What was so brutal about Will Arnett and Amy Poehler’s relationship breakdown?

“People talk about you like they know you and they talk about your relationship as if they know what’s going on,” said Will Arnett when discussing his split from ex-wife Amy Poehler. And it’s true. We tend to talk about celebrities as if their public image defines who they are. It’s easy to see celebrities as mere entertainment but like storytelling, there’s just far much more to these individuals. 

As the public has been aware for a while, Will Arnett and Amy Poehler were married. But now Arnett is being candid about the aftermath of his split from Poehler. Overall, it reminds the public that we still have a lot to learn about one another, even the folks we see on television shows and movies. 

Fifty-one-year-old Will Arnett and fifty-year-old Amy Poehler married back in 2003. The couple, however, announced their separation in 2012 after nine years of marriage. Upon the time of their breakup, the BoJack Horseman alum was in the midst of filming the fourth season of Arrested Development. Let’s dive a little deeper into the relationship of Will Arnett and Amy Poehler!

Arrested Development

Let’s consider Arrested Development for a second. Taking into consideration that Arrested Development ended rather abruptly. Fox suddenly canceled it in 2006. Thus returning to work on the acclaimed sitcom should’ve been an exciting time for Arnett, right? In a new interview, Will Arnett informed The Guardian that it was an “excruciating” experience for him because of his divorce. 

“Just brutal, brutal, brutal,” he added. “I was driving to the set one day and I pulled over to the side of the road and cried for an hour.” The actor gave credit to Arrested Development creator Mitch Hurwitz for helping make his pain something “hilarious and cathartic” for the show. 

The breakup of Will Arnett and Amy Poehler

According to Arnett, one of the most difficult aspects of coping with the breakup was dealing with it in the public eye. “People talk about you like they know you and they talk about your relationship as if they know what’s going on,” he said. 

“So imagine how weird that is. It’s brutal with any relationship, and we have kids,” he added. “And without getting into specifics, you then see stuff online, like, this one journalist wrote: ‘I’m Team Amy.’ I’m like: ‘You’re a grown person. What are you talking about? This is a breakup. This is a family. This isn’t some game.’” 

Arnett added that “you get on with it” over time. According to sources, the pair continue to co-parent their sons thirteen-year-old Archie and eleven-year-old Abel. He wants the public to know that “It’s been almost ten years and my kids are so lucky that Amy is their mother. And I’m so lucky that we’re such a huge part of each other’s lives, even more so than we were five years ago. 

Parks and Recreation

Amy Poehler has opened up about the breakup as well. “I don’t want to talk about my divorce because it is too sad and personal. I also don’t like people knowing my s***,” said the Parks and Recreation alum. 

“I will say a few things. I am proud of my ex-husband, Will, and I have been taking care of our children; I am beyond grateful he is their father; and I don’t think a nearly ten-year marriage constitutes failure. That being said, getting a divorce really sucks.”

“Any painful experience makes you see things differently. It also reminds you of the simple truths that we purposefully forget every day or else we would never get out of bed. Things like, nothing lasts forever and relationships can end. The best that can happen is that you learn a little more about what you can handle and you stay soft through the pain. Perhaps you feel wiser.”

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