Dennis Quaid Says Divorce Takes Away Your Identity: ‘It’s Like Death’

Dennis Quaid has a career that can be traced back all the way to an uncredited appearance as a bellhop in Crazy Mama. But even with plenty of movie credits to his name, the 64-year-old has also had his name attached to plenty of news stories, mainly focusing on his numerous divorces. Three divorces to be exact. And Dennis recently talked to The Sunday Times on how those divorces have really impacted him immensely.

Dennis was first married to actress PJ Soles from 1978 to 1983, and that was followed by the marriage that everyone remembers: a ten year marriage to then America’s sweetheart Meg Ryan from 1991 to 2001. And Dennis reveals he is still friends with Meg. Most recently Dennis was officially divorced from his third wife Kimberly Buffington after being married since 2004. And what does Dennis have to say about all this? “I think what divorce does is, it takes away your identity,” the actor says. “It’s like death. Your identity is wrapped up in the relationship and if it’s not going to be there…who are you?”

Something tells us Dennis is a tad tired of divorces. Dennis wasn’t done talking about his divorces, adding, “aren’t the most stressful things in life meant to be the death of a family member and moving house? And then there’s divorce, which is death and moving.” “The birth of a child is another stressful situation, Dennis continued. “Not just because things could go wrong, but also because you have to redefine who you are.”

Dennis does have three children: his oldest Jack, 26, who he had with Meg, and two more kids he had with Kimberly: 11-year-old twins Zoe Grace and Thomas Boone. Dennis also touched on what it was like when first being confronted with fatherhood. “I was 38 when he was born,” Dennis recalled. “And I realized my life was over. I could no longer have any guilt-free experiences. I’m exaggerating a bit, but I am responsible for someone else in the world and that’s never going to go away. My mother still worries about me.”