Brittany Cartwright is embracing her new chapter.
Following her breakup from estranged husband Jax Taylor—with whom she shares 3-year-old son Cruz—last year, the 36-year-old enjoyed a brief romance with one of her ex’s friends. And for her, it was a relationship that helped her find herself again.
“I love that everyone is like, ‘You were dating Jax’s friend,’” Brittany said to E! News in an exclusive interview, before clarifying, “No, no, no, we were hooking up a little bit, but like I feel like he was somebody that helped me get my confidence back and helped me feel wanted. Because after a relationship where I was like put down and mistreated for so long, he was somebody that really brought me back to life.”
As for where she and Jax’s pal stand these days, she continued, “I’m thankful for that part of it, but I haven’t talked to him in a long time. That’s been over for a while, but I’m not dating anybody.” (For more with Brittany, tune into E! News tonight, April 15 at 11 p.m.)
In fact, while Brittany admitted that though she has “a couple” crushes, she’s not rushing into any relationship any time soon.
“I’m just trying to like take things slow no matter what,” she explained. “Very, very, very slow. I’ve got a lot of healing to do myself, so I’m just trying to focus on that and but still have fun because I deserve that too. I want butterflies.”
While she’s not rushing into love, Brittany is instead dedicated to ensuring her son Cruz—who she recently shared was diagnosed with Autism—has everything he needs as she and Jax navigate co-parenting.
“Some days are okay, some days are horrible,” the Vanderpump Rules alum admitted of co-parenting with Jax. “Lots of ups and downs. It’s hard whenever you don’t really trust the person that you’re co-parenting with. But I do know he loves his son and I do think that he wants the best for him, like that part’s a safe space, but there’s a lot of other things that aren’t going good.”
Indeed, Jax recently opened up about his sobriety following an addiction, emphasizing how he is also prioritizing his mental health.
“He is trying to work on himself,” Brittany noted to E!, “and I appreciate that. But behind closed doors, I don’t see a lot of the change. So it’s difficult.”
But when it comes to whether she and Jax, whom she dated for a decade, can get back to where they once were, The Valley star remains skeptical.
“I hope that we can become friends one day ’cause right now I don’t even want him to be my friend,” Brittany admitted, “which is really sad ’cause he was my best friend for 10 years. Whenever you lose all that trust, it’s just like, we’re not even friends anymore. And that’s weird. Whenever you divorce and separate from somebody who you were with for so long, it’s almost like you’re mourning. Because the connection is so gone.”
Amid her new chapter, one bright spot has been Cruz, who she says has been doing well amid the changes.
“I think him being a happier mother and, you know, somebody that’s not being yelled at in front of him makes the world of a difference,” Brittany noted. “And that’s sad to say, but it’s true. And he is so happy and he is so good and I think that having a happy mom is making him happier as well.”
For a look back at Jax and Brittany’s history together, keep reading.
-Reporting by Tessa Evora
Jax Taylor’s First Cheating Scandal
Years before they even got married, Jax Taylor cheated on Brittany Cartwright in 2017 when he hooked up with former SUR waitress Faith Stowers.
“This isn’t my first time being caught cheating,” Jax admitted at the time as the drama played out on Vanderpump Rules. “In the past, I’ve gone through months and months of deny, deny, deny, and that didn’t work for me.”
But while a devasted Brittany broke up with him, they got back together months later and eventually wed in 2020.
Brittany Cartwright Announces Separation
Fast forward to February 2024, Brittany announced she and Jax—who share 2-year-old son Cruz—had separated after four years of marriage.
“Yes, marriages in general are very hard and I’ve had a particularly rough year this past year,” the Kentucky native shared on their When Reality Hits podcast. “Jax and I are taking time apart and I made the decision to move into another home to take some space for the sake of my mental health.”
“I’m taking one day at a time,” Brittany added. “I don’t know what the future holds, but right now my focus is on being the best mom to Cruz.”
