Shemar Moore has spent decades playing memorable characters on television, from Malcolm Winters on The Young and the Restless to Derek Morgan on Criminal Minds and Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson on S.W.A.T. While fans know plenty about his career, his personal life has always attracted a different kind of curiosity.
So, does Shemar Moore have a wife?
No. Shemar Moore is currently unmarried. The actor was previously married to actress Sanaa Lathan, but that relationship ended in divorce in the 1990s. More recently, Moore was in a long-term relationship with actress and model Jesiree Dizon. The former couple welcomed their daughter, Frankie, in January 2023 before announcing their separation in 2025.
Although Moore is not currently married, fatherhood has become one of the most important parts of his life.
Shemar Moore Was Previously Married to Sanaa Lathan
Shemar Moore’s best-known marriage was to actress Sanaa Lathan.
The two actors were together early in Moore’s career and married in the 1990s. Their marriage lasted several years before they eventually divorced.
Lathan has gone on to build a successful acting career of her own, appearing in movies and television projects including Love & Basketball, The Best Man, Brown Sugar and The Affair.
Moore and Lathan’s marriage took place long before he became widely known as Derek Morgan on Criminal Minds or Hondo on S.W.A.T.
Because the marriage happened so early in his career, many newer fans may not realize that Moore has been married before.
When Did Shemar Moore and Sanaa Lathan Marry?
Moore and Lathan married in 1991 and divorced in 1996.
Their relationship has remained part of Moore’s personal history, but he has not spent much of his public life discussing the marriage in great detail.
Over the years, Moore has had several high-profile relationships, but his marriage to Lathan remains his only publicly known marriage.
That means when people search for “Shemar Moore wife,” the answer needs a little context. He does have a former wife, but he does not currently have one.
Shemar Moore Later Dated Jesiree Dizon
Years after his marriage to Lathan, Moore began a long-term relationship with Jesiree Dizon.
Dizon is an actress and model who had already been a mother before becoming romantically involved with Moore.
The pair knew each other for years and became closer around 2020. Their relationship later became public, and they welcomed their daughter together in January 2023.
Unlike a traditional celebrity wedding story, Moore and Dizon did not marry.
In fact, Moore discussed the subject of marriage publicly in 2024 and explained that he did not necessarily see marriage as part of their future. He said his own experiences growing up had influenced the way he viewed marriage.
For Moore, the relationship was about being present for the family they had built rather than following a particular idea of what a relationship was supposed to look like.
Shemar Moore Became a First-Time Dad in 2023
One of the biggest personal milestones in Moore’s life came when he became a father.
He and Dizon welcomed their daughter, Frankie Melelina Kapule Moore, on Jan. 24, 2023.
Moore had spoken openly about wanting to become a father, and the arrival of Frankie carried special meaning because his late mother, Marylin Joan Wilson-Moore, had wanted him to have children.
The actor has described Frankie as a major blessing in his life.
He has also shared plenty of affectionate moments with his daughter, giving fans occasional glimpses of their relationship.
For an actor who spent much of his adult life focused heavily on his career, becoming a father represented a very different chapter.
Frankie Is Shemar Moore’s Only Child
Frankie is Moore’s first and only biological child.
Dizon also has two older children from previous relationships, meaning Frankie has older siblings on her mother’s side.
Moore has spoken warmly about becoming part of a larger family and about the joy of watching Frankie grow.
He has shared milestones from her early childhood, including her first words and first steps.
The actor has also talked about wanting to give his daughter a grounded upbringing despite growing up around Hollywood.
His approach to fatherhood appears to be much more important to him than maintaining a certain celebrity image.
Shemar Moore and Jesiree Dizon Split in 2025
Moore and Dizon eventually ended their romantic relationship after nearly five years together.
Their split was publicly reported in January 2025.
Despite ending their relationship, the two made it clear that their daughter remained their priority. Reports described them as loving friends and committed co-parents.
Dizon also expressed respect for Moore as a father, while Moore praised Dizon as a mother.
That has allowed them to continue sharing an important connection even though they are no longer a couple.
For celebrity relationships, a breakup often means the end of regular contact. In this case, however, Moore and Dizon have a permanent reason to remain involved in each other’s lives because of Frankie.
Moore Has Spoken About His Views on Marriage
Marriage has not appeared to be a major goal for Moore in recent years.
While speaking about his relationship with Dizon, the actor explained that he did not have strong examples of marriage around him while growing up.
That background helped shape his perspective.
Rather than saying that a relationship needs a wedding to be meaningful, Moore has emphasized commitment, partnership and family.
His comments also help explain why he and Dizon were able to spend years together, welcome a child and build a family without getting married.
Their decision was personal, and Moore has generally approached the subject without suggesting that there is only one way to build a family.
Fatherhood Changed Moore’s Perspective
Moore has been very open about how much becoming a father changed him.
For years, his career was a major focus. He became a recognizable television star and eventually one of the faces of S.W.A.T.
But after Frankie was born, he began talking more about family and the importance of being present in his daughter’s life.
He has described fatherhood as a source of purpose and has frequently shared how much he enjoys being a dad.
His relationship with Frankie has also become one of the most visible parts of his personal life.
While Moore once spent much of his public career discussing acting, he now regularly speaks about the experience of raising his daughter.
Shemar Moore’s Career Remains Busy
Even while focusing on fatherhood, Moore has continued his work as an actor.
His career began with The Young and the Restless, where he played Malcolm Winters and won a Daytime Emmy Award.
He later became internationally recognized for playing Derek Morgan on Criminal Minds. His role on the long-running crime drama made him a favorite among television viewers.
Moore eventually took the lead role of Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson on S.W.A.T., another major television success.
His career has therefore stretched across several decades, while his personal life has gone through equally important changes.
Does Shemar Moore Have a Wife Now?
No, Shemar Moore does not currently have a wife.
His former wife is Sanaa Lathan, whom he married in the 1990s before their divorce.
His most recent major relationship was with Jesiree Dizon. They were together for several years and became parents to Frankie in 2023, but they separated in 2025.
Today, Moore’s family life centers largely around his role as a father.
The actor has made it clear that his relationship with Dizon may have changed, but their responsibility to Frankie has not.
Shemar Moore’s Family Life Today
The question of Shemar Moore’s wife can be confusing because he has a former marriage and a more recent long-term relationship.
But the current picture is straightforward. Moore is unmarried.
He was previously married to Sanaa Lathan, and later shared a nearly five-year relationship with Jesiree Dizon. Together, Moore and Dizon welcomed Frankie, who has become one of the biggest sources of joy in his life.
While fans may continue to be interested in whether Moore will marry again, the actor has shown that he is comfortable keeping his personal choices on his own terms.
For now, his most important family role is being Frankie’s dad. His career may have made him famous, but fatherhood has given Moore a completely different part to play, and one he clearly values deeply.