna Kerns was born Joanne Crussie DeVarona on February 12, 1953, in San Francisco, California. She grew up in Lafayette, California, and tried out for the 1968 Olympics as a gymnast. She is the younger sister of Olympic gold medalist swimmer Donna de Varona. Kerns began her acting career in the 1970s with guest roles on television before landing her signature role as Maggie Seaver, the career-minded mother on Growing Pains, which she played for all seven seasons from 1985 to 1992. Her film credits include Girl, Interrupted (1999) and Knocked Up (2007). After Growing Pains, Kerns built a substantial second career as a television director, directing episodes of This Is Us, Pretty Little Liars, and Jane the Virgin. She underwent a double mastectomy after a breast cancer diagnosis and has since been cancer-free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Joanna Kerns still married in 2026?
No. Joanna Kerns filed for divorce from her second husband, Marc Appleton, in August 2019 after nearly 25 years of marriage. No remarriage has been publicly reported.
Who is Joanna Kerns' husband?
Her most recent husband was Marc Appleton, a Los Angeles architect. They were married from 1994 to 2019. Her first husband was Richard Kerns, whom she married from 1976 to 1985.
How many children does Joanna Kerns have?
Joanna Kerns has one daughter, Ashley Cooper Kerns, born in 1978 during her first marriage. She had no children with Marc Appleton.
What is Joanna Kerns known for?
Joanna Kerns is best known for playing Maggie Seaver on Growing Pains (1985-1992). She later became a successful television director on shows including This Is Us and Pretty Little Liars.
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