Channing Tatum Says He and Ex-Wife Jenna Dewan ‘Fought’ for Marriage ‘for a Really Long Time’
Honesty hour. Channing Tatum said he and ex-wife Jenna Dewan “fought” for their marriage for “a really long time” before their split.
“Even though we both sort of knew that we had sort of grown apart,” the Magic Mike actor, 42, admitted during an interview for Vanity Fair’s February issue. “I think we told ourselves a story when we were young, and we just kept telling ourselves that story, no matter how blatantly life was telling us that we were so different.”
The pair were together for nearly a decade and share one daughter, Everly, who was born in 2013. The 21 Jump Street actor revealed that parenthood ultimately became a mirror to their disagreements.
“When you’re actually parents, you really understand differences between the two of you," the Lost City actor explained. "Because it is screaming at you all day long. How you parent differently, how you look at the world.”
The former Hollywood “It” couple met while filming Step Up in 2006. They wed in 2009 but shocked fans when they announced their split in April 2018.
“We fell deeply in love so many years ago and have had a magical journey together. Absolutely nothing has changed about how much we love one another, but love is a beautiful adventure that is taking us on different paths for now,” they wrote in a joint statement at the time. “There are no secrets nor salacious events at the root of our decision — just two best friends realizing it’s time to take some space and help each other live the most joyous, fulfilled lives as possible. We are still a family and will always be loving dedicated parents to Everly.”
The dancer, 42, filed for divorce from her husband six months later, with the proceedings finalizing in February 2020.
Jenna reflected on her and Channing’s uncoupling in her 2019 book, Gracefully You: How to Live Your Best Life Every Day.
"I’d come to realize the dynamic I was in wasn’t serving me nor was it serving my daughter,” she explained about their crumbling marriage. “First and foremost, I had to accept the realization this isn’t working and had moved into hurting."
Although both parties seemed to be on the same page about ultimately ending their relationship, Jenna acknowledged that it was a difficult time.
"The pain hit me like a tumbling avalanche. I was completely overcome with fear and sadness,” she wrote. “It took many moments of sitting alone with my grief to force me into surrendering to my roller coaster of a situation."
Since then, Channing had an on-and-off relationship with singer Jessie J for a year before things fizzled out in 2020. He is now dating actress Zo? Kravitz.
For Jenna’s part, she and Broadway star Steve Kazee started dating in 2018 and got engaged in February 2020, just one before they welcomed their son, Callum.