A year and half before Brittany Cartwrightfiled for divorce, Jax Taylor revealed that he didn’t consider legally splitting up as an option.
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The Valley star, 45, reflected on the ups and downs of their marriage — which included weathering infidelity scandals to taking on parenthood together — in a March 2023 interview with PEOPLE.
"I don't believe in divorce. My parents didn't get divorced," Taylor shared at the time. "I don't believe in that. Marriage is work. I'm not saying every day is amazing.”
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Related: Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright's Relationship Timeline
"There's good days and there's bad days, but that's marriage, and that's what makes your relationship stronger," he continued. "We love hard. We fight hard. It's amazing."
Taylor said the pair were "best friends" and his wife was the "only one" who could "put up" with him. "We have a lot of fun with each other. I honestly can't imagine my life with anybody else. Like I said, she's the ying to my yang, a little," he explained.
"I'm a tough guy to be around, so it takes a certain person to deal with my crap," he continued. "Even through all this, and even though my life is a lot better now, I'm still tough to handle. I think she's the only one that can put up with me really."
Related: Brittany Cartwright Wonders What She Was Thinking by Staying with Estranged Husband Jax Taylor 'This Long'
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Nearly a year later, Cartwright, 35, announced the couple’s decision to separate in Feb. 2024.
"I know on my last podcast, I alluded to many marriages go through rocky times," she shared at the time. "Yes, marriages in general are very hard and I've had a particularly rough year this past year. 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."
The mother and reality star — who shares son 3-year-old son, Cruz Michael Cauchi, with Taylor — said on the podcast that the breakup was "still very hard to talk about," and she was "taking one day at a time." She added, "I don’t know what the future holds, but right now my focus is on being the best mom to Cruz."
Nearly six months later, Cartwright filed for divorce from Taylor on Tuesday, Aug. 27, according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE. The filing lists the date of separation as Jan. 24 and cites "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for the divorce.
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Cartwright requested legal and physical custody of Cruz, but asked that the court grant Taylor visitation rights. Cartwright also asked the court to terminate spousal support to both parties.
The divorce news comes days after Taylor completed a 30-day treatment in a mental health facility.
Earlier this month, a source told PEOPLE that Taylor would be returning to shoot season 2 of The Valley — which also stars fellow VPR alum Kristen Doute as well as newcomers Luke Broderick, Jesse Lally, Danny Booko, Nia Booko, Michelle Lally, Jason Caperna and Janet Caperna — after completing his mental health treatment.
