The Unconventional Way Hallmark's Rachael Leigh Cook Navigated Her Divorce From Daniel Gillies
Things are going smoothly for actors Rachael Leigh Cook and Daniel Gillies after announcing their decision to mutually call it quits back in 2019. The following year, the Hallmark star spoke with ET about navigating life post-divorce and confirmed that she and her ex-husband were in a good place despite their split. "We're really good," Cook gushed. "We're friends now. We talk about things that we never talked about before because we have this new relationship." Among those things were Gillies' experience of jumping back into the dating scene after being married to Cook for almost 15 years; that's how close they are to each other now. They also share two kids, Charlotte and Theodore, whom they happily and peacefully co-parent. "He'll (Daniel) tell me about dates that he goes on and funny things that might have happened and we genuinely laugh about it," Cook revealed, adding that she doesn't get why divorce gets such a bad rap. For her at least, the experience hasn't been all terrible.
Speaking to Us Weekly in 2022, the "He's All That" actor credited divorce therapy with helping her and Gillies cope with the emotional toll of their split. "That's the thing. We did a little bit of therapy to navigate our separation," Cook recalled. She recommends it to everyone going through the same situation, explaining that the practice played a huge role in their dynamic by teaching them how to move forward amicably. "The past is the past," Cook stressed. "The past literally has zero relevance to every single day forward." And move on they did.
Cook and Gillies are both seeing someone new
Rachael Leigh Cook found love again soon after filing for divorce from ex-husband Daniel Gillies in 2019. "I met someone really nice, and I adore him," Cook revealed in a 2020 interview with Us Weekly. His name was Kevin, and she was smitten. "He's fantastic," she gushed. "I did good, if I do say so. Definitely hitting out of my league there." Later, she revealed her new beau to be Emmy-winning producer Kevin Mann, who is best known for his work on the Hulu documentary series "Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers" and as the founder of the film production company Haven Entertainment. He's also a swimming coach. The two were set up by Cook's fellow actor and close friend, Judy Greer. "I love his perfect heart," Cook relayed to ET in 2021. "He's magic." She added, "He's the greatest guy. [sic] He's the most genuine. He's praying for me and he loves me."
As for Gillies, the "Saving Hope" actor also has a new special person in his life after finalizing their divorce in 2021: Julia Misaki, a professional cellist who hails from Japan. The couple first met online during the COVID-19 pandemic and have been together ever since. "I get better all the time with her," Gillies gushed to Stuff. At the time, he also spoke of his relationship with Cook, saying he still cares a lot about his ex-wife. "I still love her deeply," Gillies expressed. "It's interesting building this new version of us."
Rachael Leigh Cook isn't closing her doors on marriage
Rachael Leigh Cook isn't done believing in marriage even after going through a painful divorce from her ex-husband Daniel Gillies. Speaking to People in 2022, while promoting her latest film "Spirit Halloween," the Hallmark star discussed the possibility of her getting married again sometime in the future, admitting that she's open to the idea. What can she say? She's a total sucker for love. "I am the most incorrigible full-tilt romantic you have ever met in your whole life, to the point that it's probably unreasonable. So yeah, totally open to that happening again," Cook quipped. But unless she knows for sure that she is marrying the right person, then Cook is willing to wait patiently. "I will be slightly more cautious in making that decision because I have kids involved and such in my life now," Cook stressed, adding, "But I wouldn't say no."
What about having kids? Well, that would be more complicated, according to the Minnesota native. "I gotta make that decision with eyes wide open," Cook explained. Being a parent is hard work, after all, and she and her future husband would have to be on the same page about starting their own family. But as of 2022, she and her boyfriend Kevin Mann were still not serious enough to talk about such things. "We're still in what I would call an information-gathering phase," Cook explained. "It's not romantic, but sometimes good decisions aren't." As they say, better safe than sorry!