Blake Anderson Hanley is best known as the former husband of actress Emily Wickersham, who played Ellie Bishop on the long-running CBS series NCIS. But Blake is much more than a celebrity ex-spouse. He is a licensed attorney, a singer-songwriter, and a man who has built a meaningful life on his own terms in Palm Beach, Florida.
His story is one of quiet purpose. He did not chase fame. Instead, he chose two very different but equally important paths, music and law, and he has walked both with real dedication.
Quick Facts: Blake Anderson Hanley
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Blake Anderson Hanley |
| Location | Palm Beach, Florida |
| Profession | Attorney and Musician |
| Band | Ghost Lion |
| Law School | Southwestern University School of Law |
| Graduated | 2016 |
| Employer | Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County |
| Ex-Wife | Emily Wickersham |
| Married | November 23, 2010 |
| Divorced | December 2018 |
Who Is Blake Anderson Hanley?
Blake Anderson Hanley is an American musician and attorney based in Palm Beach, Florida. He is widely recognized for his past marriage to actress Emily Wickersham, best known for her role as Ellie Bishop on the hit CBS series NCIS. However, Blake has carved out his own identity far beyond that connection.
He leads a truly unique double life. During the day, he works as a domestic violence attorney for the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County, fighting for survivors of abuse who need legal help. Outside the courtroom, he performs as the frontman and singer-songwriter for the indie tropical rock band Ghost Lion.
Very few people balance creative passion and serious legal work at the same time. Blake does both with genuine commitment. That combination makes him one of the more interesting and admirable figures connected to the entertainment world.
His story is not about Hollywood or red carpets. It is about a man who stayed true to his values, followed two very different callings, and built a life that actually means something.
Blake Anderson Hanley’s Early Life
Not much has been shared publicly about Blake’s early years. He has always kept his personal background private, which fits the quiet and grounded person he appears to be. What is clear is that he developed both a love for music and a strong sense of justice from a relatively young age.
He eventually pursued a legal education and earned his law degree from Southwestern University School of Law in 2016. That path takes serious focus and years of hard work. Choosing to use that degree in public service and domestic violence law says a lot about his character and priorities.
At the same time, music was never far from his life. He built a band, developed a sound, and started performing in Florida. Those two worlds, law and music, may seem very different. But for Blake, they both come from the same place, a desire to contribute something real to the world around him.
His background shows a person who thinks carefully about how he spends his time. He did not drift into easy choices. He made deliberate decisions about who he wanted to be.
Blake Anderson Hanley and Ghost Lion
One of the most interesting things about Blake is his music career. He is the frontman and singer-songwriter for Ghost Lion, an indie tropical rock band based in Florida. The band has built a real following in the local music scene and beyond.
Ghost Lion plays music that feels warm and alive. The tropical rock sound fits perfectly with the Florida setting. It has an easy, sun-soaked energy that connects with people who love live music and outdoor festivals.
The band has earned performance slots at some of Florida’s most respected music events. One of the biggest highlights came when Ghost Lion performed at SunFest, one of Florida’s premier outdoor music festivals. Getting on that stage is a real achievement for any independent band. It showed that Blake’s musical work had grown well beyond just a hobby.
As the frontman, Blake handles vocals and songwriting. That means he is not just performing other people’s music. He is creating original work and putting his own voice into every song. That kind of artistic ownership takes confidence and real creative skill.
Ghost Lion’s Sound and Local Impact
Ghost Lion has made a genuine mark on Florida’s music scene. The band’s tropical rock style gives it a clear and recognizable identity. That matters in a crowded music world where many bands struggle to stand out.
Their SunFest appearance was a significant milestone. SunFest draws large crowds and features established artists alongside rising ones. Being included in that lineup put Ghost Lion in front of a much wider audience. It also gave Blake and his bandmates real credibility in the Florida music community.
Local fans have responded warmly to the band’s performances. The energy at their shows reflects the passion Blake brings to the music. He is not just going through the motions on stage. He genuinely loves what he is doing, and audiences can feel that.
For Blake, music is more than entertainment. It is a form of expression and connection. Alongside his demanding legal career, Ghost Lion gives him a creative space where he can be something completely different. That balance clearly works for him.
Blake Anderson Hanley’s Legal Career
While music shows one side of Blake, his legal career reveals something even deeper. After graduating from Southwestern University School of Law in 2016, he became a licensed attorney in the state of Florida. He could have gone into many areas of law. He chose one of the most important and challenging ones.
