Chrishell Stause and Justin Hartley's Relationship Timeline
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Christopher Polk/NBC Chrishell Stause and Justin Hartley
When Selling Sunset first premiered in 2019, viewers were immediately enthralled by fan-favorite Chrishell Stause and her relationship with then-husband Justin Hartley.
The couple first began dating in 2013, and after about two years together, Hartley popped the question in 2016. The pair married in October 2017 at Malibu's Calamigos Ranch in front of 75 guests, including several of Hartley's This Is Us costars.
"They don't make them any better than Justin, and I could not be more thrilled to officially be Mrs. Hartley!" Stause told PEOPLE at the time.
The reality star was by Hartley's side in September 2019 when he and the cast of This Is Us attended the Emmys, looking as loved up as ever. Less than two months later, however, PEOPLE confirmed that the actor had filed for divorce citing irreconcilable differences.
Stause later revealed on Selling Sunset that Hartley had informed her of their divorce via text message.
"He text me that we were filed," she told costar Mary Fitzgerald. "Forty-five minutes later, the world knew."
RELATED: Everything Chrishell Stause Said About Her Divorce from Justin Hartley on Selling Sunset
In 2020, Hartley began dating his The Young and the Restless costar Sofia Pernas, and the pair later wed in March 2021. Stause shared her reaction to her ex-husband's new marriage during a confessional on Selling Sunset season 4, revealing she's found "closure" from her former relationship.
"My ex-husband Justin is remarried to someone I know from back in the day, pretty well, and a lot of things made sense after finding that out," she said. "I wish them the best. You know, I think that it actually, if anything, it felt good to know that. It felt like a little bit of closure."
From the couple's initial introduction to their eventual split, here's a complete timeline of Chrishell Stause and Justin Hartley's relationship.
October 2013: Chrishell Stause and Justin Hartley meet — and fall in love at first sight
EM Hillock / Splash
The then-soap opera stars had met in passing before, but it wasn't until one of Stause's Days of Our Lives castmates officially introduced her to Hartley that sparks really flew.
Stause admitted to PEOPLE in 2017, "The next day, I texted my friend: 'I found him.' "
Hartley felt the same way, sharing that the two met up at a concert and talked all night.
"I drove her home and called the next day," he said. "We haven't been apart since. I knew right away [and] was like, 'Oh boy, here we go.' "
January 2014: Chrishell Stause and Justin Hartley make their red carpet debut
Stause and Hartley confirmed their relationship on Jan. 9, beaming at their first public appearance together at the 5th Annual Los Angeles Unbridled Eve Derby Prelude Party.
July 2016: Chrishell Stause and Justin Hartley get engaged
JC Olivera/WireImage Chrishell Stause Hartley and Justin Hartley
Hartley popped the question to Stause in late July 2016. She acknowledged their engagement on Twitter, writing, "Such a happy time. Thanks for all the well wishes guys! So sweet." She also posted a photo of her ring in a since-deleted Instagram post.
September 2016: This Is Us premieres starring Justin Hartley
Though Stause and Hartley were both soap opera stars when they first met, Hartley made the move from daytime to primetime with the premiere of This Is Us on September 20. The series was an instant hit, making Hartley a household name for his role of Kevin Pearson in the NBC drama.
October 2017: Justin Hartley talks about his upcoming wedding to Chrishell Stause
Steve Granitz/WireImage Chrishell Stause and Justin Hartley
Hartley shared some wedding planning details with PEOPLE at the 8th Annual Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic in Pacific Palisades, California, on Oct. 16.
"We're almost done," he said. "We hired a wedding planner to take care of all that stuff, and we're just sort of going to show up and have a good time."
When asked what he was most excited about for the big day, his answer couldn't have been sweeter. "Just having her as my wife, to be honest with you," he said. "It's like, I want to call her my wife. That will be amazing."
October 2017: Chrishell Stause and Justin Hartley get married
Kevin Mazur/Getty Chrishell Stause and Justin Hartley
On the fourth anniversary of their first date, Hartley and Stause tied the knot in front of 75 of their closest friends and family. The outdoor ceremony, where the couple exchanged sweet handwritten vows, was held at Calamigos Ranch in Malibu.
Stause, who wore a Monique Lhuillier gown and walked down the aisle to "XO" by Beyoncé, told PEOPLE that the wedding "exceeded anything I could have ever imagined."
