Jesse Spencer, 44, initially rose to stardom in Australia and the United Kingdom in the ’90s with his turn as Billy Kennedy in the Australian soap opera Neighbours. The handsome actor quickly became a teen heartthrob because of the series, ultimately breaking hearts when he left the show in 1999. Following his departure, the Melbourne native became more well-known in America playing intensive care specialist and surgeon Dr. Robert Chase in the medical show House alongside Hugh Laurie from 2004 to 2012. After that, he continued to heat up the small screen as Lieutenant Matthew Casey in the firefighter drama Chicago Fire, becoming even more of a household name in the states.
On January 17, 2024, season 12 of Chicago Fire will premiere on NBC, with Jesse and his beloved co-stars at the helm. Amid the newest season of the drama series, get to know Jesse’s wife, Kali Woodruff Carr, and their life together.
Who is Jesse’s Wife, Kali Woodruff Carr?
Before Jesse and his now wife, Kali Woodruff Carr, tied the knot in 2020, they were in a relationship for six years. The two apparently met at a Chicago music festival in 2014 and immediately hit it off, keeping their bond strong until Jesse ultimately popped the question while the two were on a week-long hike in the Peruvian Andes, reported The Daily Mail (via The Daily Telegraph). Kali also grants Jesse a bit of a reprieve from Hollywood, due to her status as a research scientist.
Jesse & Kali Got Married in a Secret Ceremony
Although the COVID-19 pandemic put a major dent in their wedding plans, Jesse and Kali moved forward with a small, intimate ceremony in Kali’s Neptune Beach, Florida hometown on June 27th. The wedding date choice was deliberate to honor Kali’s grandparents who also tied the knot on that day 40 years ago.
“Despite a spike in COVID, a venue change, a Saharan dust plume, not to mention a torrential thunderstorm, we made it across the line on our wedding day, and I’m a very lucky man,” Jesse told The Daily Telegraph. “What a silver lining to 2020. She’s smart, pretty and way ahead of her years. We’re very happy. She is my port in every storm, and we’re already excited to be moving on to the next phase of our lives.” Aw, we’re not crying — you are!
Jesse Spencer’s Past Relationships
Although Jesse finally wanted to settle down with his bride, he’s no stranger to dating, with several relationships that often spanned years. In March 2004, Jesse met his House co-star Jennifer Morrison at the Vancouver airport on the way to film the pilot for the show. After that initial spark, the two began dating four months later and, around Christmas in 2006, Jesse popped the question while the two were on vacation in Paris. Seven months later, however, the two ended their engagement. The former couple still had to work together on the show, as their characters married and were later divorced on the series (eek–awkward!).
Jesse also dated the Brazilian big wave surfer Maya Gabeira in 2010 in a relationship that lasted three years. After their relationship ended in 2013, Jesse took a break from dating … that was until serendipity struck in 2014 when he ran into an adorable research scientist named Kali. And the rest, they say, is [wedding bells] history!