Norwegian singer and actor Espen Grjotheim, 50, and his wife Julie, 48, have separated and are no longer living together, he has confirmed to Se og Hør in an interview reported by VG. Grjotheim told the magazine that he and Julie have moved apart, describing the situation as sad but free of drama. The couple intend to remain a family and continue looking after one another, he said.
Why it matters
Grjotheim is one of the most recognizable performers in Norwegian musical theatre, and his personal life draws attention in part because of how openly he has addressed it. His statement to Se og Hør, relayed by VG, sets the tone for how the separation will be seen publicly: he framed it as a friendly parting rather than a conflict, and he asked for no particular sympathy beyond acknowledging that the change is difficult.
The confirmation also lands while he is in the middle of a demanding stage run, which means the news arrives at a moment when his professional profile is high. For audiences who have followed his career since his television breakthrough more than two decades ago, the separation is a personal milestone rather than a professional one, but the two are difficult to separate entirely when a performer is headlining a major production.
A split described as friendly, with shared care for four children
According to the interview with Se og Hør, Grjotheim was direct about the change in his household. He confirmed that he and Julie have moved apart and said the situation is naturally sad, while stressing that nothing dramatic surrounds it. He characterized the separation as one in which the two part as friends.
He also described how the family will be organized going forward. The couple will continue to function as a family and to support each other, he said, and they share custody of their four children. The two have chosen to live close to one another, a practical arrangement that keeps the children's daily routines within reach of both parents.
Se og Hør reports that Grjotheim moved out during the summer. VG's account does not give a more precise date, and neither Grjotheim nor Julie has offered further detail about the timing or the reasons behind the decision. The couple has not issued a separate statement beyond what Grjotheim told the magazine.
From "Idol" to Jean Valjean
Grjotheim's career has spanned television, concert stages and some of the largest musical productions in Norway. He took part in the first season of "Idol" in 2003, an appearance that introduced him to a broad television audience early in his career.
He went on to leading roles in a series of major musicals. Among them, he became Norway's first performer to play the Phantom in "The Phantom of the Opera." He currently plays Jean Valjean in "Les Misérables" at Folketeateret in Oslo, a central part in one of the most demanding shows in the musical repertoire.
That combination — a long record of high-profile stage work and a familiar television past — has kept him in the public eye for years. It also explains why a family matter confirmed to a magazine becomes a news item carried by a national outlet.
What to watch
Grjotheim continues in the lead role of "Les Misérables" at Folketeateret. Neither he nor Julie has indicated that they plan to comment further, and no additional details about the separation have been made public beyond his remarks to Se og Hør.
