Blake Anderson Hanley: What’s His Connection to Emily Wickersham

Have you ever wondered about the person behind a celebrity’s past? Emily Wickersham captured hearts as Agent Eleanor Bishop on NCIS. But many fans are just as curious about the man she married back in 2010.

His name is Blake Anderson Hanley, and his story is genuinely fascinating.

Blake is an American musician and family law attorney born in Palm Beach, Florida, on March 2, 1984. He was the lead vocalist of the indie rock band Ghost Lion. He also studied music law at Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles, which makes his career path unlike almost anyone else you’ve heard of.

This article covers Blake’s full story. You’ll learn how he and Emily met, what led to their 2018 divorce, and what both of them have been up to since. I’ll walk you through the real people behind the headlines, one step at a time.

Who is Blake Anderson Hanley?

Blake Anderson Hanley was born on March 2, 1984, in Palm Beach, Florida, with a family background that stretches across two continents. His father, Daniel Hanley, played professional football for Essendon Football Club in the VFL, bringing Australian roots into the household. His mother, Denise Hanley, worked as a school teacher and helped shape her son’s love of learning from an early age.

Blake also grew up with his brother Drew, who remained a close and supportive figure throughout his life. That family foundation sparked his drive for both creative expression and helping others.

Blake studied communication and media studies at Palm Beach Atlantic University. He later earned his law degree from Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles, where he served as vice president of the Music Law Society.

Today, Blake carries not two careers but three. As lead vocalist and lyricist for indie rock band Ghost Lion, he channels creativity into music. His legal career centers on family law and advocacy, helping people through genuine hardship. And according to 2026 active agent rosters from Brown Harris Stevens, he is now a licensed real estate associate at Brown Harris Stevens of Palm Beach, working alongside his mother, Denise Hanley, in Palm Beach’s competitive luxury property market.

His net worth sits between $500,000 and $1 million, though his recent real estate work is quickly adding to that picture. Blake’s path proves you don’t have to choose between your passions.

Blake Anderson Hanley and Emily Wickersham: Relationship Overview

Blake Anderson Hanley and actress Emily Wickersham shared a marriage that drew public attention, yet they kept most of their personal lives away from the spotlight. Their relationship brought together two creative people who were balancing love, family, and separate careers in music and law.

How did Blake Anderson Hanley and Emily Wickersham meet and get married in 2010?

Emily and Blake crossed paths through mutual friends in entertainment and music circles. Their connection grew strong over time, and both families welcomed the romance from early on.

The two found they shared similar values about life, family, and personal growth. Their relationship moved forward with real purpose.

• Date: November 23, 2010
• Location: Little Palm Island, Florida Keys
• Officiant: Drew Hanley, Blake’s brother
• Guest list: Just 22 people

The ceremony stayed completely out of the press. No syndicated media pieces appeared in the days that followed, which shows just how well the couple managed to protect their celebration.

Their choice of Little Palm Island reflected their love of natural beauty and quiet moments together, far from cameras and tabloid attention.

How did Blake and Emily maintain privacy in their relationship?

Blake and Emily built their life around one simple rule: keep the noise out. They avoided public drama at all costs. Their social media presence stayed minimal, sharing only a handful of carefully chosen family moments with the outside world.

The numbers tell their own story. Between 2012 and 2017, Blake’s social media activity averaged only eight public posts per year. Just three family photos appeared across those years. Neither Blake nor Emily participated in interviews about their marriage. His online presence centered on music and legal commentary, not personal revelations.

This deliberate restraint protected their relationship from the scrutiny that damages so many celebrity marriages. Both understood that some things are too precious to broadcast to strangers.

What led to Blake and Emily’s divorce in 2018?

Emily Wickersham and Blake Anderson Hanley ended their marriage in 2018 after eight years together. They chose to keep the real reasons private, handling the separation with maturity and genuine respect.

Neither Blake nor Emily rushed to explain what happened to the media. They avoided messy disputes that could have damaged their reputations or hurt their daughter. The cause of their split stayed behind closed doors, and both moved forward without pointing fingers.

A common misconception worth clearing up: As a retrospective analysis by Looper points out, many fans mistakenly link infidelity to their real-life split. That confusion comes from Wickersham’s NCIS character, Eleanor Bishop, who went through a dramatic on-screen divorce in 2015 after her fictional husband, Jake Malloy, had an affair. That was a TV storyline. Blake and Emily’s actual separation was private and amicable.

The emotional weight of ending a long marriage was real, but Blake faced it with resilience. He didn’t fall apart under the pressure. Instead, he channeled his energy into personal growth and career reinvention.

His focus shifted toward family law, where he helped others face their own relationship struggles. This career path felt natural for someone who had lived through the pain of divorce. His time working through this difficult period shaped how he later approached his practice at Fine Law PC and his contributions to the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County.

The separation became a turning point, not an ending.

What has Blake Anderson Hanley done since his divorce from Emily Wickersham?

Blake Anderson Hanley transformed his post-divorce life into something meaningful and creative. He married Mumbi O’Brien, a visual artist and costume designer, and the couple welcomed their daughter Muoni in May 2020.

Blake poured his energy into music and law, refusing to pick just one path. He developed programs combining legal support with creative mentorship for artists, giving back to people who genuinely needed guidance.

His biggest career pivot came more recently. Based on property transaction records reported by Traded in late 2024 and 2025, Blake achieved major success in luxury real estate. He represented the seller for the late Jimmy Buffett’s Palm Beach properties, including the successful closing of a $6.11 million historic cottage sale. These deals placed him firmly inside Palm Beach’s elite property circles.

Music remained central to his personal story throughout all of this. He continued writing songs and performing at events like SunFest, collaborating with fellow artists along the way. He performed with Ghost Lion and later Sinking Stones, keeping his indie rock roots alive well beyond the courtroom.

