It was the divorce that shocked Hollywood. Russell Brand and Katy Perry were the ultimate power couple, taking the entertainment world by storm with their charisma, talent, and undeniable chemistry. But behind the scenes, things were not as picture-perfect as they seemed.
“I was living, like, this life of the very thing I detest: vapid, vacuous celebrity,” Brand said in his 2015 documentary, BRAND: A Second Coming. Later in August 2017 he would elaborate, “The marriage didn’t last for a very long time, and I think that is to do with the undulating nature of fame.”
Brand’s confession comes after Perry shared her side of the story in a 2013 interview with Vogue. She revealed that Brand had sent her a text message on New Year’s Eve, 2011, informing her that he was divorcing her. “I was in fairy tale land, and the reality of it wasn’t so,” she told Rolling Stone in 2014.
But despite the heartbreak, both Brand and Perry have moved on. Perry is now happily engaged to actor Orlando Bloom, with whom she shares a daughter. Brand, meanwhile, has continued to pursue his passions, including activism and comedy.
Looking back on their time together, Brand has expressed his continuing love for Perry. “Katy Perry is an amazing person,” Brand said during a 2014 appearance on Today. When he appeared on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen he doubled down on his respect for his ex-wife. “The worst thing I suppose is things like that don’t last forever.”
As for Perry, she reflected on the relationship in a 2020 interview with 60 Minutes Australia. “It was the first breaking of my idealistic mind,” she said. “I have always resonated with friction and resistance and challenges.”
Though their marriage may have ended in heartbreak, it’s clear that Russell Brand and Katy Perry will always hold a special place in each other’s hearts.
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