'Friday Night Lights' Actor Zach Gilford Files For Divorce From Wife Kiele Sanchez After 12 Years of Marriage
Zach Gilford and Kiele Sanchez filed for divorce.
April 19 2025, Published 4:15 p.m. ET
Friday Night Lights actor Zach Gilford has reportedly filed for divorce from his estranged wife, Kiele Sanchez, after 12 years of marriage, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
According to legal documents, the 43-year-old TV star cited "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for the separation.
Zach Gilford and Kiele Sanchez have been married for 12 years.
Gilford and Sanchez are seeking joint legal and physical custody of their two kids: Zeppelin, 7, and Revel, 4.
The Midnight Mass actor also opted to award his estranged wife spousal support in the filing.
Zach Gilford is known for his roles in 'Criminal Minds' and 'Friday Night Lights'.
Gilford and Sanchez first met in 2010 on the set of The Matadors. In 2014, the two went on to star together on several projects, including Kingdom and The Purge: Anarchy.
Sanchez was also a co-writer on Gilford's episode of the 2023 Netflix horror series The Fall of the House of Usher.
During a recent interview, the L.A.'s Finest actor said: "We've worked together several times and in very different situations. But there's a theme on set when you are coworkers. But also a married couple. It's kind of trying to walk that tightrope.
"There's times where I want to (support her). Like, if she's having a discussion [with a director or a writer], I want to be like, 'Yeah, Kiele is right!' But that's not my place. Kiele can talk for herself – she's a very strong woman."
Zach Gilford and Kiele Sanchez share two children.
The pair also play spouses on Criminal Minds: Evolution on Paramount+.
Gilford plays Elias Voit, a serial killer who poses as a family man and hides his true identity from his wife, Sydney (Sanchez), and their two daughters.
He opened up about working with his wife and how strange it was to hold a gun to her head while filming.
The actor confessed: "Honestly, all those scenes are so f----- up.
"I'll only speak for myself. Kiele can obviously speak for herself, but it felt gross (bringing those darker moments to life together).
"I was on my way to work, and I said goodbye to Kiele. And she looked at her phone and said, 'That's weird. I just got an offer to play your wife on Criminal Minds.'
"Then, [showrunner] Erica [Messer] told me, 'We didn't want to put pressure on you or Kiele. We just wanted to make it very professional.'"
Zach Gilford and Kiele Sanchez starred in a number of projects together,
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Gilford and Sanchez welcomed their first child, Zeppelin, in November 2017, years after they announced that they had lost a baby near the end of Sanchez's third trimester.
After welcoming Zeppelin via surrogate, the actors said, "We have always wanted to be parents, and Zeppelin has made our dreams come true."
