#9: Gene Markey, The End
By 1941, the marriage had deteriorated. Markey enlisted in the U.S. Navy as World War II intensified, creating physical and emotional distance. Hedy, increasingly self-reliant, found herself questioning another relationship defined by structure and obligation.
They divorced in October 1941. The split left Hedy wary of marriage yet again, but more confident in her autonomy, determined to pursue success on her own terms within Hollywood’s demanding, male-dominated studio system.