Lori Loughlin, the former Full House star, appeared sombre while grocery shopping in Los Angeles this Wednesday as she prepared for her first Thanksgiving celebration since separating from her husband of 28 years, Mossimo Giannulli.
The End of a Marriage
The 61-year-old actress, who served prison time for her involvement in the college admissions scandal, looked burdened while arriving at her apartment carrying groceries. Loughlin and Giannulli ended their 28-year marriage last month, marking a significant life change for the couple who had weathered numerous challenges together, including their highly publicised legal troubles.
Casually dressed in a plaid shirt layered over a light-blue top with matching wide-leg trousers, the actress seemed to be adjusting to her new reality. This year's Thanksgiving festivities will likely see Loughlin celebrating with her 27-year-old daughter, Bella Giannulli, who works as a designer for B**** Knits. However, it remains uncertain whether Mossimo, the 62-year-old founder of G/Fore, will join the family gathering.
Family Dynamics and Recent Appearances
The couple's younger daughter, influencer Olivia Jade Giannulli, now resides in New York City but recently featured her mother as a 'special guest' in her YouTube vlog uploaded on Monday. During the lighthearted video segment, Loughlin entertained viewers by adopting a Russian-sounding accent, announcing: 'My mamacita is coming to dinner with me and she will be paying the bill, so treat her very nice.'
When Olivia Jade questioned the accent, asking 'What is his accent?', Loughlin responded with characteristic humour: 'Yeah, I do accents. Faux fur - it's the move.' This cheerful appearance contrasts with reports suggesting Loughlin has been struggling emotionally since the separation.
Recent sightings have fuelled speculation about the reasons behind the split. On November 8th, Giannulli was photographed for the second time with 32-year-old stylist Hannah Harrison, despite Harrison telling Us Weekly just a month earlier: 'We are not dating. We are good friends.'
Betrayal and the Final Straw
According to People magazine, Loughlin 'feels betrayed' by her former husband, while Page Six reported she discovered 'incriminating text messages' on Giannulli's phone. The publication further alleged that Loughlin once 'sat down and chatted with the strippers' at Skin, the Robertson Boulevard club her husband frequented.
Last month, the couple finalised another significant separation by selling their six-bedroom Hidden Hills mansion for $14.95 million, substantially more than the $9.5 million value of the property located within the gated Ashley Ridge neighbourhood.
The Lasting Impact of Varsity Blues
The marriage ultimately couldn't withstand the fallout from the 2020 Varsity Blues scandal, in which both Loughlin and Giannulli pleaded guilty to paying a $500,000 bribe to secure their daughters' admission to the University of Southern California.
As part of the elaborate scheme, the Giannulli sisters posed for fake rowing team photographs to present themselves as crew recruits, demonstrating their involvement in their parents' conspiracy to commit mail fraud and money laundering.
The legal consequences were severe: Loughlin served nearly two months at FCI Dublin prison in California during 2020, paid a $150,000 fine, and completed 150 hours of community service. Giannulli received a harsher sentence, serving five months at FCI Lompoc between 2020-2021, paying a $250,000 fine, and performing 250 hours of community service.
Despite these challenges, Loughlin has been working to rebuild her career. She recently made her acting comeback as Lieutenant Bishop in the eight-episode police procedural On Call, though Prime Video cancelled the series on May 9th. The production is currently being shopped to other networks.
Loughlin's most famous role remains Aunt Becky in the beloved sitcom Full House, which originally aired on ABC from 1987 to 1995, and which she later reprised for Netflix's Fuller House from 2016 to 2020.
