Jennie Garth reveals how she forgave ex Peter Facinelli after he walked out on her… sparking rehab stint

by

Jennie Garth recently revealed she’s moved past the hurt caused by her divorce from Peter Facinelli, which ended their 11-year marriage, and has finally forgiven him.

The 54-year-old actress, who previously shared she went to rehab following her breakup, discusses this experience in her new memoir, I Choose Me: Chasing Joy, Finding Purpose, And Embracing Reinvention.

Garth and Facinelli were married for eleven years, from 2001 to 2012, when they announced their separation. Their divorce was completed in 2013, and they have three children together: Luca, who is 28, Lola, 23, and Fiona, 19.

In an interview with People, the former Beverly Hills, 90210 star shared how she successfully moved on after her divorce.

I’m not sure exactly when it happened, but there was a point where I just decided I couldn’t keep doing it anymore. I’d reached my limit after doing it for so long.

Garth remembered thinking he needed to move on for his own well-being and for the sake of his relationships. He realized he had to forgive the person who had hurt him and stop letting it affect how he felt about himself.

The star admitted that after she did so, it had been ‘the most freeing thing in the world.’ 

She continued, explaining that while it might be difficult for someone going through a divorce to hear, she truly believes you can change your perspective with a conscious effort. It’s like a mental switch you have to flip.

Garth also explained that holding onto the hurt from the breakup was keeping her from finding happiness.

The actress explained it wasn’t about the other person at all. It was about taking care of yourself, protecting your well-being, and choosing to be happy and move on with your life.

Holding onto fear, anger, and resentment prevents true happiness. It ultimately harms you more than anyone else.

Garth recently revealed she’s found happiness again, more than ten years after getting divorced.

It feels strange, but my life has been a series of events happening to me – quickly gaining fame, then suddenly having big responsibilities, having children, going through marriage and divorce twice. It’s like I’ve just been reacting to whatever comes next.

She explained that she had just finished swimming, doing her best to keep up despite not having any prior training. She also pointed out that there’s no guidebook for navigating life.

This news follows Garth’s recent disclosure that she attended rehab following her divorce from Facinelli.

In her upcoming memoir, set to be released on April 14th, she recounts a time when she had to be hospitalized after a night of heavy drinking and taking pills.

And following time at The Canyon at Santa Monica, the actress learned how to stop self-medicating.

Garth told People magazine that he struggled with pain and sadness for many years, and it affected everything he did.

I realized my energy was fading, and I wasn’t feeling positive at all. I could see the effects in my own reflection – the grief and anger were clearly taking a toll on me.

Two years after her divorce from Facinelli was finalized, Garth tied the knot with Dave Abrams. 

However in 2018, the pair filed for divorce – but reconciled the following year. 

Over time, Garth and Facinelli have built a friendly and cooperative relationship as they co-parent their children.

In a 2024 episode of her podcast, ‘I Choose Me,’ the actress talked about how she and her ex-partner, known for the ‘Twilight’ films, work together to raise their children.

She explained that Peter and she both really wanted to rebuild their friendship and find a better way to raise their children together, as their previous co-parenting approach hadn’t been working.

I’m really relieved and the girls are thrilled. It’s great to finally put that stressful situation behind me.

In a 2023 interview with the New York Post, Carl Facinelli shared his belief that children thrive when their parents, even if co-parenting, maintain a positive and happy relationship with each other.

‘You know what I mean? It’s when nobody wants to choose sides. No, they love mom and dad equally.’

The actor had previously shared on her podcast, ‘I Choose Me,’ that she and her spouse were overly reliant on each other throughout their marriage.

Okay, so I was reading an interview with Facinelli, and he basically said he didn’t really choose the role, it just… fit. Like, he felt naturally good at it, but it wasn’t something he’d consciously built towards or even really planned. It was more like the part found him, you know? It’s just… fascinating to hear him talk about it like that.

You had already developed a sense of self based on others, which created an unhealthy reliance where you lost touch with your own preferences and desires.

Facinelli then told Garth, ‘I had to rediscover who I am.’

On a personal note, things are going wonderfully for me! I got engaged to the amazing Lily Anne Harrison back in 2020, and we’re loving being parents to our three-year-old son, Jack. Family is everything, and I feel incredibly lucky.

In her memoir, I Choose Me, Garth openly discusses the impact of her 2013 divorce, as well as her experiences with fame, miscarriages, and undergoing IVF treatment.

She’s starting a book tour on April 11th in Boston, with plans to visit cities like New York City, St. Louis, and Los Angeles as well.

Read More

2026-04-10 20:06