Jennie Garth and Peter Facinelli have been candid about the hurdles they faced in the dating world after their divorce. The former couple, who share three daughters, have opened up about the complexities of moving on and finding new relationships while co-parenting.
Garth, known for her role in “Beverly Hills, 90210,” discussed her post-divorce dating experiences on Bethenny Frankel’s talk show. She admitted that re-entering the dating scene was “super challenging” after her split from Facinelli. The actress, who divorced the “Twilight” star in 2013, revealed that she had to navigate through many obstacles and make mistakes to learn how to date again.
“You have to go through a lot, find your way, and you have to stumble,” Garth shared with Frankel. “I think that’s the only way you learn how to do it is by making mistakes.”
Garth, who was married to Facinelli for over a decade, expected to be adept at dating right after her divorce. However, she soon realized that she had much to learn. The couple, who married in 2001, have three daughters: Luca, 26, Lola, 21, and Fiona, 17.
Frankel, who was also going through a divorce from Jason Hoppy, related to Garth’s sentiments. She described getting back into dating as akin to the “Wild West,” a sentiment Garth echoed, calling it both “fun and awful” at the same time.
“It’s not that exciting, it’s like a weird type of torture, but it can be fun,” Garth added.
When it comes to what she looks for in a potential partner, Garth emphasized the importance of shared energy. “I look for somebody that shares an energy. It doesn’t matter what the person looks like or what they really do. There has to be that first and foremost, that zing,” she explained.
In a candid podcast episode of “I Choose Me,” Garth invited Facinelli to discuss their post-divorce journey. The actress admitted that it was “very, very, very, very, very difficult” for her to see their daughters get close to Facinelli’s new partner. The pair talked about the challenges of introducing new relationships to their children and the impact it had on their family dynamics.
“Neither of us got married right away, but we both had a few relationships left and right, and the girls would get close,” Garth said. “The girls got close to your then-girlfriend, and that was very, very, very, very difficult for me.”
Facinelli, who also shared his perspective, acknowledged the complexities of the situation. He noted that their daughters would meet his “longer-term person” compared to Garth’s shorter-term relationships. “On your side, you were having people come into their lives and then kind of leaving in shorter spurts,” he said. “I felt bad having them be affected by that.”
Despite the challenges, Facinelli emphasized the importance of trust. “I just kind of had to trust you and had to go, ‘OK, she trusts this person, so I have to trust this person,'” he explained.
Facinelli also shared that he never felt jealous of Garth’s new relationships. “I was never in competition to go, ‘Well, I’m the dad here!’ I think it was harder on you for that, being the mom, watching another person come in,” he said.
Both Garth and Facinelli have since moved on with their lives. Facinelli welcomed a son, Jack, with fiancée Lily Anne Harrison, while Garth married fellow actor Dave Abrams in 2015. Facinelli believes that their children have benefited from having stepparents who have contributed to their growth and personalities.
“I believe they’re incredibly fortunate to have had now these stepparents that they’ve gotten to know, that have added to their personalities, that they’ve grown through them as well,” Facinelli said.
Their shared commitment to co-parenting and raising their daughters together has been a testament to their dedication as parents. Despite the difficulties, Garth and Facinelli continue to navigate the complexities of post-divorce dating and co-parenting with grace and mutual respect.
