Jennie Garth's Candid Confession About Marriage Breakdown and Personal Recovery
Jennie Garth has bravely shared the devastating aftermath of her eleven-year marriage to second husband Peter Facinelli, which concluded with their divorce in 2013. The former Beverly Hills, 90210 star, now 54, reveals profound emotional turmoil and substance abuse struggles in her forthcoming memoir, I Choose Me, scheduled for release next Tuesday.
A Descent into Darkness and the Road to Sobriety
In her deeply personal book, Garth recounts a particularly harrowing episode where she consumed excessive alcohol and numerous pills, resulting in a medical emergency that required stomach pumping. This incident became a turning point that propelled her toward sobriety. The actress credits part of her recovery to a rehabilitation program at The Canyon at Santa Monica, a California treatment center where she learned to cease self-medicating behaviors.
"I spent a good amount of years being hurt, sad, just tormented by it, and it eked out into all aspects of my life," Garth confessed during a recent interview with People magazine. "I noticed my light really dimming. I wasn't putting off good vibes. I could see it in the mirror. I could look at the negative impact that that kind of grief and anger was having on me."
The Moment of Transformation and Reconciliation
The actress described a pivotal moment of clarity that changed her perspective entirely. "And there was a weird switch where one day I just said, 'I don't want to carry this anymore. It's impacting my relationships and how I feel about myself. I've got to let it go. I've got to forgive him.'"
This emotional breakthrough eventually led to reconciliation with Facinelli in 2024. During an appearance on Garth's iHeartRadio podcast, the 52-year-old Twilight actor made startling revelations about their marriage, comparing it to "an arranged marriage" and admitting he might not have remained in the relationship as long without their three children.
Complex Family Dynamics and Personal Growth
Garth herself acknowledged room for improvement in her post-divorce behavior, particularly regarding co-parenting their daughters Fiona (19), Lola (23), and Luca (28). She reflected that she "could have been better" rather than bitter about sharing custody arrangements.
The couple's history dates back to 1995 when they met on the set of ABC television movie An Unfinished Affair. At that time, Garth was still married to her first husband Daniel Clark, though she finalized that divorce by November 1996. Notably, Garth converted to Catholicism to marry Facinelli, who later confessed he lacked sufficient self-awareness to be an adequate husband during their relationship.
Current Relationships and Professional Endeavors
Despite past difficulties, both individuals have moved forward with their lives. Garth and her third husband David Abrams, co-owner of The Douglas, will celebrate their eleventh wedding anniversary on July 11. Their marriage endured a temporary legal separation between 2017 and 2019 due to the emotional strain of miscarriages and IVF treatments.
"I really wanted to give Dave a baby because he was young and all of his friends were having kids and I just thought that's what he needed," Garth explained, adding "It all comes down to people-pleasing. Once you really get to the core of what you want for your life? That's when everything seems to get easier."
Meanwhile, Facinelli has been engaged for six years to actress Lily Anne Harrison, whom he met on the exclusive dating app Raya. Harrison wrote and stars in his upcoming directorial project Grace Period, an IVF-themed romantic comedy that also features Facinelli's former Twilight co-star Ashley Greene alongside Seth Green, Matthew Friend, Beverly D'Angelo and Natasha Leggero.
Promotional Activities and Future Projects
Garth is preparing to launch a twelve-date book tour for I Choose Me, beginning this Saturday at WBUR CitySpace's Brookline Booksmith in Boston. Additionally, she will host her second annual I Choose Me event at iHeartTheater Los Angeles on April 25, with tickets ranging from $60 to $250. The event will feature former Beverly Hills, 90210 castmate Gabrielle Carteris.
Facinelli will appear with Twilight colleagues at The Nostalgia Con in Houston this weekend before focusing on his film projects. Garth's most recent acting role was in the 2022 crime thriller Bad Influence, where she portrayed concerned mother Joan Miller in the Tubi TV streaming production.