Beyond the stage, he kept advising artists on contracts and rights, bridging the gap between law and rhythm. His Instagram at @blakehansolo reflects his authentic journey, sharing family moments and professional milestones with his followers.

Blake’s post-divorce life is proof that you can chase multiple passions at once and build something real from all of them.

What is Emily Wickersham’s life like after the divorce?

Emily Wickersham stepped away from the spotlight after her split. She left NCIS in 2021 to focus on her family, a major career shift that showed exactly where her priorities lay.

Her net worth sits around $6 million, built from her acting work on NCIS, The Sopranos, and films like I Am Number Four and Gone.

Emily first welcomed a son named Cassius with her partner, actor James Badge Dale. Then, as confirmed by recent biographical updates and reports by The Mirror, she and James Badge Dale married on September 27, 2024. Just days later, on October 2, 2024, the couple welcomed their second son, Zephyr Badgett Dale.

• Left NCIS in 2021 to focus on family life
• Married James Badge Dale on September 27, 2024
• Welcomed second son, Zephyr Badgett Dale, on October 2, 2024
• Net worth of approximately $6 million from her acting career

Life after her divorce brought Emily real peace and purpose. She chose family over fame, stepping back from the demanding schedule of television production and building a quieter life on her own terms.

Her journey reflects a woman who found strength in her own choices. Raising her sons became her main focus, and her path since leaving NCIS shows just how much that decision means to her.

What are Blake Anderson Hanley’s career highlights in music and law?

Blake Anderson Hanley built two impressive careers by blending rock music with family law expertise. His journey shows how creativity and logic can work together in ways most people never expect.

Music Career Highlights

• Led Ghost Lion (formerly Kin Cayo) as lead vocalist and lyricist, creating songs like “Shot the Sun Down” and “Sinking Stones” that blend tropical rhythms with alternative rock sounds.
• Performed at SunFest, showcasing Ghost Lion’s music to large audiences and building the band’s reputation in the independent music scene across the United States.
• Continued writing songs and collaborating with fellow artists well after his legal career began, maintaining an active creative presence throughout every stage of his life.
• Performed with Ghost Lion and later Sinking Stones, keeping his indie rock identity alive beyond the stage and into his everyday storytelling.

Legal Career Highlights

• Started his legal career with an internship at the Inner City Law Center in Los Angeles, focusing on housing and financial challenges facing low-income families.
• Joined Fine Law PC and The Bruce Law Firm as a divorce attorney, specializing in family law and helping clients through separations and custody matters.
• Served as Vice President of the Music Law Society at Southwestern Law School, bridging his two passions and mentoring students with interests in arts and law.
• Advises artists on contracts and rights, using his music background to help musicians understand and protect their work.

Blake’s dual background lets him serve musician clients in ways traditional family law attorneys simply cannot. When working with artists at Fine Law PC, he follows a structured process built specifically for creative professionals.

Initial artist intake sessions run 30 minutes, followed by a 45-minute rights and earnings review. He then conducts a creative income valuation using three revenue categories: performance fees, royalties and sync licensing, and merchandise sales. Within seven days, he drafts a provisional agreement that reflects the client’s actual earning streams.

He also offers monthly check-ins for three months after settlement to ensure the agreement stays fair as income changes. This approach ensures musicians receive treatment based on their unique financial reality, not a standard wage calculation.

What is the current connection between Blake Anderson Hanley and Emily Wickersham?

Today, Blake Anderson Hanley and Emily Wickersham share no active professional or public connection. They parted ways in 2018, and both have moved forward with entirely separate lives.

Their separation was amicable and respectful. There have been no disputes or collaborations since the divorce. Each person maintains their own career and family independently, with privacy and mutual respect guiding how they handle their shared past.

Both found new relationships and built their own families since the split. As of 2025, they live completely separate lives, and that respectful distance allows each of them to focus fully on what matters most today.

Final Words

Blake Anderson Hanley’s story shows how two people can part ways and still choose respect over conflict. His journey from music to law, and then to family life with Mumbi O’Brien and their daughter Muoni, reveals a man who keeps moving forward no matter what life brings.

Emily Wickersham built her own successful path in television and film, then found a quieter, fuller life on her own terms. Both Blake and Emily chose maturity over drama, and that says a lot about who they are.

Their connection remains one of Hollywood’s quieter tales, a reminder that not all relationships end in headlines.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Blake Anderson Hanley

1. Who is Blake Anderson Hanley?

Blake Anderson Hanley is Emily Wickersham’s ex-husband who grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, with a family that encouraged his creative passions. He went from being a musician and songwriter to building a successful career as a family law attorney in Los Angeles.

2. What is Blake’s connection to Emily Wickersham?

Blake and Emily were married in 2010 on a ranch in Little Dume, California, before divorcing in 2018. After their split, Blake found love again and married Mumbi O’Brien.

3. How did Blake transition from music to law?

Blake played guitar and wrote songs for the indie band Ghost Lion before earning his law degree and becoming a family law attorney. He now practices at a Los Angeles firm where he handles cases involving custody disputes and family conflict.

4. Does Blake have children?

Yes, Blake and Mumbi O’Brien welcomed their daughter Muoni in 2020 during the pandemic.

5. What is known about Blake’s financial success?

Blake’s income has grown steadily through his family law practice in Los Angeles, where attorneys in this specialty typically earn between $80,000 and $150,000 annually depending on experience.

6. Has domestic violence played a role in Blake’s story?

Blake regularly handles domestic violence cases as part of his family law practice, working with clients on protective orders and custody arrangements. His legal work focuses on helping families navigate these difficult situations.