Hartley's daughter Isabella, then 13, served as both flower girl and ringbearer for the ceremony, later dancing with Hartley to Taylor Swift's "The Best Day." In addition to meals of roasted chicken and prime rib, guests also enjoyed a stunning ombre white and pink three-tier cake.
A wedding guest told PEOPLE of the nuptials, "The whole wedding was really centered around how Bella and Chrishell are the two women in Justin's life. [They] were saying Chrishell was the last puzzle piece for their family to be complete. It was awesome to see how the three of them are such a tight-knit unit."
At the time, Hartley expressed his excitement for the future. "At the risk of sounding cheesy, I look forward to sharing life experiences and growing old together," he said. "Someday, we can talk about all the things we did together 30 years ago!"
November 2018: Justin Hartley and Chrishell Stause escape to Alaska
Just after their first wedding anniversary, Stause and Hartley broke out of their vacation comfort zone to rough it out in St. Elias National Park in Wrangell, Alaska.
"I like the idea of going somewhere where maybe they haven't heard of This is Us," Hartley told PEOPLE. "You can kind of have anonymity and move around people like a regular person." (Hartley previously recalled an aggressive fan kissing him without his consent.)
The couple enjoyed a date night on top of a glacier and even had an encounter with a grizzly bear in the remote area, which had no cell service or wi-fi.
"I'd never been to a place where you're literally off the grid," Hartley said. "If you forget to pack something, it's not like you're like, 'Oh, I'll get one when I get there, I guess.' This place is so remote and so off the grid that you're just kind of stuck if you forgot something."
The actor added that the couple was "kind of stuck with each other" without any outside entertainment during the trip, and said they were "lucky that it worked out." In the end, that time spent together helped them grow closer.
"When I was in that situation with Chrishell, there's a lot of trust involved," Hartley told PEOPLE. "You're not only gonna push your limits physically, but also how much can we tolerate each other."
January 2019: Justin Hartley and Chrishell Stause attend the Golden Globes
Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP/REX/Shutterstock
Stause joined Hartley at the 2019 Golden Globes, where the actor was a presenter, and they had a sweet moment together on the red carpet. Photographers caught Hartley, rocking a Brunello Cucinelli white jacket tux, getting on one knee to fix the train on Stause's silk Romona Keveža gown while she posed and grinned at him.
November 2019: Justin Hartley files for divorce from Chrishell Stause
Hartley filed for divorce from Stause on Nov. 22, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split. The actor listed their date of separation as July 8, 2019, which surprised fans as the couple had attended several events together, including the Emmys in September and a pre-Golden Globes party just a week before the filing.
While the divorce news came as a shock to fans, at least one source close to the couple wasn't necessarily surprised.
"In many ways, they're somewhat fundamentally incompatible," the insider revealed to PEOPLE. "Chrishell is really ready to just settle down and be a wife and stay-at-home mom and was hoping to start a family relatively soon. Justin wants that, but also doesn't think it has to happen in the near future and is at a point in his career where he wants to really be able to explore all the options that are coming his way."
December 2019: Chrishell Stause posts a cryptic message post-split
Two weeks after Hartley filed for divorce, Stause broke her silence for the first time on Dec. 2 when she posted a quote on Instagram from author Nishan Panwar.
"It's hard to watch people change right in front of you. But it's even harder remembering who they used to be," the quote read.
A source told PEOPLE at the time that Stause was "reeling" after the split and believed Hartley "didn't take the marriage seriously at all."
"Justin has already been married, and divorced, once before. But Chrishell had been in other serious relationships in the past, like with Matthew Morrison, and didn't take them further because she was always adamant that when she got married, it would be forever — she was only going to do this once," the source said.
A second insider, however, said they just grew apart because of work. "Justin is obviously very disappointed that his marriage didn't work," the source shared. "Justin and Chrishell are both focused on their busy careers."
May 2020: Justin Hartley is pictured kissing Sofia Pernas
About six months after filing for divorce, Hartley was seen kissing his former Young and the Restless costar Sofia Pernas in photos obtained by TMZ. Pernas had previously played Hartley's onscreen girlfriend on the series, in which Stause also appeared.
After the photos were published, a source told PEOPLE that the pair had been dating for "a few weeks" and spending a lot of time at his home. The source said that Pernas was a "doting girlfriend," adding of the couple, "They look very happy."
July 2020: Chrishell Stause drops "Hartley" as her last name
Emma McIntyre/Getty; Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Chrishell Stause with Justin Hartley; Christine Quinn
Stause took a major step in moving on from her divorce on July 14 when she filed to restore her maiden name. The news came just after she called out her coworker and Selling Sunset costar Christine Quinn for telling Page Six that Stause and Hartley sought marital counseling before he filed for divorce.
