Christina Aguilera is finally sharing details behind the painful decision to leave her marriage of five years to music executive, Jordan Bratman.
“Things were so unhealthy and unhappy for both Jordan and me, I knew I had to end it,” Christina told People, in an interview for their December 13 issue. “It wasn’t good for us, and it wasn’t good for [our son] Max to witness our arguments. Children can feel when things aren’t right in the home. I had bouts of extreme anxiety.”
The Grammy Award-winning singer, who married Jordan in a lavish Napa Valley ceremony on November 19, 2005, said their marriage was strong until recently, when Christina began to branch out in her career for her first film, “Burlesque.”
“We were great the first year after Max was born. Jordan was amazing. He was the first to change Max’s diaper,” she told the mag. “Then things turned. I was nurturing Max and felt independent in that relationship. Then I went right into filming ‘Burlesque’ [in fall 2009].
“As a musician, you’re with your posse all the time, and during the movie I removed myself from mine,” she continued. “So I had an independence I’d never felt before. I was growing leaps and bounds daily. I went from being a girl to a woman.”
While the “Not Myself Tonight” singer said she and Jordan are attempting to keep it civil for their son’s sake, their relationship is strained.
“For Max’s sake, we keep in communication and try to be as civil as possible, but there’s some pain. There’s discomfort when we’re together,” she told the mag. “But I know in my heart we’ll find some sort of ground where we’ll eventually laugh together again and be okay for Max.”
Though Christina has always been a “Fighter,” she admits that the break-up has taken a toll on her emotions.
“I definitely cry. I’ve mourned. I don’t think I’d be human if I didn’t have moments of sadness about the way things turned out,” she told the mag. “You look at pictures of happier times and it’s hard.”
The “Beautiful” songbird, who will hit the big 3-0 on December 18, seemingly has no fear about hitting the three-decade mark and is instead looking forward to it.
“I’m really excited about turning 30,” Christina said. “It’s a new chapter in my life.”
As for whether the “Burlesque” star has a new beau, Christina confirmed that she is dating Matthew Rutler – a set assistant whom she met while shooting the film.
“Matthew is a special person. We had a really strong friendship on the movie,” Christina told the mag. “Once I filed for divorce, we started dating.
“I’m not trying to jump into anything. I just left a five-year marriage,” she added. “I’m taking it slow and trying to be happy.”
As previously reported on AccessHollywood.com, Christina filed for divorce on October 14 in Los Angeles, citing “irreconcilable differences” for the split.
In the filing, Christina says she is seeking joint physical and legal custody of the couple’s 2-year-old son, Max. She is also asking the court to terminate Jordan’s right to spousal support.
Read the full interview with Christina when People hits newsstands on Friday.
Copyright © 2024 by NBC Universal, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
This material may not be republished, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.