Court records have brought two long-running personal and financial stories involving Dean Norris into public view at the same time. The Dean Norris divorce and bankruptcy developments center on a split that was filed quietly in early 2025 and a Chapter 11 case for a Southern California diner the actor owns with his estranged wife, Bridget Norris.
A Divorce Filed in February, Answered in May
Bridget Norris filed a divorce petition on Feb. 14, 2025, and Dean responded in May of that year, according to court documents. The case has not been finalized. Bridget listed Jan. 15, 2025, as the couple’s date of separation and cited irreconcilable differences. She is seeking joint legal and physical custody of their two minor children and has requested spousal support.
The pair married in October 2021. They share five children in total, including daughter Zoe, 17, and son Dean Jr., 16. Bridget is a former entertainment lawyer. Dean, 63, is widely recognized for his role as Hank Schrader on AMC’s “Breaking Bad,” which ran from 2008 to 2013. He has continued to work in television, including a role as Randall Stabler on “Law & Order: Organized Crime.”
The Swing Inn Cafe's Chapter 11 Case
Separately, the couple filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for Swing Inn Cafe, their restaurant in Temecula, California, on Sept. 25. The filing lists assets of $147,809.58 against liabilities of $1,811,598.46. Chapter 11 allows a business to reorganize its debts while continuing to operate.
The diner and barbecue spot, which the couple purchased in 2002, has been in business since 1927. Its social media accounts have not mentioned the bankruptcy. On Monday, the restaurant’s Instagram page shared a video of Dean being interviewed by a local news outlet about the eatery and encouraged followers to preorder a Thanksgiving meal. The page also posted footage of Dean meeting customers at the restaurant over the weekend.
Other Shared Ventures
The diner is not the couple’s only joint project. In 2018, they opened the Norris Performing Arts Center in Murrieta, California. The center offers training in dance, vocal performance, acting and musical theater for students between the ages of 3 and 18.
Representatives for Dean did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the divorce. The bankruptcy case and the divorce remain pending, leaving both the family’s personal arrangements and the restaurant’s financial future unresolved for now.
