John Stamos opens up about heartbreak after Rebecca Romijn divorce
Synopsis
John Stamos has broken his silence on the real reason his 2005 divorce from Rebecca Romijn left him devastated — it was entirely her call, not his. Speaking on a podcast, the 62-year-old was refreshingly blunt where most celebrities opt for diplomatic vagueness, while also crediting sobriety and fatherhood for his second act.
Key Takeaways
John Stamos , 62 , says his 2005 divorce from Rebecca Romijn 'broke his heart' because it was her decision, not his.
The couple had been married since 1998 after four years of dating.
Rebecca Romijn is now married to Jerry O'Connell and has twin daughters Dolly and Charlie, 17 .
Stamos is married to Caitlin McHugh and has an eight-year-old son, Billy .
He credits stopping drinking 10 years ago as the reason he is 'alive' and able to meet his current wife.
His wellness routine includes working out three to four times a week and 20-minute electric muscle-stimulation sessions.
Hollywood actor John Stamos has opened up about the emotional toll of his divorce from actress Rebecca Romijn, revealing it 'took a long time' to heal because the split was not his choice. The 62-year-old Full House star made the candid admission during an appearance on the Really Good Podcast.
The Divorce That Left Him Heartbroken
John and Rebecca married in 1998 after four years of dating, but the couple parted ways in 2005. Stamos was unambiguous about where the decision came from. 'I had one. It broke my heart. Because I didn't want to get divorced. She wanted to. It took me a long time to get over it,' he said on the podcast.
The admission stands out for its directness — a rare instance of a public figure speaking plainly about the asymmetry of a high-profile split rather than offering the usual diplomatic 'mutual decision' framing.
Where Rebecca Romijn Is Now
Rebecca Romijn subsequently married actor Jerry O'Connell, with whom she shares twin daughters Dolly and Charlie, both 17. Stamos noted he recently crossed paths with the couple at a social event, and his remarks were notably warm.
'She has a nice life. She married another guy. She has kids. They're doing great. I met him recently. It was very interesting. He was very sweet. He was very nice. We were at a party together, and he came over, and he was super nice. He couldn't have been sweeter. He was very, very funny and very charming,' Stamos said, according to reports citing Female First UK.
Sobriety, Marriage, and a Second Chapter
Stamos has since built a new life of his own. He is married to actress Caitlin McHugh and the couple have an eight-year-old son, Billy. He has credited sobriety as a turning point — one that he believes made both his marriage and his longevity possible.
'I stopped drinking 10 years ago. That's why I'm alive. I never would have met my wife if I was still drinking,' he previously told Us Weekly. He added that while he is content with his career, he believes earlier sobriety would have allowed him to perform at a higher level: 'I got the job done, but I could have done it better, and I could have been more connected.'
His Formula for Staying Young
Beyond sobriety, Stamos described a straightforward wellness routine that he says keeps him feeling younger than his years. 'Getting married and having a child, that's kept me young and kept me alive,' he said. He works out three or four times a week, uses an electric muscle-stimulation suit for 20-minute sessions, and emphasises good sleep as a priority. 'Having a young son helps,' he added.
With a candid podcast appearance now drawing wide attention, Stamos appears as comfortable discussing personal setbacks as professional milestones — a posture that has kept him relevant well into his sixties.
Point of View
Where 'mutual decision' is the default script. His admission that the split was unilateral — and that recovery took years — is the kind of unguarded honesty that rarely survives media training. What is equally telling is his generosity toward Jerry O'Connell; in an era of performative grievance, that warmth reads as genuine rather than rehearsed. The sobriety thread is the more substantive story underneath: a decade clean, a child, a second marriage — the arc suggests the divorce, painful as it was, may have been the catalyst for a more grounded life. That is the nuance celebrity coverage usually flattens.
NationPress
10 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was John Stamos heartbroken after his divorce from Rebecca Romijn?
John Stamos said the divorce broke his heart because it was Rebecca Romijn's decision, not his. Speaking on the Really Good Podcast, he said he did not want to divorce and that it took him a long time to recover emotionally.
When did John Stamos and Rebecca Romijn get married and divorced?
John Stamos and Rebecca Romijn married in 1998 after four years of dating. They divorced in 2005 after seven years of marriage.
Who is Rebecca Romijn married to now?
Rebecca Romijn is married to actor Jerry O'Connell. The couple have twin daughters named Dolly and Charlie, both 17.
Who is John Stamos married to now and does he have children?
John Stamos is married to actress Caitlin McHugh. The couple have an eight-year-old son named Billy. Stamos has credited his marriage and fatherhood with keeping him 'young and alive.'
How has sobriety changed John Stamos's life?
Stamos stopped drinking 10 years ago and says it is the reason he is alive. He told Us Weekly that he would never have met his wife Caitlin McHugh if he had still been drinking, and believes earlier sobriety would have helped him perform better professionally.
