Thank goodness she sent this invite! Jennie Garth says inviting ex-husband Peter Facinelli onto her podcast has changed the trajectory of their life and family dynamic!
If you don’t know, the pair were married from 2001 to 2013 and share three kids, Luca, 26, Lola, 21, and Fiona, 17. So, they were never outta each other’s life even after the devastating split, making things extra complicated. But last month, the Beverly Hills, 90210 alum invited her ex onto her I Choose Me podcast to talk about divorce and co-parenting, and the convo ultimately ended up being extremely cathartic! Not only did they get all their feelings out, it helped them move forward as a family and become friends again. Amazing!
Related: Christina Hall BLASTS ‘Insecure Man’ Josh Hall Amid Divorce!
Speaking to Us Weekly about the candid conversation on Wednesday, the actress said even she was surprised by all they talked about! She shared:
“We just both came together and really wanted it to be a positive, helpful conversation. I had no idea where it was gonna go. I opened it up and Peter just started talking and I’ve never heard him talk that much. I think it was the first time he’s actually ever talked about it, like, verbalized it to anybody.”
Wow! What a way to share his thoughts for the first time! But it proves they were once super close to each other since he was able to get comfortable and open up so quickly despite the very public nature of the convo. Jennie felt similarly, recalling:
“It happened so easily. I was nervous to ask him [to come on the podcast] because it hasn’t been the easiest for us. We have been really putting up a good face for the world to make it seem like it’s all [seamless, but] it’s been very difficult. We wanted to finally tell the truth and let people know that this evolution could happen for us and it [is a] situation many people … [are dealing with].”
It was all well worth it, too! Like she said, not only can the conversation be useful for fans in similar situations, but it brought them back together — even after years of contention! After spending a family boat day with their daughters, the Twilight star also invited his ex-wife to the baptism of his son Jack, whom he shares with fiancée Lily Anne Harrison. The What I Like About You alum dished:
“I got invited to his son’s baptism, [but] I couldn’t make it. It was a couple days ago. I had work, but it was so great that all three of [my daughters] were there … for their brother, personally.”
Gushing about the quick evolution in her relationship with Peter, the 52-year-old acknowledged that the podcast “really changed the dynamic” in her family “in such a great way,” and she was even “unblocked” on Instagram, something she never predicted! She explained:
“I never saw that coming. Life’s gifts … you don’t ever really see them. Think about what you want [in] your life … and then it’ll magically fall in [place], too.”
Sometimes doing hard things really pays off! So happy for them and their family! This should give any separated co-parents hope for the future! It can get easier!
Reactions? Share ’em in the comments!
[Image via Nicky Nelson/WENN]