Dr. Aaron Glassman (Richard Schiff) thinks he finds “the one” in St. Bonaventure Hospital barista Debbie Wexler (Sheila Kelley), but their differing opinions on guns and other matters make them constantly butt heads on “The Good Doctor.” On-screen, Debbie packs up her belongings and leaves, marking the end of their marriage. But off-camera, these two actors boast a stronger, more stable bond.
In real life, Schiff and “L.A. Law” actress Kelley have been married since 1996, and have two children: Ruby and Gus. Kelley revealed in a 2001 interview with People that their romance started in 1990, when Schiff won her over, despite her already being in a relationship with someone else. By the end of that year, they were living together.
Needless to say, the roommate situation of Schiff and Kelley is going much better than that of their “Good Doctor” personas. In fact, in 2021, the couple toured a $2.29 million home in New York’s Upper West Side. They also survived quarantine together, when, in 2020, they simultaneously tested positive for COVID-19.
Richard Schiff loved having his wife on the set of The Good Doctor
Sheila Kelley appears as Debbie Wexler in 14 episodes of “The Good Doctor,” spanning from 2018 through 2021. Unlike when Dr. Aaron Glassman (Richard Schiff) grows tired of Debbie after hiring her as his office manager, Kelley’s husband enjoyed having her on set. In fact, Schiff named Glassman’s proposal to Debbie as his favorite moment of the entire series.
“We got to play the proposal scene all over again and [showrunner] David Shore was kind enough to let me rework that a little bit,” Schiff said in an interview with Gold Derby. “My wife loves it whenever I pay attention to her. So when I pay attention to her on camera with that kind of intensity, she was very pleased. There was a beautiful intensity that Sheila and I brought to that scene. She’s so alive in her acting. I adore working with her.”
Schiff and Kelley haven’t shared the screen on “The Good Doctor” since Season 4, Episode 18 (“Forgive or Forget”), when Debbie, under the impression an intruder is in the house, points her gun at Glassman. Upon learning that he previously unloaded the bullets, she leaves. Though her exit seems final, “The Good Doctor” has been known to bring back familiar faces, like Dr. Jared Kalu (Chuku Modu). If showrunners ever want Kelley to come back, it’s safe to say she’ll be easy to get in touch with.
