Charlie Hunnam Recalls "Terrible, Painful, Expensive" 3-Year Marriage at Age 18

The actor wed for the first time when he was a teenager

By Samantha Schnurr Apr 17, 2017 1:46 PMTags

Marriage may be in good times and bad, but Charlie Hunnam is reflecting mostly on the latter. 

The Sons of Anarchy star took a walk down memory lane during a recent trip to Las Vegas, the site of his first wedding to fellow actress, Katharine Towne. However, more than a decade later, it doesn't seem to be his fondest memory. 

"The first time I was ever in Vegas, I got married, which didn't turn out that well," he told The AP (via The Daily Mail.) "I'd known the girl for three weeks and we'd fallen madly in love."

At 18, the star and Towne traveled to Sin City to tie the knot. "We thought, 'What if we never see each other again? Let's get married and we'll have to see each other again even if it's just to get divorced," he explained. 

While Hunnam had his doubts about whether or not they'd logistically be able to wed—as he pointed out, they couldn't even order a drink—they ended up marrying at 2 a.m. at the famous Silver Bell Wedding Chapel. 

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Secret Star Weddings and Elopements
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After three years, the duo, who met at a Dawson's Creek audition, called it quits. In Hunnam's words, they were "three terrible, painful, expensive years."

"I got the cats at the end of it," he quipped. "It was a small victory."

While the actor wasn't lucky in love early on, he's since found steady romance with current girlfriend, jewelry designer Morgana McNelis. They've been dating since 2005 with no signs of stopping.  

"This is a girl I love very much and have spent the last 11 years of my life with and hope to spend the next 60 years," the star said in a 2016 email shared to his fan page. "She has been my loyal and supportive partner long before I had any success or money."

After all this time, the actor still only has compliments to pay to his lady love. 

"My girlfriend is one of the kindest, nicest, most virtuous people I have ever met," he concluded.