Katy Perry and Russell Brand were once one of the most glamorous and eccentric couples in Hollywood. The pop star and the comedian met at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards, and sparks flew between them. They got engaged in 2009, and married in 2010 in a lavish Hindu ceremony in India.
However, their fairy tale romance soon turned sour, and they divorced in 2012 after only 14 months of marriage. What caused their relationship to fall apart so quickly? Here are some of the possible reasons behind their split.
Different Lifestyles and Values
One of the main factors that contributed to their divorce was their incompatible lifestyles and values. Perry, who was raised by devout Christian parents, had a more conservative and traditional outlook on life, while Brand, who struggled with drug and sex addiction in the past, had a more rebellious and radical personality.
Perry wanted to start a family and settle down, while Brand wanted to continue his career and activism. Perry was also more focused on her fame and success, while Brand was more interested in spirituality and enlightenment.
According to Brand, he felt that their marriage was not fulfilling his needs, and that he was not happy with Perry’s lifestyle. He told Howard Stern in 2017, “I really loved her. It just didn’t work out. I was really, really in love with her, but it was difficult to see each other.
We were together when it was right to be together, and when it wasn’t, we worked it out. It was a lovely relationship. It mostly didn’t work for practical reasons. We’d been living together in this country and then I had to go away a lot. I don’t want anything to hurt her. She’s younger than me, she’s a young woman and she’s beautiful and she’s sensitive and I care about her deeply. I don’t want to be too glib. She’ll read it and she’ll be sad and I don’t want that.”
Perry also admitted that they had different expectations and goals in their marriage. She told Vogue in 2013, “I felt a lot of responsibility for it ending, but then I found out the real truth, which I can’t necessarily disclose because I keep it locked in my safe for a rainy day.
I let go and I was like: This isn’t because of me; this is beyond me. So I have moved on from that. He’s a very smart man, and I was in love with him when I married him. Let’s just say I haven’t heard from him since he texted me saying he was divorcing me December 31, 2011.”
Lack of Communication and Trust
Another reason why their marriage failed was their lack of communication and trust. Perry and Brand rarely saw each other due to their busy schedules and long-distance relationship.
They often communicated through text messages and phone calls, which were not enough to maintain a strong bond. They also had trust issues, as they were both insecure and jealous of each other’s success and attention. Perry was reportedly suspicious of Brand’s fidelity, while Brand was resentful of Perry’s popularity and career.
According to a source close to Perry, she felt that Brand was not supportive of her work and ambitions, and that he tried to control her and change her. The source told Us Weekly in 2012, “He would always knock her down. He was never supportive of her career.
He’d always take shots at her music. He was very controlling. He wanted her to stay home and do the whole housewife thing. He wanted her to fit into the mold of what he wanted. He told her that she wasn’t funny, that she wasn’t a good singer. He was trying to make her feel bad about herself.”
Brand also confessed that he felt insecure and lonely in their marriage, and that he did not feel connected to Perry. He told John Bishop in 2017, “The marriage didn’t last for a very long time and I think that is due to the undulating nature of fame, living in those conditions. Katy was obviously very, very occupied and very busy. I was very occupied and very busy—not to the same degree, I recognize. It meant, I think, that [for] the sanctimony of marriage, which is a very private thing really,
I supposed we perhaps—intuitively or explicitly I don’t know—understood that we better protect this thing. The marriage didn’t last. The difficulty is that people want me to be candid and honest about my life, but if I talk about my relationships, it looks like I’m blaming people. I don’t want to do that.”
Media and Public Scrutiny
A third factor that influenced their divorce was the media and public scrutiny that they faced as a celebrity couple. Perry and Brand were constantly in the spotlight, and their every move and word were analyzed and criticized by the press and the fans.
They had to deal with rumors, gossip, and speculation about their relationship, which added more pressure and stress to their marriage. They also had to cope with the backlash and negativity that they received from some of their fans and followers, who did not approve of their union.
Perry revealed that she felt overwhelmed and depressed by the media attention and the public reaction to her divorce. She told Billboard in 2013, “I was in bed for about two weeks. I was pretty f—ed, yes. It hurt a lot—I got a good knock.
Unfortunately, although I had the outward self-identity, I didn’t have the inner kind, I hadn’t built that up. My self-worth was in someone else’s hands, which is never a good idea, because it can be taken from you at any time. And it was, and it was shattered.”
Brand also expressed his frustration and anger with the media and the public for interfering with his personal life and his marriage. He told The Guardian in 2013, “I don’t want to sound like a lunatic here, but I’m not interested in the construction of the mythology of my life. I’m not interested in the construction of the mythology of anyone’s life.
I’m not interested in the construction of the mythology of the world. I’m interested in the truth. And the truth is, it’s very difficult to be married. The truth is, it’s very difficult to be famous. The truth is, it’s very difficult to combine those two things. And the truth is, I love her, she’s a brilliant person, and that’s the end of it.”
Conclusion
Katy Perry and Russell Brand’s divorce was a result of multiple factors, such as their different lifestyles and values, their lack of communication and trust, and their media and public scrutiny. Their marriage was short-lived, but it had a lasting impact on both of them.
They have since moved on with their lives, and have found new love and happiness. Perry is now engaged to actor Orlando Bloom, and they have a daughter named Daisy. Brand is now married to model Laura Gallacher, and they have two daughters named Mabel and Peggy.
They have also learned from their mistakes, and have grown as individuals and artists. They have both said that they have no hard feelings towards each other, and that they wish each other well. They have also used their music and comedy to express their emotions and experiences, and to inspire and entertain their fans.