Maggie Grace, who starred as Elizabeth Thatcher in the 2013 Hallmark film “When Calls the Heart” that inspired that network’s popular series, quietly filed for divorce from her husband Brent Bushnell last year, TMZ says they learned from public court documents. The couple got married in 2017. Bushnell is the founder of Two Bit Circus, an entertainment engineering company.
GettyMaggie Grace Divorce Looks Drama-Free
The report says Maggie, who is also known for playing Shannon Rutherford on ABC’s “Lost,” filed the divorce petition in March 2025, calling her marriage “irretrievably broken.” It goes on to say Maggie declared in the documents that she and her ex have maintained separate households since October 2024.
The report also says Maggie’s filings reference “both a premarital agreement and a property settlement and separation agreement signed in March 2025” indicating many of the details have already been worked out.
Neither party is seeking spousal support, and Maggie is seeking to have her original name of asking the court to restore her legal name to Margaret Grace Ives restored. It also says the divorce appears to be uncontested, as Brent has signed the joint divorce petition.
Maggie and Brent share two children, born in 2020 and 2023.
People Reported on the Details of Maggie Grace’s Wedding to Brent Bushnell Back in 2017
On May 29, 2017, People reported they’d confirmed Maggie’s marriage to Brent and shared some of the details from the day. The magazine said, “It was an intimate, outdoor ceremony with close family and friends”, according to a source.
People says that “for the wedding, Grace opted to keep her look classic and elegant.” According to jeweler Neil Lane, “her choice of wedding earring was inspired by her Edwardian lace veil. They are vintage with delicate swirls of circular diamonds set in platinum. Her pearl-and-diamond hair combs are also of the Edwardian era.”
Maggie Grace Once Shared a Hilarious Story About Liam Neeson Prank Calling Her Boyfriend
Maggie starred alongside Liam Neeson in the “Taken” franchise as main character Bryan Mills’ daughter Kim, and she once shared a hilarious story about a prank he helped her play during a Conan interview.
She laughed, “So there was this boy and it was kind of – whatever, I was a little bit heartbroken and it was kind of a hot mess. I was telling Liam about it, cause he always asked about my love life, or lack thereof.” She says the actor told her, “This just can’t be. We have to set this kid straight. What should we do?”
She then admitted, “And so…we called him at his house.”
Conan then played the audio of the call with his audience, in which Neeson is heard saying in a raspy, theatrical voice, “This is Bryan Mills. We’ve never met, and if you play your cards right we never will. Now listen. You’re lower than the pond scum, so I’m just gonna say this once. You’ve made two mistakes. Your first mistake was dating out of your league. Your second mistake — well — let’s just say you make any more mistakes and I’ll break your other arm, slowly. I don’t need to say it, but I have a particular set of skills, and I don’t want to waste them on you.”
She also said her costar is “like the best fake movie dad any girl could ask for. Very protective, even in real life.”
