Life imitated art for Jack Wagner and Kristina Wagner. The General Hospital costars, who began their romance on set of the soap, went through a series of ups and downs in their relationship.
“Being thrown together on set in a romantic way, I think it was inevitable,” Kristina said in a 2016 interview, per Entertainment Tonight. “I don’t know how you could avoid it.”
The twosome went public with their relationship when Kristina was pregnant with son Peter in 1990. They exchanged vows three years later and welcomed their second son, Harrison, in 1994.
According to ET, Jack and Kristina split in 2001, but called off their divorce in 2004. Less than two years later, however, the pair split again and their divorce was finalized.
“The divorce was the best thing that could have happened to me, and for my children as well,” she said. “I don’t think I was being a very good mother at the time, either. I wasn’t making good choices. I had to deal with myself first. Because we ultimately have to take care of ourselves before we can help others.”
The duo’s coparenting relationship didn’t suffer, however.
“We have a deep for love for one another,” Jack told Parade in 2015. “I love her to death and I think she feels the same way. The fact that we’re not married really doesn’t change that. That’s what it is. We love each other, respect each other and have gotten past what didn’t work and now really just appreciate each other for who we are.”
The former couple went through tragedy in June 2022 when their youngest son was found dead at age 27. While his death is under investigation, Jack previously revealed that Harrison struggled with addiction, tweeting that he was missing in 2016.
“I’m going to ask those who want to share their fears, addictions & struggles to do so w me via Twitter. We can face them 2gether, I’ll start. I fear for my youngest sons safety. Harrison has struggled w drugs & alcohol just as I did when I was younger. He’s relapsed & is MIA 5 days,” the Melrose Place actor wrote at the time. Days later, Jack confirmed that he was “in touch” with his son.
Kristina, meanwhile, was with Harrison shortly before his passing, sharing a snap with her two kids on May 20, 2022.
“Bittersweet farewell to the place we called Wagner Ranch for 25 years,” she wrote in part. “Oh Ranch, it’s time to part. We’ll miss you so much with our heartwarming memories. We know that there are many opportunities for joy ahead. #grateful #PeterandHarrison #lovemysons.”
Scroll through for a timeline of the Wagner family’s ups and downs:
