In a recent interview, Channing Tatum has opened up about his "painful" divorce from Jenna Dewan. The couple, who met on the set of the 2006 film Step Up, separated in 2018 after nearly nine years of marriage. Their divorce was finalized in September 2024, after a lengthy legal battle.
Tatum, 45, reflected on the split while discussing his new film, Roofman, with Variety. He acknowledged the parallels between his own life and the film's narrative, where his character misses his daughter. "I know for a fact I'm able to understand it," Tatum said, referring to the character's longing. "Jenna and I are good now, but it was a painful break to have that fall apart, especially being so young".
Tatum revealed that the couple had attempted to salvage their marriage for a year and a half. "We tried to keep it together, tried for a year and a half, but we knew it was… Not to go into all that. It's in the past," he stated.
The actor also touched upon the difficulties of co-parenting their daughter, Everly, who is now 12 years old. "But it's really tough not to have your daughter half the time," he admitted. "I wish I could just have her all the time".
Tatum and Dewan's relationship began on the set of Step Up in 2006. They tied the knot in 2009 and welcomed Everly in 2013. In April 2018, they announced their separation, shocking fans and Hollywood alike. Dewan officially filed for divorce in October 2018.
The divorce proceedings were protracted and included disputes over financial assets, particularly concerning the Magic Mike franchise. Dewan's legal team argued that the franchise was developed during their marriage and co-financed with marital funds. The couple reached a settlement in September 2024, avoiding a trial that had been scheduled for December.
Since their split, both Tatum and Dewan have moved on to new relationships. Tatum was previously engaged to Zoë Kravitz, but they called off their engagement in late 2024. He is now reportedly dating model Inka Williams. Dewan is engaged to Steve Kazee, with whom she shares two children.
In a 2019 interview, Dewan admitted that she was "gutted" after filing for divorce, saying, "I always say no one gets married to hopefully get divorced... People grow and they change, and sometimes they don't grow and change together. So it wasn't an overnight thing that happened. There was no one event. I think it was just a slow realization that we wanted different things".
Despite the challenges, Tatum has emphasized that he and Dewan are now on good terms. He told Variety that life experiences, including heartbreak and pain, have given him "fuel" and something to offer in his work.
