American actor Jim Belushi is facing the end of his marriage — again. The comedian became
a celebrity thanks to his work on "Saturday Night Live" and went on to star in countless
TV shows and movies throughout the '80s and '90s, per his IMDb credits. But just
because Belushi was a notable name in past decades does not mean his career has slowed;
the actor has worked steadily for more than four decades, which is no small feat. Fans also know
Belushi as the brother of the late actor, John Belushi, according to the Daily Mail.
While Jim might be blessed in terms of his career,
the actor has not had such great luck with his relationships. Belushi has
been married three times; his first marriage was to Sandra Davenport from 1980 to 1988,
and together they share son Robert Belushi, per the Daily Mail. Then, from 1990 to 1992,
he was married to Marjorie Bransfield. Jim might have thought the third time would be the charm
when he married Jennifer Sloan, but it looks like that's now over, too. Here's the story.
Jim Belushi and Jennifer Sloan are calling it quits. The two were married for 23 years,
per the Daily Mail, having tied the knot in 1998. They have a daughter, Jamison,
and a son named Jared, per Page Six.
As TMZ notes, on August 6th, Belushi filed for divorce at the Los Angeles County Superior Court.
Interestingly, this is the second time the couple has filed for divorce.
In March 2018, it was Sloan who filed, citing "irreconcilable differences"
as the impetus for their split. However, the two managed to make things work following
their first move towards divorce and Belushi signed to have the divorce filing dismissed.
Three years later, it seems this couple has once again found themselves on the outs.
With their first divorce filing, both Sloan and Belushi had a
custody arrangement prepared for their son, Jared, who was still a minor at the time,
according to the Daily Mail. However, in the time between filings, their son has become an adult,
and so any legal actions in regards to their children will be unnecessary.
While neither Jim Belushi nor Jennifer Sloan has spoken out about the details of their divorce,
something worth looking at is the fact that they live in different states.
Belushi runs a marijuana farm in Eagle Point, Oregon, according to his website. While growing
pot might be an unusual departure for a Hollywood star, for Belushi,
the business is a spiritual one, specifically because of the land itself. He wrote on his site,
"[P]rofound healing happens here, and the Bald Eagles use the land to breed. Every
time I cultivate the land, I get pulled more and more into the medicine and the joy of this work."
Clearly, this is a profound project for the actor.
However, when The Hollywood Reporter interviewed him in August 2020, it became
clear that Sloan wasn't a part of his life in Oregon. She lives in Los Angeles, California,
and runs a children's boutique there. When asked about his marriage, Belushi told the outlet:
"I can't go there. As of this moment, we're still together."
Fast-forward to a year later,
and it might make more sense to learn that they've filed for divorce.
It wasn't just the physical distance that kept Jim Belushi and Jennifer Sloan apart. It was
also his varying interests that kept him on the road and often away from his wife in California.
As The Hollywood Reporter noted, Belushi spends,
quote, "two weeks of every month on" his farm in Oregon, and when he's not there,
he travels with his "side projects like The Blues Brothers or Board of Comedy, his improv group."
While he clearly keeps himself occupied, Belushi has also become the butt of many
jokes that are less than flattering. As the Chicago Tribune points out,
Twitter often has a field day with Belushi, using him as the personified example of disappointment
and unlikability. The Tribune offered the example:
"Tap water is the Jim Belushi of drinks."
While it can't feel good, Belushi does have something of a reputation. As The Hollywood
Reporter pointed out, Belushi was reportedly known for his "control-freak behavior" on the set
of the sitcom "According to Jim." He did tell the outlet that he apologized to
everyone who worked on the sitcom, but his behavior earned him quite the reputation.
John Belushi, older brother to Jim Belushi, died of an overdose on March 5th, 1982, according to
his official website. The experience is something that Belushi seems to have never fully recovered
from, even long into his marriage with Jennifer Sloan. In his interview with The Hollywood
Reporter, it's clear that the event is still very much on Belushi's mind, as the outlet writes:
"[...]he describes it as if it happened a few days ago."
The outlet writes, John's death, quote, "was the result of a speedball mixture of cocaine
and heroin," and Belushi partially blames Los Angeles for his brother's death. He said,
"I don't think John would have died in any other city. There is a loneliness that can
prevail in Los Angeles, coupled with the unbelievable accessibility of everything."
The aftermath took a toll on the entire Belushi family. Belushi told the outlet,
"It was like throwing a hand grenade into a family: The shrapnel hits everyone differently,
rips us apart. And then to put the extra layer of notoriety around it just overwhelmed me."
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues,
help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website
or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).