Signs Their Marriage Was Imploding
One month later, the cracks in the couple’s relationship became much more apparent when Bravo released the trailer for its new series The Valley.
“I don’t feel like he’s attracted to me, we don’t have sex ever,” Brittany admitted in the March 11 preview before Jax added, “It’s so hard to be married sometimes.”
Plus, costar Janet Caperna teased in the clip, “There’s a rumor about Jax cheating online.”
Jax Taylor Addresses Cheating Rumors
However, Jax slammed allegations of infidelity days after the trailer release.
“We’re just having a little communication issues right now. That’s all, there’s nothing else,” he exclusively told E! News March 14 at The Valley premiere party. “There’s no cheating. There’s no infidelity anywhere. It’s just communication. I know it’s shocking, but people sometimes just don’t get along and that’s life.”
“We see each other every single day,” he added. “The only thing that’s different is we just don’t sleep under the same roof. That’s it.”
Brittany Cartwright Weighs in on Infidelity Claims
Despite rumors, Brittany confirmed Jax cheating did not cause their breakup and shared the true timeline of their separation.
“We got into a very bad fight and I decided to pack up my stuff,” the 35-year-old exclusively told E! News March 18, “and I’ve been staying in an Airbnb since January 24.”
“I’m doing it for my mental space,” she added, “and I feel very strong with my decision to get out for a while.”
Jax Taylor & Brittany Cartwright Are Putting Son Cruz First
Despite their personal drama, the estranged couple agreed on one thing: They are doing what’s best for 2-year-old son.
“He’s no. 1 and we both agree on that,” Jax told E!. “It’s about knowing he’s got two loving parents that love him to death and he’s gonna have the best life possible, whether we are together or not.”
As for their increased fighting, Brittany agreed, “I just don’t want that for our son. I don’t want him growing up thinking it’s normal to live like that.”
Brittany Cartwright Shares Hope for Possible Reconciliation
Brittany admitted in March that “there’s always hope,” but she just needs Jax to put in the work.
“I don’t think anybody will ever love Jax the way I’ve loved Jax,” Brittany told E!. “Over all these years, I’ve been through so much with him and I’m stuck by his side through everything. So I think that if he makes certain changes that I’ve asked, maybe we could get back together. But right now, I just really need to figure out myself. I felt really strong and really proud of myself for being able to step out and do what’s right for me. My mental health is super important.”
Lisa Vanderpump Weighs In
One person who wasn’t so shocked by Jax and Brittany’s separation? Their former SUR boss Lisa Vanderpump.
“Everybody predicted that when they got married,” the Real Housewives alum shared with E!. “They said, ‘Oh this won’t last long,’ but I kind of never liked to draw conclusions.”
“I don’t know what the reason was,” she added, “but I imagine it was probably something to do with Jax’s bad behavior. I’m not sure, but the indicator of future behavior is normally past behavior.”
Scheana Shay Is Team Brittany Cartwright
“I think it’s for the best,” their longtime friend Scheana Shay told E! News March 23 of the split. “I think she deserves better and she deserves a partner who’s going to treat her with respect.”
Kristen Doute Supports Brittany Cartwright’s Decision
And the couple’s The Valley costar Kristen Doute agreed with Scheana.
“I’m proud of Brittany for setting boundaries for making the choice for her,” Kristen admitted. “But I’m very hopeful that they can work this out. But that’s on Jax, that’s not on her.”
Brittany Cartwright Accuses Jax Taylor of Mistreatment
During The Valley‘s June 4 season finale, Brittany confronted Jax about insults he allegedly hurled at her behind closed doors.
As costar Kristen Doute recounted, “Does he say, ‘I know I treat you like s—t. ‘I know I’m mean. I know I’ve called you fat and I’ve told you you’re f–king lazy and that you’re not going to have any friends if you guys break up?'”
