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John Malkovich admitted his affair with Michelle Pfeiffer during Dangerous Liaisons (1988) ended his marriage to Glenne Headly.
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He said the relationship also cost him a valued colleague, calling a great colleague “rarer than anything.”
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Michelle Pfeiffer later divorced Peter Horton in 1990 and married David E. Kelley in 1993.
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After the divorce, John Malkovich began a long-term partnership with Nicoletta Peyran, with whom he has two children.
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Malkovich described the affair as a defining episode that left him with regret.
John Malkovich has addressed his affair with Michelle Pfeiffer during the making of the 1988 film Dangerous Liaisons. John Malkovich, 71, spoke on the Fashion Neurosis podcast and said the relationship developed from a close working connection on set into a personal involvement that altered his life. John Malkovich described how the situation moved beyond standard on-set rapport and became a turning point in both his personal and professional spheres.
John Malkovich noted that actors often form strong bonds during production. In this case, John Malkovich said the bond progressed beyond work. He acknowledged that Pfeiffer was “fun, moving, and incredibly fair” with him and added that he was not, which he said led to lasting consequences for him.
John Malkovich on losing a trusted colleague
John Malkovich framed the affair in terms of professional loss as well as private fallout. He set out a clear view of workplace boundaries and their value in creative partnerships. He said: “I think I’ve learned over the course of my life that a great colleague is rarer than anything. When that relationship becomes more than collegial or more than a friendship, even a profound friendship, you lose a great colleague.” John Malkovich presented this as a general lesson drawn from his experience on Dangerous Liaisons and its aftermath. For John Malkovich, the consequence was not only personal disruption but also the end of a working relationship he valued.
John Malkovich and the effect on his marriage to Glenne Headly
At the time of the affair, John Malkovich was married to actress Glenne Headly. John Malkovich and Headly had been married for six years, and the marriage ended in 1988, which was also the year Dangerous Liaisons was released. John Malkovich’s account links the breakdown of his marriage to the events surrounding the film. Michelle Pfeiffer was then married to actor Peter Horton. Their marriage ended in 1990. She later married television producer David E. Kelley in 1993, and they have two children. Headly later married musician Byron McCulloch and remained with him until her death in 2017 from complications of a pulmonary embolism. These timelines set out the sequence of changes that followed the production for those involved, including John Malkovich.
John Malkovich’s previous public comments on the affair
Until these remarks, John Malkovich had seldom spoken about the affair in detail. John Malkovich previously deflected questions with brief lines rather than extended commentary. On earlier occasions, John Malkovich responded with, “It’s hard to believe Michelle Pfeiffer ever said hello to me.” The new comments expand on that stance. John Malkovich now addresses both the personal and professional costs and sets out his view that crossing a professional line can mean the loss of a rare working partner.
John Malkovich contrasts this experience with long-term collaborations
John Malkovich compared the Dangerous Liaisons experience with his decades-long collaboration with Lithuanian actress Ingeborga Dapkunaite. John Malkovich said that they have remained friends and colleagues for more than 30 years because they kept clear professional boundaries. For John Malkovich, that contrast illustrates how consistent boundaries can support durable creative relationships, whereas blurred lines can end them. This comparison underscores John Malkovich’s broader point about the scarcity of reliable colleagues in film and theatre.
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Where John Malkovich’s life and career stand today
Following the end of his first marriage, John Malkovich entered a long-term partnership with Italian production designer Nicoletta Peyran. John Malkovich and Peyran have two children. John Malkovich continues to work in film and theatre, with a career that includes titles such as Burn After Reading and Con Air. Michelle Pfeiffer remains active in Hollywood and, as noted, has been married to David E. Kelley since 1993. The current circumstances of John Malkovich and those involved provide context for how the events of the late 1980s fit into longer careers and personal lives.
John Malkovich’s takeaway on boundaries, regret, and professional loss
In summing up his view, John Malkovich describes the affair as a defining episode from the late 1980s. John Malkovich expresses regret and focuses on the professional cost alongside the end of his marriage. For John Malkovich, the central lesson is that the price of crossing professional lines can be the loss of “a great colleague,” which he views as rare and not easily replaced. John Malkovich’s remarks present a clear account of what happened, what followed, and what he believes he lost as a result.
