Charlie Hunnam might be stepping into the darkest role of his career as the notorious serial killer, Ed Gein, in Netflix’s upcoming true-crime-based series, Monster: The Ed Gein Story. The Rebel Moon star’s first look as one of history’s most infamous psycho killers has already made waves ahead of its release in October 2025. However, while his sinister eyes in the show’s poster will surely make your skin crawl, Hunnam’s personal life is its complete opposite. 

Unlike many celebrities, Charlie Hunnam’s personal life hasn’t been filled with constant drama, though it hasn’t been without its share of heartbreak. Despite leading a low-key life, he once found himself in the middle of a painful divorce with a high-profile actress before he eventually found lasting love after the divorce.

Long before the King Arthur star became a household name, he fell in love with an American actress from a well-known Hollywood family. Here’s everything to know about actress Katharine Towne, Charlie Hunnam’s ‘nepo-baby’ ex-wife, and the marriage that ran its course within just three years.

Who is Charlie Hunnam’s ex-wife, Katharine Towne?

Let us take you back to the early days, when Charlie Hunnam was yet to find his footing in acting. The British actor, who didn’t even land his debut role as a lead until 2002, met actress Katharine Towne in the late 1990s. By then, Towne, daughter of Oscar-winning screenwriter Robert Towne, was already carving out her own path in Hollywood with roles in Cool Girl and What Lies Beneath.

Hunnam’s paths first crossed with the Chinatown star’s daughter when he was auditioning for the teen drama, Dawson’s Creek. They had an instant connection and soon began dating. With instant sparks, Hunnam and Towne were inseparable from the moment their eyes landed on each other. And before they knew it, they were standing at the altar, vowing to be married for life.

In 1999, just three weeks into the relationship, Hunnam and Towne got married during a whirlwind trip to Las Vegas. At that time, Charlie had just turned 18 and Katherine was 20. What seemed like a movie-like union soon turned rocky as the two got to know each other after the marriage. Years later, in an interview with the Associated Press, Hunnam admitted how naive they were, with Towne being his first love. He explained:

“First time I was ever in Vegas, I got married, which didn’t turn out that well. I had known the girl for three weeks. We had fallen madly in love, and it was the first time I had ever been in love.”

After attempts to make their whirlwind romance work, Charlie and Katharine’s impulsive Vegas marriage, which began after just three weeks of dating, ended in divorce three years later, in 2002. Coincidentally, that was also the year Hunnam made his debut as the lead in Nicholas Nickleby. Looking back, the actor described the marriage as ‘expensive’ and ‘painful’, joking that the only good thing to come out of it was their ‘kids’, i.e., the cats they shared, and he eventually got.

Did Charlie Hunnam and Katharine Towne have kids?

Through their three years of marriage, Hunnan and Towne did not have any children except for their furbabies. By the time their divorce was finalised, Hunnam was already focusing on his acting career, landing roles that would eventually lead to his breakout role as ‘Jax Teller’ in Sons of Anarchy. 

Meanwhile, Townes got busy with her acting career through the 2000s. She appeared in various films, including Buffy the Vampire Slayer, CSI: New York, But I’m a Cheerleader, and Mulholland Drive.

Katharine’s last major role was in 2012 when she appeared in the film Beauty and the Least: The Misadventures of Ben Banks. Now 46, the actress has since taken a step back from the spotlight, focusing more on screenwriting and mental health advocacy.

Who is Charlie Hunnam’s long-time girlfriend, Morgana McNelis?

While Charlie Hunnam’s very first love (and marriage) was tumultuous, to say the least, his current relationship has been the exact opposite. Unlike his time with Katharine, the actor found his footing in 2005 when he fell in love with Morgana McNelis, and they have been in love ever since. McNelis is a jewellery designer and entrepreneur who runs her own brand, Maison de Morgana.

McNelis is a well-known face in the celebrated circles, with her boho-inspired jewellery attracting A-list clients like Zac Efron and Troian Bellisario. Hunnam himself is often seen flaunting jewellery designed by her, McNelis, including a diamond-encrusted ring he once described as ‘discreet and beautiful’.

Other than jewellery designing, Morgana McNelis is passionate about philanthropic endeavours. The 42-year-old frequently works with a non-profit organisation named Naretoi, supporting Maasai women in Kenya through education and jewellery-making. During the COVID-19 pandemic, McNelis actively worked to help organise food donations for Maasai families. 

A glimpse into Hunnam and McNelis’ private life together

Being a non-actor, McNelis prefers to live a private life, away from Hollywood’s glare. In 2013, the couple bought a ranch in California, where they live a sustainable and slow farm life. The Green Street star told 7 Nights magazine:

“My girlfriend and I just bought a ranch, so we are getting out of Hollywood completely. It’s in California. We’ve got 30 chickens and a couple of donkeys, a couple of ducks and we’ve got a big, organic garden. We are going to try to live a bit more sustainably.”

When will Charlie and Morgana marry?

Unlike his first marriage, which happened on a whim, Charlie Hunnam is in no hurry to get married, and neither is McNelis. In a 2020 interview, speaking about his long-time girlfriend, the Pacific Rim actor clarified that he already considers McNelie his wife, and their bond doesn’t need legal proof. He said:

“I suppose what I was trying to articulate is the official government sanction of marriage doesn’t mean anything to me, but the romance of it means an enormous amount. I sort of consider myself married.”

About Charlie Hunnam’s upcoming role

Today, Charlie Hunnam is at the peak of his career. With his upcoming role as the chilling ‘Ed Gein’ in Netflix’s Monster: The Ed Gein Story, he is all set to shock and terrify audiences. The show premieres on October 3, 2025.

And while he may embody one of history’s most notorious killers on screen, the off-screen Hunnam has found a love story that couldn’t be further from the horror.

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