Carey Lowell now: Law & Order star turned ceramic artist

Few people trade a role on a hit TV show for a ceramics studio. Carey Lowell, best known as the sharp-eyed prosecutor Assistant DA Jamie Ross on Law & Order, did exactly that — and says she’s in the right place today making pottery, not acting. This article traces her path from Hollywood legal dramas through a high-profile divorce and into a second career shaping clay by hand.

Born: February 11, 1961 ·
Known for: Jamie Ross on Law & Order ·
Notable film: Pam Bouvier in Licence to Kill (1989) ·
Former spouse: Richard Gere (2002–2016) ·
Current work: Ceramic artist at Humming Bird Ceramics

Six key facts, one pattern: a woman who stepped away from a demanding career twice — first for motherhood, then for a creative craft.

What happened between Richard Gere and Carey Lowell?

Timeline of their marriage

• Carey Lowell and Richard Gere married in a private ceremony at their New York home in November 2002, according to IMDb’s biographical summary.
• The couple separated in 2013 after 11 years of marriage, as reported by Wikipedia.
• Their divorce was finalized in October 2016, per Wikipedia’s divorce timeline.
• Lowell had a son with Gere, born in 2000, whom she cited as a major reason for leaving Law & Order early, according to her Design Matters interview with PRINT Magazine.

Divorce announcement and finalization

• The divorce case was settled out of court in 2016; terms were not made public, according to Wikipedia’s record of the case.
• Lowell has not married again since the divorce, and no public partner has been identified as of 2024.
• Friends said the split was amicable, though neither party has given a detailed public explanation for the divorce.

The pattern: a marriage that ended quietly, with both parties moving on without public drama. The implication is that the divorce, while significant, does not define Lowell’s later career choices.

What does Carey Lowell do now?

Life after acting

• Lowell told PRINT Magazine’s Design Matters podcast that she spent much of her life in pottery studios before ceramics became her main focus.
• She realized she was “in the right place today doing ceramics and not acting,” she said in the same interview.
• She left Law & Order after two years because she asked to be released from a three-year contract to spend more time with her young daughter, according to her Design Matters interview.
• Lowell reprised her role as Jamie Ross in Law & Order‘s 2022 revival season, per Wikipedia, but has not taken on regular acting work since.

Humming Bird Ceramics

• Lowell launched her ceramics business in 2021 under the name Humming Bird Ceramics, according to Wikipedia.
• She works from studios in upstate New York and Montecito, California, making functional porcelain objects — vases, bowls, and plates — reported by Onna House.
• Her pieces often feature pierced edges, pinched detailing, and delicate petal shapes, per Onna House’s profile.
• The pandemic helped turn a long-time hobby into a full-time career shift, she explained on PRINT Magazine’s Design Matters podcast.

The catch: Lowell traded a 90-episode TV franchise for a hands-on craft. For an actress who once juggled film sets and a child’s schedule, the quiet studio life seems like a deliberate reset.

Where does Carey Lowell live now?

Moving out of the spotlight

• Lowell divides her time between studios in upstate New York and Montecito, California, according to Onna House’s profile of the artist.
• She was raised in Lakewood, Colorado, and attended the University of Colorado before entering modeling, per her biography on Apple TV’s actor page.
• Since the divorce, she has kept a low profile, with no public social media accounts and few interviews outside her art.

Residential location

• Her primary studio is in upstate New York, where she lives part-time, Onna House reports.
• She also maintains a workspace in Montecito, California, a coastal town near Santa Barbara.

What this means: Lowell chose two locations far from Hollywood’s center, reinforcing a deliberate retreat from the entertainment industry’s orbit.

Is Carey Lowell still married?

Post-divorce life

• Lowell has not remarried since her divorce from Richard Gere was finalized in 2016, per Wikipedia.
• She has no public partner as of 2024, and she has not discussed her romantic life in detail in interviews.
• Her focus, she says, is on her ceramics work and her family — including her daughter Hannah Dunne, born in 2000, per IMDb’s biographical entry.

Current partner

• Lowell’s current relationship status is not publicly documented; no credible source has named a partner since 2016.
• Friends describe her as content and fully engaged in her art practice, according to Onna House’s profile.

The trade-off: Lowell appears to have prioritized autonomy and creative focus over a public relationship. For someone who lived through a high-profile marriage, the choice is less about isolation and more about purposeful redirection.

Carey Lowell’s career timeline

• 1961 — Born in New York City, raised in Lakewood, Colorado.
• 1989 — Played Pam Bouvier in the James Bond film Licence to Kill (Wikipedia).
• 1996–2001 — Played Assistant DA Jamie Ross on Law & Order; left early to raise her daughter (PRINT Magazine / Design Matters podcast).
• 2002 — Married Richard Gere in a private ceremony (IMDb).
• 2013 — Separated from Richard Gere (Wikipedia).
• 2016 — Divorce finalized (Wikipedia).
• 2018 — Guest appearance on Blue Bloods (Wikipedia).
• 2021 — Launched Humming Bird Ceramics (Wikipedia).
• 2022 — Reprised Jamie Ross on Law & Order season 21 (Wikipedia).
• Present — Works as a ceramic artist with studios in New York and California (Onna House).

What’s confirmed, what’s not

Confirmed facts

• Carey Lowell was born on February 11, 1961 (Wikipedia).
• She played Jamie Ross on Law & Order from 1996 to 2001 and again in 2022 (Wikipedia).
• She was married to Richard Gere from November 2002 to October 2016 (IMDb).
• She founded Humming Bird Ceramics in 2021 (PRINT Magazine).
• She left Law & Order to spend more time with her daughter (PRINT Magazine / Design Matters podcast).
• She divides her time between studios in upstate New York and Montecito, California (Onna House).

What’s unclear

• Whether she has a current romantic partner as of 2024.
• The exact reason for her separation from Richard Gere.
• If she will return to regular acting in the future.
• Detailed financial information about her net worth — no verified figure from a credible source exists publicly.
• Whether her ceramics business generates a full-time income comparable to her acting earnings.

Quotes

“I realized I was in the right place today doing ceramics and not acting.”

— Carey Lowell, speaking to PRINT Magazine’s Design Matters podcast

“She said she would leave in the morning before her daughter woke up and return at night after she had gone to sleep.”

— Carey Lowell, describing her Law & Order schedule to Design Matters

For someone who once balanced a TV series and a toddler, the shift to ceramics is a deliberate choice for a quieter life. The consequence for her audience is clear: Carey Lowell is no longer a Hollywood name chasing roles. She’s an artist making objects by hand, and she says she prefers it that way.

For a broader look at Carey Lowells life and career, this piece traces her journey from Bond girl to her quieter life today.

Frequently asked questions