Jennie Garth is opening up about her divorce from Peter Facinelli and how she moved on from the heartbreak.
In a new interview with People in support of her forthcoming memoir, I Choose Me: Chasing Joy, Finding Purpose, and Embracing Reinvention, the 54-year-old actress reflected on that time in her life, saying, “I noticed my light really dimming.”
She continued, saying, “I wasn’t putting off good vibes. I could see it in the mirror. I could look at the negative impact that that kind of grief and anger was having on me.”
Jennie Garth and Peter Facinelli in 2010.
Credit: Getty Images
Reflecting on life after divorce, Garth said, “I spent a good amount of years being hurt, sad, just tormented by it, and it eked out into all aspects of my life.”
The outlet reported that, “at her lowest,” she had her stomach pumped after mixing pills with alcohol, and later spent time at Canyon Ranch rehab center.
The Beverly Hills, 90210 star talked about moving on, recalling, “And there was a weird switch where one day I just said, ‘I don’t want to carry this anymore. It’s impacting my relationships and how I feel about myself. I’ve got to let it go. I’ve got to forgive him.'”
Peter Facinelli and Jennie Garth in 2000.
Credit: Getty Images
Garth and Facinelli, 52, married in 2001 and finalized their divorce in 2013. They share three daughters: Luca, 27, Lola, 21, and Fiona, 17.
Now, Garth says she and the Twilight actor are in a much better place, and their daughters are thrilled. “The girls are so happy and there’s just a big weight off my shoulders,” she told People in 2024. “That’s a conflict I don’t need to carry anymore.”
Jennie Garth and Peter Facinelli with their daughters in 2010.
Credit: Getty Images
In 2024, she even invited him onto her podcast, “I Choose Me,” in an effort to support other people who may be going through a tumultuous divorce.
“I just really wanted to provide some, maybe, inspiration to people that are in the dark place of divorce and let them see that there is a light at the end of the tunnel if you choose to see it,” she said.
“That’s what Peter and I ultimately wanted more than anything, was to have our friendship back and be able to co-parent in a healthier way because we had been doing it all wrong for a while.”