Katy Perry and Russell Brand earned tremendous success in their respective careers.
Katy established herself in the music industry, while Russell made a name for himself as a comedian and after some flirtatious exchanges during the 2009 VMA rehearsals, the two started dating.
WATCH NOW: Russell Brand jokes about Katy Perry: “I don’t know who that is.” Article continues after video.
Hollywood romances hardly last, and this sadly holds true for Katy Perry and Russell Brand’s relationship.
They were madly in love, but Katy and Russell quickly learned they wanted different things in life.
Let’s look back on how it all began and the truth behind their split.
Who Is Katy Perry?
Katy Perry is one of the most widely recognised pop stars of her generation.
Before making it big, she was a gospel singer and received a ton of rejection from music producers.
She persisted until her hit song ‘I Kissed A Girl’ gained massive popularity.
Who Is Russell Brand?
The quick-witted, charismatic Russell Brand is best known as a comedian and actor in Hollywood. He’s appeared in movies like Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Arthur, and Get Him To The Greek, often taking on comedic roles.
Apart from entertaining audiences with his humour, Russell inspires those who are recovering from addiction.
After giving up his lifestyle of partying, alcohol, and illicit substances, he leads by example, staying sober for 20 years and counting.
Katy and Russell’s Relationship
How It Started
It was love at first strike when Katy Perry threw a plastic water bottle at Russell Brand to grab his attention during the 2009 VMA rehearsals.
In an interview on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Russell described this experience by saying: “It was like being struck by cupid but sort of in a riot.”
Despite Katy’s questionable strategy to get Russell’s attention, they instantly clicked. The two went on their first date soon and quickly became an item. Katy confessed to Elle that “there hasn’t been a dull moment” since getting together.
Tying The Knot
After four months of dating, Katy Perry and Russell Brand were engaged on New Year’s Eve 2010 in India. An insider told Daily Mail Online: “[Katy’s] never connected with anybody like this. He makes her laugh like nobody else in the world.”
On October 23 of the same year, the pair said “I do” just across the tiger sanctuary where Russell proposed. The private wedding involved jugglers and elephants to pay tribute to Indian culture but followed a traditional Catholic ceremony to honour Katy’s religion.
No official photos or videos were publicly shared but Katy’s ‘Not Like The Movies’ 2011 Grammy performance featured snippets from their special day. Looking closely at the backdrop, we can see that Katy is glowing with joy in her beautiful lace-embellished wedding dress.
WATCH NOW: Russell Brand says he “still feels warm” towards ex-wife Katy Perry. Article continues after video.
The Divorce
Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for Russell Brand to go from Katy’s first husband to ex-husband.
After 14 months of marriage, Russell sent one text message telling Katy that he was filing for divorce.
Just before the breakup, the two were drifting apart and didn’t even spend Christmas together, according to E! News.
Why Russell Ended The Relationship
With Katy usually on the road promoting her music, absence made Russell’s heart grow colder.
Russell insists that it was his ex-wife’s overwhelming fame and work schedule that drove him away.
He told W Channel: “Katy was obviously very, very occupied and busy. I was occupied and busy but not to the same degree.”
He also realised that he didn’t want to be a part of the lavish songstress’ party lifestyle and glamorous image. In his documentary BRAND: A Second Coming, he expressed: “I’m associated with the very thing I detest: vapid, vacuous, plastic, constructed, mindless celebrity.”
He added that he wanted to focus on making transformative changes regarding social and environmental issues instead of simply being ‘Katy Perry’s husband’.
Katy’s Side Of The Story
Katy admitted that she was off touring a lot but expressed: “I tried to come home as much as I possibly could,” also claiming that Russell wouldn’t come to see her during her tour.
Rumours also speculate that Russell was ready to start a family and upset that Katy refused to take a break from her career.
In an interview with Vogue, Katy interpreted Russell’s lack of support as him being intimidated by her success. She shared: “I think a lot of times strong men do want an equal, but then they get that equal and they’re like, I can’t handle the ‘equalness’. He didn’t like the atmosphere of me being the boss on tour.”
The singer also said that after receiving Russell’s divorce text message, she hadn’t heard a word from him.
Katy Spirals Into Depression
Katy’s divorce from Russell crushed her and caused serious depression. In an interview with Sunday Times, she shared: “I was in bed for about two weeks. I was pretty f—-d, yes. It hurt a lot.”
She added, “My self-worth was in someone else’s hands which is never a good idea because it can be taken from you at any time.”
In Katy’s ‘Part Of Me’ documentary, we watched the singer battle with depression as her marriage fell apart behind the scenes. One of the most heartbreaking clips from the film includes Katy devastated and in tears.
Despite this, she forced herself to get ready and put on a fake smile for the show.
Russell Brand on Katy Perry
While Katy was going through a very tough time, Russell wanted everyone to know that he still cared about her.
On The Ellen Degeneres Show, he emphasised: “I was very happy to be married to her. She’s such a beautiful human being and I have only love and positivity for her.”
He made a similar comment on Howard Stern’s radio show: “She’s a good person. I’ve got nothing but love for her.”
Ten years on from the breakup, Russell has made some personal revelations about the marriage during an appearance on Running Wild with Bear Grylls.
“She’s an amazing person,” he said of Katy.
“It was kind of incredible to live for a moment in that eye of the cyclone type aspect of fame.”
“Aside from my feelings of affection for Katy, it’s a time that I remember as being a little bit chaotic and a bit, for me, I’ll speak for myself, a little disconnected. Life humbles us and teaches us, and the journey is not always easy,” he added.
Moving On
It’s been a decade since Katy and Russell called it quits, and we’re glad to say that both celebs have moved on.
Today, Russell Brand is a doting father of two daughters with his wife Laura Gallacher. In an interview with On Demand News, he was asked what the best thing about being a dad is.
“Having something outside of yourself that’s more important than you,” he responded.
Meanwhile, Katy is in ‘full bloom’ after her engagement to Pirates of the Caribbean star Orlando Bloom.
On The Ellen Degeneres Show, she describes her new husband-to-be as “the kindest man I’ve ever met.”
