Photo: Instagram
They've been married for 15 years.
By Kayla Kibbe — Written on Nov 07, 2018
Who is John Leguizamo's wife? The comedian's Netflix special, Latin History For Morons, hit the streaming service on Nov. 5, and has drawn acclaim from the Latinx community for its witty approach to exposing the often-neglected stories of Latin history.
The show details Leguizamo's attempt to find Latinx heroes for his son to write about for a school project, taking the audience on a deep dive into Latin history in the process.
As the actor and comedian, 54, explores his Latinx heritage, the show provides a glimpse into Leguizamo's identity, background, and family relationships. Here are a few fast facts to know about his wife, Justine Maurer.
1. They've been married since 2003
Leguizamo and Maurer wed in 2003 after five years of dating. "I still think marriage is more than a ceremony and a document," he told TIME in 2008. "It's definitely a commitment that two people make and I don't know if you need all those elements to make it a marriage. To me marriage is a devout commitment to make things work and figure it out and fight to stay together. I think you have to really make that commitment in your soul. Both people have to."
2. She was a costumer
Maurer was a costumer on the set of 1993's Carlito's Way, where she first met Leguizamo.
3. They have two children
The couple has two children together, daughter Allegra Sky, born in 1999, and son Ryder Lee, born in 2000. Allegra recently began her freshman year at Northwestern University, which Leguizamo documented in a video posted to Instagram back in September.
4. She is his second wife
Leguizamo was previously married to actress Yelba Osorio, 50, who he wed in 1994. The former couple divorced in 1996 after two years of marriage.
5. She's Jewish
Maurer, who was raised Jewish, wed Leguizamo, who is Catholic, in a religious ceremony combining the two faiths. Back in 2008, Leguizamo played Mauricio, a Puerto Rican man married to a Jewish woman, in the ensemble dramedy Nothing Like The Holidays. Asked about the role's parallels with his own life, Leguizamo told Time, "They never said it was written for me. No one's told me the truth. It's too weird a coincidence. It made it great, too, because that's my life — I had lots to draw from." Of the family dynamic, Leguizamo added, "My wife knows that [my family members are] all very passionate and we talk about everything and there's no holds barred when we get together. We talk about everything and anything loudly."
Kayla Kibbe is a writer wrapping up her final semester at Connecticut College where she is an English major with a concentration in creative writing. She covers trending celebrity and entertainment news, love and relationships, and astrology.
WATCH: John Leguizamo Teaches Latin History For Morons