How Brittany Cartwright Feels About Jax Dating Again
“We said that, going into this, that we could test the waters with other people if we wanted to,” Brittany exclusively told E! News in June. “I know that seems weird, it might be a little crazy for a lot of people, but that’s what we wanted to do.”
Jax Taylor Enters Treatment Facility
In July, Jax shared he was seeking in-patient treatment for mental health issues after Brittany had begged him to go to therapy for years.
The VPR alum mainly credited son Cruz as the reason he saught professional help.
“Working on getting better for you buddy,” Jax wrote in an Instagram post July 31 alongside a photo of him planting a kiss on the little one’s cheek. “I love you.”
Brittany Cartwright Files for Divorce
Seven months after announcing their separation, Brittany made their breakup official by filing for divorce in August 2024. Citing “irreconcilable differences” in legal docs obtained by E!, she requested primary legal and physical custody of their son Cruz and for Jax to be granted child visitation.
Jax Taylor Responds to Brittany Cartwright’s Divorce Filing
In court documents obtained by E! News in October 2024, Jax requested that Brittany be granted sole legal and physical custody of their son Cruz.
Though Jax confirmed in his filing that he and Brittany wed in June 2019, he also checked a box on the document reading, “Respondent contends that the parties never legally married or registered in a domestic partnership.”
His rep later told E! News, “While Jax made errors in filing out forms that are usually done by trained legal professionals, those errors will be amended without delay.”
Brittany Cartwright Claps Back to Jax Taylor’s Marriage Mistake
After Jax’s conflicting response to Brittany’s divorce petition led people to question whether they were legally married, she set the record straight.
“We are legally married,” she commented on E! News’ Instagram post about Jax’s response snafu. “I’m guessing paperwork is hard for some people.”
Brittany Cartwright Moves on
In November 2024, Brittany confirmed she had a fling with one of Jax’s friends following their split and was not apologizing for it.
“We did not have a no dating in the friend group policy,” she told Bravo’s Hot Mic Nov. 11. “We never spoke about that because why would we? First off, I didn’t think I was going to hook up with his friend. It wasn’t planned. I wasn’t trying to go after one of his friends. That’s not how it happened.”
As for while she chose to move on with someone in the friend group?
“It was somebody that I felt like I knew and in our world,” she added. “It’s so crazy because, like, how do you trust people? And I was single for the first time in L.A.”
Jax Taylor Breaks Silence on Brittany Cartwright’s New Romance
Jax called Brittany hooking up with his friend Julian a “slap in the face” and revealed his shocked reaction to their romance.
“I don’t think I would have been bothered by it if it was somebody else that I didn’t know,” he told Bravo’s Hot Mic Nov. 14. “I want her to meet somebody, just not somebody I know.”
He also recounted finding out Brittany was sending Julian naked photos, adding, “I caught her in a couple of lies.”
Jax Taylor’s Cocaine Confession
Jax admitted for the first time in March 2025 that he was newly sober following a decades-long battle with a cocaine addiction. He also shared he was nearly three months sober from drugs and alcohol.
Brittany’s repsonse?
“I pray that one day he completely knocks this addiction, but I’m skeptical,” she said in a statement at the time. “His behaviors are still alarming and his treatment plan seems to be the bare minimum. I’m trying to navigate this as best as I can for my son and I, but every day is still a challenge and very difficult. Jax has caused an enormous amount of damage and I have very little trust in him at this point. My only hope is that one day, he will be a better person for his son.”
Brittany Cartwright Officially Moves on
In August 2025, Brittany’s costar Kristen Doute confirmed rumors she was in a new relationship.
“She has someone in her life that’s really amazing that I am head over heels for,” The Valley star Kristen Doute told People. “She’s dated people during her single years since her ex-husband, and I have not approved of them. They’ve been fine, but not wonderful. This person is very wonderful and very cool. Very family-feeling.”
Kristen also shared that Brittany’s new man is also a parent, which provides their relationship with even more welcome commonality.
“He’s a dad, so it makes it really easy,” she explained, “a lot easier and understandable.”
