Rumer Willis is opening up about the fallout of her relationship with her child’s father.
Bruce Willis and Demi Moore’s eldest daughter appeared on her BFF Maeve Reilly’s The Inside Edit podcast on Monday, where she got vulnerable about leaving her “brutal” relationship with ex Derek Richard Thomas in 2024 — and the “huge reckoning” that opened her eyes about needing to leave. Reflecting on attending the podcast host’s wedding in 2024, the 37-year-old revealed:
“Your wedding literally was a huge reckoning moment for me in my life. I heard your vows and I just realized that the situation I was in was never going to look like that, no matter how much effort I put in.”
What a sobering realization to come to… Especially after welcoming a child with her now-ex! Rumer went on:
“And I was just watching you guys, just weeping, holding my child, and I just thought, you know what? I need to have more value for myself. I need to go and like, leave, no matter how scared I am and find something that looks like this, because I want that.”
She added:
“Literally, it was such a huge reckoning and massive moment for me so I will always be grateful.”
Wow. Issues must have been bubbling up for a while for Rumer to have such a vivid realization, right? Or maybe she was SO overwhelmed by the love she saw on display it forced her to confront something in her own relationship she didn’t know was an issue!
The mom-of-one, who welcomed Louetta Isley, 3, with Derek in 2023, revealed that in “the last eight months,” she’s begun to “feel back in my power after a “really challenging relationship.”
“I try not to speak negatively but my truth is that it was really brutal and challenging.”
“Brutal”?? Yikes… We wonder what exactly she means by that! However, one thing she wouldn’t trade for the world is being a mom:
“And I’m so proud of myself, you know? I work really hard and I show up for my kid and it’s such a privilege. It’s such a privilege to be a mom. It makes me so happy.”
That’s so sweet to hear.
Rumer noted she’s “grateful” to have learned what she did in her relationship with Derek, even though in her words, it was “one of the most brutal things I had to do.” But now going forward, she has “a totally different set of standards and a different thing I’m looking for.”
“I’m looking for someone who shows up with consistent communication and is interested in pursuing me and wooing me.”
She also confirmed she’s now officially dating again:
“I’m gonna meet this wonderful man … I can’t wait — I’m gonna have, like, seven more [children] … I want to have like, eight kids. I’m so excited.”
Go Girl!!
You can listen to more (below):
We truly hope Rumer finds everything she’s looking for! What are your thoughts, Perezcious readers?
[Images via Rumer Willis & Derek Richard Thomas/Instagram]
