Singer Jessica Simpson has a new look and outlook on life that has fans calling her unrecognizable. The 2000s pop star and her husband of 10 years, Eric Johnson, are reportedly in the midst of a marital lull that has sparked rumors of a forthcoming divorce.
Simpson and the retired NFL player have been married since 2014 and share three children: daughters Maxwell, 12, and Birdie, 5, and son Ace, 11.
The Mr. and Mrs. have spent a decade together enduring their fair share of the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, which includes the “I Wanna Love You Forever” artist kicking an alcohol addiction and undergoing a dramatic 100-pound weight loss.
This is her second marriage after her divorce from 98 Degrees singer Nick Lachey.
Last year she gushed to People that “once I met Eric, I feel like it was more nurtured. Everything was more supported. Everything felt so easy.” Now, new reports claim that the couple has lost their spark and are at a crossroads about the future.
“Jessica’s goals are to stay married and fix the relationship as it has become stale,” a purported source told Page Six. The insider noted that “Eric has been an incredible father. He has been there for her in her sobriety journey and has been able to deal with all her ups and downs. He has been her rock.”
Despite the “rough patch,” the couple is said to be on the same page about working through their issues heading into the holidays. “She wants it to work out for her kids, and she still loves him, and he loves her… They are both aware that things need to change if they are to make it work.”
However, conflicting reports from TMZ allege that the rift has prompted a friend and a member of Simpson’s team to reach out to two separate divorce lawyers. The claims come days after she and Johnson were spotted separately in Los Angeles without their wedding bands and the entertainer sharing a post signaling a new beginning.
“Interviews in my Nashville music room where I unearthed my singular magic. This comeback is personal, it’s an apology to myself for putting up with everything I did not deserve,” Simpson wrote in the caption of the Nov. 12 Instagram post.
“Yep, called this a while ago. We love you. Stay strong,” a fan commented. Another follower said, “Just hope she doesn’t have to pay alimony she is killing it!!!!!!” Simpson is the founder of an eponymous billion-dollar clothing and shoe brand that has helped her amass a reported $200 million fortune.
That same day, paparazzi caught Johnson enjoying a walk in Los Angeles. However, his wedding ring was noticeably missing from his finger.
More than a few fans expressed concern about the “creepy” change in her appearance amid the reports of a separation. “Jessica has had some Botox obviously, but still Beautiful! I bet she gets divorced!” read one such comment.
Several asked, “What’s wrong with Jessica’s face?” “Jessica is looking ROUGH. She should have let her natural beauty shine,” said one person.” Some of the speculation about her face alterations includes Botox, fillers, and Ozempic being to blame.
An onlooker quipped, it “Doesn’t even look like her.” Whereas when fans zoomed in on a photo of Simpson with her sister, Ashlee Simpson Ross, they concluded that both women “got whole new faces.”
Someone else speculated that her sobriety struggles may also be a factor. “All the alcohol didn’t help her,” said one person. Nov. 1 marked seven years sober. Another user shared, “I noticed that her lips are so overfilled she slurs a little.”
Johnson celebrated his 45th birthday on Sept. 15, a day that his wife has publicly celebrated in past years with a loving post. However, this year, Simpson let the day go by with penning a sweet message. In fact, her husband was last acknowledged on her Instagram page in her birthday tribute to him in 2023.
