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Actress Shailene Woodley broke her silence on her past "toxic" relationship with her ex-fiancé, New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, during an interview with Outside magazine published on Tuesday (December 3).
“I haven’t shared much about my relationship with Aaron because it always makes me cry,” Woodley said, with Outside editor Melissa Johnson noting that her eyes watered up during the interview. "But it was beautiful.”
Woodley, 33, and Rodgers, 41, called off their engagement in February 2022 before ultimately splitting up permanently in April of that same year.
“I had a really awful, traumatic thing happen in early 2022,” Woodley said, though not providing specific details. “I felt like I lost my soul, my self, my happiness, my joy. I really understood depression and anxiety and, like, complete soul detachment.”
Woodley said she chose to stay in a "toxic situation" as she was empathizing with "someone else," but didn't specifically name the person before adding, "empathy kind of kept me in this loop of feeling everything for everyone."
Woodley and Rodgers began dating in July 2020, following the quarterback's previous relationship with former racing driver Danica Patrick. Rodgers initially referred to Woodley publicly as "my fiancée" during his virtual acceptance speech for his first of two consecutive NFL MVP awards in February 2021.
Rodgers, who was acquired by the Jets in a trade with the Green Bay Packers in 2023, is currently in the midst of one of the worst seasons of his career, throwing for 2,627 yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions on 262 of 419 passing, going 3-9 in 12 starts, which has resulted in the firings of former head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas. The four-time NFL MVP suffered a season-ending Achilles injury during his first drive of the 2023 NFL season and has reportedly dealt with hamstring, knee and ankle injuries since Week 4, but claims to be feeling healthy in recent weeks.