Rob Reiner and Penny Marshall divorced mainly because their careers pulled them in different directions and created strain and jealousy in the marriage. Their intense work schedules also meant they spent long periods apart, which made it hard to maintain their relationship.
Career imbalance
After All in the Family ended, Rob Reiner struggled to find acting work while Penny Marshall’s fame grew with Laverne & Shirley, leading to professional jealousy and tension at home. This imbalance in success and opportunity is often cited as a key factor in the breakdown of their marriage.
Time apart and workload
Both were working long hours on separate television projects, leaving little time together as a couple or as a family with Penny’s daughter Tracy, whom Rob adopted. The constant separation and heavy workload made their home life chaotic and difficult to sustain.
How they felt afterward
Both later described the divorce as painful but remained on good terms and continued to care deeply for each other. Penny Marshall even said they had once imagined they might get back together when they were older, though each eventually built a separate family life.
