Where Are Murdered ‘SNL’ Cast Member Phil Hartman’s Kids Now
On May 28, 1998, the world was rocked by the news that Saturday Night Live star Phil Hartman had been murdered by his wife who then died by suicide. In the years since the tragic event, many fans wonder where the couple’s two children have gone and what they’re up to.
Phil Hartman and wife Brynn’s troubled relationship that led to their deaths
Hartman and Brynn Omdahl met on a blind date in 1986, reports IMDb. The couple married the following year and had two children: Sean and Birgen. From the start, Brynn’s jealousy of the actor’s career hurt their relationship. She was an aspiring actress but was not having luck finding roles.
Brynn was also reported to be physically and verbally abusive and extremely jealous of Hartman’s ex-wife, Lisa Strain. She allegedly sent a letter to Strain saying she would “rip [Strain’s] eyes out” if she spoke to Hartman again.
Sadly, this anger and jealousy led to the couple’s deaths. On May 27, 1998, Hartman and Brynn argued, and then the actor went to bed. Around 3:00 am on May 28, Brynn shot Hartman three times, killing him. He was 49 years old.
Brynn, who was under the influence of cocaine, alcohol, and Zoloft, drove to a friend’s house and confessed to the murder. The pair went back to the house and called 911. The police arrived and escorted the friend as well as Hartman and Brynn’s children from the house.
At this point, Brynn had locked herself in a bathroom. She then died by suicide by a self-inflicted gunshot.
What happened to Phil and Brynn Hartman’s children?
Sean and Birgen, who were 9 and 6 years old at the time, lost both their parents in the span of just a few hours. Many wondered who would take care of the children. Immediately after their parents’ deaths, the pair stayed with Hartman’s brother John, reports AP News.
Brynn’s sister, Katharine Wright, and her husband took permanent custody of the kids, raising them in Wisconsin and Minnesota. So, where are Sean and Birgen today?
Sean is following in his parents’ footsteps and pursuing a career in the entertainment industry. He currently lives in Oakland, California, working as an artist and musician.
Birgen graduated from the University of St. Thomas with a degree in journalism and communications. She is also happily married, tying the knot with her husband Brandon in 2018 in Italy, reports Heavy.
Both Sean and Birgen prefer to live out of the spotlight. Besides social media posts from Birgen, the pair are rarely seen. However, Birgen did make an appearance at the SNL 40th Anniversary celebration in 2015. “It’s just heartwarming for me to see, after all these years, that he is still remembered and admired,” she said of the event, according to Too Fab.
Friend Elvira tried to stop Phil Hartman from marrying Brynn
Most of Hartman and Brynn’s friends and family did not see this tragic event coming. Still, the actor’s pal, Cassandra Peterson aka Elvira, reportedly tried to talk him out of the marriage.
“They fought a lot. I don’t know what the problems were. I have suspicions. But at [the time of their deaths], they seemed to be doing fine,” Peterson said in an interview with CNN. She also said Brynn was “a very troubled person with a lot of problems.”
Peterson claimed she tried to convince Hartman not to marry her, but was unsuccessful. After the wedding, she had a “hard time continuing to have a relationship” with him. “I thought something bad might happen one day with their relationship,” Peterson explained. “But I would never have dreamt this in a million, billion years.”
Hartman and Brynn died almost 25 years ago, but their friends and family still mourn the loss of the beloved comedian and his wife.
