O.J. Simpson's girlfriend history: who did he date through the years?
O.J. Simpson was married twice, but both unions ended in divorce. Beyond his marriages, he was romantically linked to several notable women, including Christie Prody and Paula Barbieri. From long-term relationships to headline-making flings, explore the full story of O.J. Simpson’s girlfriend history.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- O.J. Simpson married his first wife, Marguerite Whitley, in 1967.
- Following his divorce from his first wife, the former football player married Nicole Brown Simpson in 1985.
- O.J. Simpson had five children with his former wives.
- The actor also dated actress Paula Barbieri in the early 1990s and was his girlfriend at the time of Nicole's death.
Profile summary
| Full name | Orenthal James Simpson |
| Nickname | The Juice |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of birth | 9 July 1947 |
| Date of death | 10 April 2024 |
| Age at death | 76 years old |
| Zodiac sign | Cancer |
| Place of birth | San Francisco, California, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African-American |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Height in feet | 6'2" |
| Height in centimetres | 188 |
| Weight in pounds | 212 |
| Weight in kilograms | 96 |
| Hair colour | Black |
| Eye colour | Dark brown |
| Father | Jimmy Lee Simpson |
| Mother | Eunice Simpson |
| Siblings | 3 |
| Marital status | Divorced |
| Ex-wife | Nicole Brown Simpson, Marguerite Whitley |
| Children | 5 |
| College | City College of Southern California, University of Southern California |
| Profession | Former football player, actor |
| X (Twitter) | @therealoj32 |
O.J. Simpson's girlfriend's history: from marriages to relationships
Simpson's romantic history has been under the spotlight for decades, much like his football career and legal battles. From two widely publicised marriages to several high-profile relationships, his love life has fuelled ongoing public interest. Here's a closer look at the women he was involved:
Marguerite Whitley (1967–1979)
Source: Getty Images
The former football player was first married to Marguerite Whitley, an American businesswoman. Marguerite was born on 20 March 1949 in Los Angeles, California, United States. She is 66 years old as of 2025.
O.J. Simpson and Marguerite were high school sweethearts. They tied the knot on 24 June 1967, while O.J. was still a student and a rising football star at USC.
The couple had three children together: Arnelle, born on 4 December 1968, Jason Lamar, born on 21 April 1970, and Aaren Lashone, born on 24 September 1977. In 1979, tragedy struck when their youngest child, Aaren, drowned in the family’s swimming pool shortly before her second birthday.
Simpson’s growing fame subjected his personal life to intense public attention—something Marguerite, known for her private nature, struggled to cope with. OJ revealed this during an interview, citing:
The price of fame was our biggest problem. My wife is a private person, yet we can’t walk down the street without causing a commotion.
Issues related to infidelity and ego placed additional strain on their relationship. The couple separated in 1978 and officially divorced in March 1979. Since the split, Marguerite has mostly remained out of the public eye, leading a private life.
Nicole Brown (1985–1992)
Source: Getty Images
Nicole Brown met the former football player in 1977, when she was 18, and he was still married to Marguerite Whitley. The two exchanged their marriage vows on 2 February 1985, five years after Simpson retired from professional football. The couple had two children: Sydney, born in 1985, and Justin, born in 1988.
After nearly seven years of marriage, Nicole filed for a divorce in February 1992. The divorce was finalised in October 1992.
As part of the settlement, she was granted primary custody—around 90%—of their two children, while the pair shared joint custody. Almost two years after the divorce, Nicole with her friend Ron Goldman were found dead on 12 June 1994, outside her Brentwood home in Los Angeles.
O.J. Simpson was named the prime suspect in the case. Though he was acquitted in the 1995 criminal trial, a civil jury in 1997 held him responsible for the wrongful deaths of Nicole and Ron, ordering him to pay $33.5 million in damages to their families.
Paula Barbieri (1992–1995)
Source: Getty Images
O.J. Simpson began dating Paula Barbieri, an American actress and model, in 1992, soon after his divorce from Nicole Brown Simpson was finalised. Their relationship lasted roughly two years and was reportedly characterised by multiple breakups and reconciliations.
In her deposition for the civil wrongful‑death lawsuit, Barbieri testified that she phoned O.J. Simpson at around 7:00 a.m. on June 12, 1994, and left a voicemail message ending their relationship—the same day Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman were found dead.
After Simpson’s acquittal in 1995, the pair briefly reconciled, but Barbieri ultimately ended the relationship for good. She cited that O.J. appeared more focused on profiting from photos of them together than on rebuilding their romance. In an interview, Paula mentioned:
It was all of a sudden, `Well, they'll pay lots of money for pictures of you and I together. And then the next thing I know he's coming, and he's got the photographer with him.
Christie Prody (1996–2008)
Source: Getty Images
O.J. Simpson began a relationship with Prody around 1996, shortly after his 1995 acquittal in the criminal trial. She was only 21 years old when she met Simpson, who was 46 at the time. Their on-and-off relationship lasted roughly 13 years, ultimately ending in 2008.
Prody claimed she endured ongoing emotional and physical abuse from Simpson, including pressure to emulate his ex-wife, Nicole. She mentioned in an interview, as reported by UPI:
It was very hard to deal with that everyday, comparing me to Nicole. ‘Nicole did this, Nicole did that. You should do this, that’s what she did.
FAQs
- Who is O.J.'s first wife? The actor's first wife was Marguerite Whitley.
- Is O.J. Simpson's first wife still alive? Yes, his first wife, Marguerite L. Whitley, is still alive as of July 2025.
- How many times did O.J. marry? O.J. Simpson was married twice: first to Marguerite Whitley from 1967 to 1979, and then to his second wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, from 1985 to 1992.
- Who is Christie Prody? Christie is a model who was a long-term girlfriend of O.J. Simpson.
- What happened to Paula Barbieri? She ended the relationship on the morning O.J.'s second wife, Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman were found dead, leaving O.J. a voicemail around 7 a.m.
- Did O.J. Simpson have children? O.J. had five children—three with his first wife, Marguerite, and two with his second wife, Nicole.
- When did O.J. Simpson die? The former football player died on 10 April 2024, at the age of 76, after battling prostate cancer.
A closer look at O.J. Simpson’s girlfriend history reveals relationships that ranged from private to highly publicised. His first marriage to Marguerite Whitley brought three children, while his second to Nicole Brown ended in tragedy. Later relationships with Paula Barbieri and Christie Prody kept him in the spotlight.
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Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
