Kevin Grandalski is a retired Burbank police officer best known as the longtime husband of Academy Award-winning actress Marlee Matlin. The two met in the early 1990s while Matlin was working on the television police drama Reasonable Doubts, married in 1993, and went on to raise four children together. Grandalski chose a career far removed from Hollywood, although he has occasionally accompanied Matlin to major entertainment events. More than three decades after their wedding, the couple remain together, with Grandalski joining Matlin on the red carpet at the 2026 Academy Awards.
Kevin Grandalski Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Kevin Grandalski |
| Known for | Husband of actress Marlee Matlin |
| Profession | Retired Burbank police officer |
| Spouse | Marlee Matlin |
| Marriage date | August 29, 1993 |
| Children | Four |
| Children’s names | Sarah, Brandon, Tyler and Isabelle |
| Connection to Hollywood | Met Matlin during Reasonable Doubts; occasionally attends events with her |
| Recent public appearance | 98th Academy Awards in March 2026 |
Reliable biographical sources do not establish a widely published birth date for Grandalski, so claims about his exact age should be treated cautiously.
Who Is Kevin Grandalski?
Kevin Grandalski built his professional life in law enforcement rather than entertainment. Contemporary coverage from the Los Angeles Times identified him as a Burbank police officer when he and Matlin became engaged in 1993. More recent coverage describes him as retired from the Burbank Police Department.
His name became familiar to entertainment audiences because of his marriage to Matlin, whose career includes Children of a Lesser God, Reasonable Doubts, The West Wing, Switched at Birth and CODA. Grandalski himself has not pursued a comparable acting or celebrity career.
That distinction is useful when reading biographical material about him. Most dependable details about Grandalski appear in interviews with Matlin, established profiles of her family, and coverage of events they have attended together.
How Kevin Grandalski Met Marlee Matlin
Grandalski and Matlin met while she was working on NBC’s Reasonable Doubts, which aired from 1991 to 1993. Matlin played assistant district attorney Tess Kaufman in the police drama.
PBS’s American Masters timeline states that Matlin met Grandalski during her work on the series. A contemporary Los Angeles Times article published in March 1993 likewise described Grandalski as a Burbank police officer whom she had met while making the show.
Matlin has given a more personal account of their introduction. In an autobiographical essay republished by Guideposts, she recalled noticing Grandalski while police officers were working around the production. She asked about him, learned that he was single and soon began dating him. She also wrote that he already knew sign language because he had studied it to fulfill a college language requirement.
Their connection therefore began through a real law-enforcement presence surrounding a fictional police series — an unusual meeting point between Matlin’s acting career and Grandalski’s profession.
Their Wedding at Henry Winkler’s Home
Kevin Grandalski and Marlee Matlin married on August 29, 1993.
The wedding was held at the home of Henry Winkler and his wife, Stacey. Winkler had played an important role in Matlin’s personal life long before the marriage, and the location carried particular meaning for her. PBS includes the wedding in its official Matlin career timeline, while coverage of the 2025 documentary Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore also recounts that the Winklers hosted the ceremony.
The marriage has lasted for more than three decades. In a 2025 AARP interview, Matlin was asked about the longevity of the relationship. She credited mutual respect and a shared sense of humor as central elements of their marriage.
Kevin Grandalski and Marlee Matlin’s Children
Grandalski and Matlin have four children: Sarah, Brandon, Tyler and Isabelle. PBS records their births as Sarah in 1996, Brandon in 2000, Tyler in 2002 and Isabelle in 2003.
People has also profiled the four siblings as adults. Sarah is the eldest, followed by Brandon and Tyler, while Isabelle is the youngest. The family grew again when Sarah became a mother, making Grandalski and Matlin grandparents.
Matlin has spoken about raising four hearing children while being Deaf herself. In a CBS News interview, she explained that she did not feel isolated in a household of hearing family members because she was accustomed to a similar dynamic from her childhood. Communication within the family remained part of everyday life rather than something she described as separating her from them.
A Career Outside Hollywood
Grandalski’s career sets him apart from many spouses associated with prominent actors. He worked as a police officer rather than pursuing acting, producing or another entertainment profession.
By 2024, People described him as a former police officer, and 2026 Los Angeles Times Oscars coverage identified him more specifically as a retired Burbank police officer.
Grandalski has nevertheless appeared beside Matlin at entertainment-industry events. Getty Images archives document the couple attending occasions including the Golden Globes, Emmy-related events and Academy Awards across several decades.
That pattern fits the broader public record: Grandalski participates in significant family and professional moments with Matlin without establishing a separate Hollywood career.
Kevin Grandalski Timeline
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| Early 1990s | Meets Marlee Matlin during the period she is filming Reasonable Doubts |
| March 1993 | Los Angeles Times reports that Matlin and Grandalski are engaged |
| August 29, 1993 | Marries Matlin at Henry and Stacey Winkler’s home |
| 1996 | Daughter Sarah is born |
| 2000 | Son Brandon is born |
| 2002 | Son Tyler is born |
| 2003 | Daughter Isabelle is born |
| 2024 | Grandalski and Matlin become grandparents after Sarah welcomes a daughter |
| March 2026 | Grandalski accompanies Matlin to the 98th Academy Awards |
The early relationship and marriage dates are supported by contemporary reporting and PBS’s Matlin timeline; the couple’s 2026 Oscars appearance was documented by the Los Angeles Times.
Kevin Grandalski at the 2026 Oscars
One of Grandalski’s most recent high-profile appearances came on March 15, 2026, when he attended the 98th Academy Awards with Matlin at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
The Los Angeles Times included the couple in its red-carpet coverage and identified Grandalski as Matlin’s husband and a retired Burbank police officer. Associated Press photography from the ceremony also captured the couple arriving together.
The appearance came more than 32 years after their 1993 wedding and provides a current public record of the couple together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Kevin Grandalski?
Kevin Grandalski is a retired Burbank police officer and the husband of Oscar-winning actress Marlee Matlin. They have been married since 1993.
How did Kevin Grandalski meet Marlee Matlin?
They met during the period when Matlin was filming the NBC police drama Reasonable Doubts. Grandalski was working as a police officer, while Matlin starred in the series as assistant district attorney Tess Kaufman.
When did Kevin Grandalski and Marlee Matlin get married?
They married on August 29, 1993, at Henry and Stacey Winkler’s home.
What does Kevin Grandalski do?
Grandalski worked in law enforcement with the Burbank Police Department. Recent reporting identifies him as retired.
How many children do Kevin Grandalski and Marlee Matlin have?
They have four children: Sarah, Brandon, Tyler and Isabelle.
Are Kevin Grandalski and Marlee Matlin still married?
Yes. They married in 1993, and Grandalski accompanied Matlin to the 98th Academy Awards in March 2026.
Conclusion
Kevin Grandalski is best described through the career and family life that reliable sources document: a former Burbank police officer who met Marlee Matlin while she was working on Reasonable Doubts, married her in 1993 and raised four children with her. He has maintained a comparatively private profile while supporting Matlin at selected public events. Their appearance together at the 2026 Oscars shows a marriage that has continued for more than three decades.