- Melanie Leis, often known as Mell, was born in the United States of America in 1968.
- Melanie has always been interested in music.
- As a result, she enrolled at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in 1986.
- Kelly and Melanie were both drug users.
Melanie Leis is famous as the ex-wife of Top Gun star Kelly McGillis. Apart from being a celebrity ex-wife, Melanie Leis works as a sales executive, a bartender, and a theatre artist.
Jack of many trades, Leis is a multidimensional person who seduced one of the most prominent actresses of our time, Kelly McGillis.
I mean, you do need to have something to pull it off. And, fans are curious to find out how the story unfolded.
So, in this article, we will deal with the life of Melanie Leis, the lesbian partner of Kelly McGillis.
We will look into her early life, her professional capabilities, her relationship with Kelly, and much more. Without further ado, let’s dive right in.
Table of Contents
Melanie Leis’s age:
Melanie Leis, often known as Mell, was born in the United States of America in 1968.
Her age is 53 years.
The public is not privy to information regarding her early life and family.
We can’t blame Leis because she’s a very private person. Meanwhile, we dredged out an old Melanie interview.
In response to the question, “Who do you admire the most and why?” she stated:
My father is at the top of my list.
He was the most patient person I’d ever met.
I admired him and his rhythm in life.
Even if we never met him, we know he was loved and provided a good life for his daughter.
Background in Education
Melanie has always been interested in music.
In reality, she began playing at the age of six.
As a result, she enrolled at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in 1986.
She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Arts, music performance, and production.
Leis enrolled in Newbury College for an Associate degree in Hotel and Restaurant management a few years later, in 1991. She received her diploma in 1993.
Melanie Leis’s Professional Career
Melanie’s portfolio is fairly diverse.
From September 2001 to July 2003, she worked as a Retail Manager/Sales Executive for Cingular Wireless.
She joined PC Management (PCM) in February 2004 as District Sales Manager, where she led and supervised sales and daily operations for all retail sites in Pennsylvania.
After leaving PCM in January 2008, she joined Sovereign Bank as a Customer Relationship Management and Portfolio specialist.
From July 2009 through August 2010, Leis was in charge of Clear’s Retail business development in Philadelphia.
Marlene Retrained, mentored and led 6 Account Executives in distinct market locations at Independence Communications Inc. (August 2010-December 2012).
Leis worked for Broadview Networks from March 2013 to April 2014.
After a year, she joined All Covered Inc. and assisted them in developing new enterprises.
She was the Society of Grownups’ Director of Strategic Partnerships and Business Development from September 2015 until October 2017.
Furthermore, she held two positions at Vendini: east coast sales manager (March 2017-January 2019) and strategic accounts director (January 2019-October 2019).
Melanie then worked full-time with PDC-A Brady Business as Director of Sales, Leisure, and Entertainment from October 2019 to July 2021.
Mell joined Tappit in July 2021 as VP of Sales; Festivals, Live Music, and Events. Above all, she can put her music degree and passion to use in her current position.
How Did Melanie Leis and Kelly McGillis Meet?
Melanie Leis and Kelly (nicknamed Kell) met in a bar owned by Kelly, where Melanie worked as a bartender.
Ms. Leis, a former bartender, described their first meeting in 2000 at Kelly’s Caribbean Bar, Grill, and Brewery in Key West, Florida, which Ms. McGillis co-owned with her second husband, Fred Tillman:
“I started working at the restaurant when Kell was away on filming.” I looked up one day and there she was.
I didn’t notice her from across the room or anything.
The fact that she was a movie star “didn’t bother me in the least.” Her presence was not an image of who she is professionally, but her sense of humor captivated me.”
Kelly and Fred Tillman had two daughters, Kelsey Lauren and Sonora Ashley.
Despite the fact that their marriage was a disaster at the time.
Soon after their first encounter in the bar, Leis and Kelly went out for a friend’s birthday celebration and developed a deep bond.
“We simply started talking, and I was completely taken with her,” Kelly McGillis recalled. So they began to see each other.
Kelly and Melanie were both drug users.
They were deeply in love with each other from the start of their relationship.
Despite their affection, their relationship quickly devolved into a toxic routine. “We were criminal partners who drank and used drugs,” Leis explained.
They both utilized narcotics to cope with their physical, mental, and emotional pain.
Mc. Gillis was gang-raped by two guys who stormed into her room when she was a Juilliard student in 1982.
She began drinking after the incident.
Melanie, on the other hand, had been missing from her home and family for many years.
But she later reconciled with them.
Kelly McGillis and Melanie Leis Marriage
Melanie Leisand Kelly tied the knot on September 15, 2010.
They married in the chambers of Collingswood Municipal Court Judge Robert T. Zane III.
They were married in front of 11 of their friends, including Mr. Tillman (Kelly’s ex-husband).
McGillis put the ring on Leis’ finger and said, “With this ring, I join you in a civil union and do promise to cherish you throughout life,” before sobbing.
In 2011, Leis and McGillis divorced.
The couple concluded that their relationship “was no longer working” and split up in 2011.
Witness actress McGillis told the New York Times about it:
“We evolved and changed at various rates and at different times.
” I always wanted to be with Mell with all my heart and soul, but unless she was willing to work on herself, I wasn’t willing to stick around.”
Melanie described the breakup as “the absolute worst time of my life; I was six years sober and had reached a new low, reluctant to look at my basic issues, face them, and deal with them.”
Despite the fact that they are no longer together, they remain friendly.
Melanie characterized McGillis, along with music, as the love of her life in an INTIX Interview. She stated:
There are two of them.
My ex-wife and my music I never thought I’d say it so simply a few years ago, but I can say it now with complete confidence.
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Melanie uses a few social media platforms.
Melanie Leis is a Twitter user. In her Twitter bio, she describes herself as a “musician, gym rat, JT lover, Biz Dev.
” Meanwhile, her Instagram account is changed to private.
She is a huge fan of James Taylor, Jennifer Lopez, and Kelly Clarkson and frequently praises their social media work.
Her social media posts indicate that she is interested in celebrity culture, politics, and a variety of other topics.
Now, Melanie Leis’s Current Activities
Melanie spends the majority of her time at Tappit working. Mell enjoys playing the drums in her spare time.
She also attends concerts or activities on most weekends.
