Next time Broadway star Orfeh tells her actor husband Andy Karl to break a leg, she might mean it quite literally.
The theater community was taken aback earlier this month with the news that the couple—both Tony nominees—had ended their 23-year marriage. Karl had been in Australia, starring in a production of the musical “Groundhog Day.”
Karl, who previously portrayed the role made famous by Bill Murray in two London runs and on Broadway, seems to have formed a close bond with his co-star, Aussie actress Elise McCann, who played the Andie McDowell role.
Insiders reveal that Orfeh visited Karl in Australia in February, where he “paraded her around Melbourne as if everything was fine.” However, just before her return to the US, Karl, 49, informed Orfeh, 53, that he intended to leave her for McCann, 38.
A source close to the couple remarked, “He seems to be having a major midlife crisis. It’s one thing to fall in love with someone while you’re in an unusual setting in Australia and starring in a show. Let’s see how this [new] relationship goes when it’s their day-to-day reality.”
Adding to the drama, Karl posted an online statement on May 14 announcing the split, signing Orfeh’s name to it without informing her or getting her approval. The statement read: “After 23 years of a wonderful loving relationship, both onstage and off, we have made the decision to separate.” It continued, “Keeping a marriage strong can be challenging, especially when working on opposite sides of the world, but we remain committed to building a strong future, whether together or apart.”
