On Monday, April 2nd Channing and Jenna Dewan Tatum released a joint statement informing everyone of their mutual decision to divorce after 9 years of marriage. The gorgeous couple met for the first time in 2006 on the set of Step Up and were married three years later. Channing’s six-pack and dreamy blue eyes paired perfectly with Jenna’s girl next door persona and the two eventually captured America’s hearts as a couple.
Since 2006 we have watched the couples love flourish into a seemingly wonderful marriage that eventually resulted in their beautiful daughter, Everly. The couple always showed us what is was to be silly and in love. Many of us followed their relationship as inspiration because, really, who wouldn’t want a love like that? Between Jenna’s hilarious Magic Mike performance on Lip Sync Battle and Channing’s loving instagram posts dedicated to his wife, they had the world swooning over their every move.
Sadly, most good things must come to an end. In the joint statement released on Monday, the couple explained that although they are still the best of friends, their lives are taking them on separate paths. Upon reading this, most of us thought love was officially canceled. How could this dreamy couple split? I mean, if my husband moved his body like Channing Tatum does, I would follow him through every and any path. But hey, that’s just me!
Once people realized this wasn’t just a hoax and the Tatum’s really did split up, rumors about the couples imminent divorce started flooding the media. According to a close friend, the two were growing apart for a while now and this statement was a long time coming. “Things had turned more into a friendship between Jenna and Channing,” said an anonymous source close to the now ex-couple. Channing always had an issue balancing work and family, which eventually became too much for their relationship to handle. The couple had been living together as mere roommates for a while now, essentially working with each other to co-parent their four year-old daughter.
Anonymous sources close to the family say that they are still in fact living together and that their has been no animosity between the two. A close friend of Jenna’s revealed that Channing was constantly traveling and taking extended trips with his friends prior to their decision to split. He enjoyed living the fast pace celeb life, while Jenna wanted something entirely opposite. “It just became clear that they wanted different things,” explains a friend of Jenna’s who watched their marriage decline over the years.
Although this news has shattered many of our hearts, fans can find comfort in the fact the two will definitely remain great friends. Jenna and Channing have a production company together, 33andOut Productions as well as a new YouTube Red series Step Up: High Water, so in reality they have no choice but to continue communication.
This shocking split only emphasizes the fact that as outsiders, we really have no idea what goes on in a relationship behind closed doors. Jenna and Channing were allegedly perfect, however their media persona was only half of the story. Back in February, Jenna spoke with Health Magazine and expressed the frustration she feels when people tell her she has a perfect relationship. “I want to scream and tell them no one’s perfect,” Jenna said as she explained that there is no perfect relationships, only people who are great fits.
Being in love is tough enough on its own, but throw in money and fame and it can become one of the most difficult facets of your life. Channing and Jenna sadly realized they were leading different lives and although the love remains, the romance does not. As depressing as that may be, the couples grace and elegance during such a hard time is commendable and all fans can do is hope their love eventually rekindles.