Kim Delaney has faced a lot of highs and lows over the years.
Delaney got her start in Hollywood on All My Children. After appearing on the soap for three years, Delaney joined the cast of NYPD Blue as detective Diane Russell, a character who struggled with alcoholism. Much like her character, Delaney also suffers from the disease.
In 2002, Delaney was arrested under the suspicion of drunk driving. She pleaded no contest and was sentenced to two years of probation, fined and ordered to take a defensive driving course. The following year, she reportedly checked into a rehabilitation center.
Despite seeking treatment, Delaney continued to publicly struggle. In March 2025, Delaney made headlines after she was arrested on a charge of felony assault following an altercation with partner James Morgan.
Keep scrolling to look back on Delaney’s ups and downs:
Her Big Break
Delaney’s first job in Hollywood was playing teen Jenny Gardner Nelson on All My Children. She was on the long-running soap from 1981 to 1984 and earned a Daytime Emmy Award nomination.
‘NYPD Blue’ Success
When Delaney’s character was introduced on NYPD Blue in 1995, it was meant to be a small guest star role. However, she was later added as a main cast member. She was nominated for an Emmy three times and took home the award in 1997.
Drunk Driving Incidents
In 2002, Delaney was arrested in Malibu, California, on suspicion of drunk driving after refusing to take a breathalyzer test. She pleaded no contest and was sentenced to two years’ probation, fined, and ordered to take a defensive driving course.
Despite going to rehab in 2003, Delaney made headlines again in 2005 after she lost custody of her son. Delaney allegedly endangered his life by forcing him to ride with her when she drove while intoxicated. Her son testified in court that the instance had happened multiple times.
Incoherent Speech
In 2011, Delaney spoke at an event in Philadelphia that honored former Defense Secretary Robert Gates. When the actress took the podium, she was reportedly rambling.
“I’ve seen soldiers come home with painful life altering injuries borne of their time and service,” she said. “I’ve attended numerous military funerals, including that of my best friend’s son.”
Delaney also brought up her time on the series Army Wives.
“It’s all make believe. I do that as a job. It’s make believe,” she said. “I have the luxury to do all of this on a television show.”
Delaney was subsequently escorted off stage. A local CBS outlet reported that the event’s teleprompter was malfunctioning and Delaney seemingly went off-script which led to her struggling to deliver the speech.
The following year, Delaney publicly addressed the incident.
“I wasn’t feeling great [and] there were technical problems,” she said to Entertainment Weekly in 2012. “I was prepared, but it didn’t come out that way. It was like the perfect storm for something to go wrong. And then it goes viral! There’s just nothing you can do [but] deal with it, right?”
Hit and Run Lawsuit
In January 2024, Delaney was sued by a man named Dzhamal Badalov for allegedly crashing into him on his motorcycle while driving in Los Angeles back in 2022. According to court documents obtained by Us Weekly at the time, Badalov claimed that Delaney was “swerving through the streets” and “driving erratically” before he was “thrown off his motorcycle and [landed] onto the street.”
The filing stated that Delaney “appeared intoxicated” and allegedly attempted to drive away after the crash. After being stopped by bystanders, she called someone on her phone, who allegedly suggested Delaney pay him off rather than call the cops. Badalov claimed he refused payment, and Delaney allegedly fled the scene.
In June 2024, Delaney was ordered to mediation and given a deadline of May 2025, per Radar Online. If a settlement is not reached, a jury trial is scheduled for September 2025.
Felony Arrest
Us confirmed in March 2025 that Delaney was arrested and charged with felony assault likely to cause great bodily injury, following a domestic dispute with her partner, James Morgan. Morgan was also arrested and charged with misdemeanor domestic violence. Morgan was released from jail while Delaney remained behind bars at the time.
Us reached out to Delaney’s reps for comment but did not hear back immediately.
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