Blake works as a domestic violence attorney for the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County. His job is to provide free legal representation to survivors of domestic abuse who cannot afford a lawyer on their own. That kind of work is emotionally heavy and deeply meaningful at the same time.
Domestic violence survivors often face the legal system alone and afraid. Having a skilled and caring attorney on their side can completely change their outcome. Blake steps into that gap every day and fights for people who need help the most.
Choosing this path over higher-paying private practice shows what kind of person he is. He prioritized purpose over profit. That decision reflects values that go far beyond anything connected to celebrity or fame.
Why Blake’s Legal Work Matters
The work Blake does at the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County is not just a job. It is a form of service that directly changes people’s lives. Domestic violence survivors face some of the most difficult legal situations imaginable. Many of them feel powerless and scared when they enter the legal system.
A dedicated attorney like Blake helps them understand their rights, navigate the courts, and fight for protection and justice. Without legal aid organizations and the lawyers who work for them, many survivors would have no voice at all. Blake gives them that voice.
His dual role as both a musician and a public service attorney is genuinely rare. Most people in his position, connected to Hollywood through a former marriage, would take a very different path. Blake chose service instead, and that choice speaks clearly about who he is.
His legal work has real impact in the Palm Beach community. The people he represents remember him not as a famous face but as someone who showed up and fought for them when it mattered most.
Blake Anderson Hanley and Emily Wickersham
Blake’s most widely known public connection is his former marriage to actress Emily Wickersham. Emily became a recognizable face in American television through her role as Special Agent Eleanor “Ellie” Bishop on NCIS, the long-running CBS crime drama.
The two got married on November 23, 2010, in a beautiful ceremony held on Little Palm Island in the Florida Keys. It was a romantic and intimate setting, far from the noise of Hollywood. The location reflected a couple that valued personal moments over public spectacle.
They were together for eight years. During that time, Emily’s career grew significantly with her role on NCIS. Blake, meanwhile, was building his legal education and his music career back in Florida. Their lives moved in different but equally focused directions.
After eight years of marriage, the couple quietly finalized their divorce in December 2018. There was no public drama, no messy headlines, and no public statements blaming each other. They handled it with the same quiet dignity that seemed to define their relationship from the start.
Life After the Divorce
After the divorce, both Blake and Emily moved forward with their lives separately. Emily continued her work on NCIS before eventually leaving the show in 2021. Blake stayed in Florida and kept building his two careers in law and music.
Blake did not use the divorce to seek attention or tell his side of the story to the media. He simply kept going. That speaks to a man who understands what actually matters in life and refuses to be pulled into unnecessary drama.
His focus remained on his work at the Legal Aid Society and on Ghost Lion. Those two things clearly give him the most meaning and satisfaction. A celebrity connection may have brought his name into public searches, but his own work is what defines him now.
Moving on after a long marriage is never simple. For Blake, the path forward seemed clear. He returned fully to his purpose, helping vulnerable people in the courtroom and sharing music with audiences who love what he creates.
What Makes Blake Anderson Hanley Inspiring
Blake’s story stands out for a very simple reason. He had every opportunity to ride on someone else’s fame. Being the ex-husband of a well-known television actress could have opened doors to easier and flashier paths. He chose something harder and more meaningful instead.
Blake Anderson spent years in law school, earned his degree, and then walked straight into one of the most demanding and underpaid areas of legal work available. He did that by choice. At the same time, he built a band, developed original music, and performed on some of Florida’s biggest stages.
That combination is genuinely rare. Most people pick one thing and stay there. Blake picked two difficult things and excels at both. The discipline and passion that takes are easy to admire.
His story also shows that real identity is not about who you were married to or what your connection to fame looks like. It is about what you do every day, who you help, and what you create. By that measure, Blake Anderson Hanley has built something truly worth knowing about.
Final Thoughts
Blake Anderson Hanley is a man who quietly does important things. He fights for domestic violence survivors in court. He writes and performs music that connects with real audiences. Blake Anderson built those two careers through hard work and clear values, not connections or shortcuts.
His name may first appear in searches because of Emily Wickersham and their marriage. But the more you learn about him, the more you realize his story stands completely on its own. He is a musician who takes the stage with passion and an attorney who takes on cases that truly matter.
In a world where people are often known for the loudest thing connected to their name, Blake stands out by being quietly exceptional. That is a rare and admirable thing. His story deserves to be told on its own terms, and now it has been.
For more real stories about people making a difference, visit Height Magazine.