"I just learned Christine is giving press 'information' about my divorce," Stause tweeted. "Let me be VERY clear. She knows absolutely nothing about the situation and is obviously desperate to gain attention by doing so. Anything from her is either a complete lie or total conjecture on her part."
She added, "It's so frustrating and unfortunate that someone would use someone's personal painful situation to get press for themselves. I can't say I am surprised, but please check the source. She has absolutely zero knowledge of the marriage we had."
August 2020: Selling Sunset season 3 drops — and shows Chrishell Stause coping with her divorce
Netflix
Selling Sunset Season 3 premiered on Netflix on Aug. 8, and with it, the world finally saw Stause's reaction to Hartley's divorce filing.
Stause revealed on the show that she was completely blindsided by the split, claiming she only found out about the divorce filing when Hartley texted her about it.
A sobbing Stause said midway through the season, "I'm just kind of in shock with it all. I'm trying to keep it together, but it's just a lot all at once 'cause everybody in the whole world knows, like at the same time that I knew. Have you ever been knocked over by a wave and you don't know which way to swim to get up?"
In a confessional clip, she added, "I don't think anyone ever gets married thinking that they'll get a divorce. I'm definitely a hopeless romantic, and I feel stupid even saying that out loud."
She later said in a conversation with coworker Mary Fitzgerald, "Because of the crazy way in which this went down, people want answers, and I f—ing want answers. I know people are saying, like, we were only married two years — but it's like, we were together for six years."
She added, "I talked to him right after because I thought that must be a joke — but that was kind of the end of the communication. What am I supposed to say? What do you say after that?"
Stause said she immediately packed a bag and left when Hartley texted her about the filing, but wanted to make it work. Additionally, the actress said she was heartbroken that she didn't get a chance to talk to stepdaughter Isabella about it. She also touched on how she thinks the success of This Is Us may have influenced their marriage.
"I think a lot has changed in the six years that we were together and the two years we were married," she said. "It's not normal to meet somebody and then they become wildly famous or they become wildly rich or all these things."
August 2020: Justin Hartley and Sofia Pernas go public on Instagram
Shortly after Stause's reaction to Hartley's divorce filing aired on Selling Sunset, Hartley and Pernas went semi-public on Instagram on Aug. 10. Pernas posted an Instagram Story of a man resembling Hartley leaning on a marble countertop with a cigar and a drink on the rocks, captioning the snap, "Easy like Sunday mornin.'" Hartley posted a photo of his own later with his dog in a pool, captioning the Story, "Paisley like Sunday mornin.'"
August 2020: Justin Hartley's first wife defends him after Selling Sunset premieres
Days after Stause aired her grievances on Selling Sunset, Hartley's first wife and mother to daughter Isabella, Passions actress Lindsay Korman-Hartley, released a statement on Instagram on Aug. 12 defending him.
"In a day when social media should be used for positivity … an inspiration towards movement in an honest and deserving way ... I'd like to join in, by highlighting my appreciation for my family," she wrote. "Today, I appreciate my ex-husband Justin for not only being exemplification of a solid man, but for being my dear friend and devoted father to our daughter. Simply put; for being family."
Korman-Hartley added that no matter what "conflicts" she and Hartley had in the past, she's appreciative of their relationship today and "thankful for the family we have built."
September 2020: Chrishell Stause speaks out on Justin Hartley's new romance
Getty Images (3) From left: Justin Hartley, Sofia Pernas and Chrishell Stause
In a PEOPLE exclusive, Stause opened up about Hartley's new relationship with Pernas.
"I feel like anybody would be heartbroken to see how quickly or easily you are replaced; of course that's going to sting," she said of the "painful" experience of him moving on so publicly.
Still, she was optimistic about the future, saying, "It's been almost a year, so I'm excited to get back out there. I'm a hopeless romantic, so I think it can still happen. It's 2020, maybe you could meet your person through an Instagram DM. I don't know. Crazier things have happened!"
Stause also revealed that she froze her eggs in hopes of becoming a mom someday, telling PEOPLE that motherhood is "still a possibility."
October 2020: Justin Hartley says he's "happy" in his personal life
Hartley made it clear he was intent on moving forward and finding his own joy almost a year after the couple split. In an interview on Belevations on Radio Andy on Oct. 22, Hartley said, "I'm happy with my career. I'm happy with my personal life. I'm healthy, I'm safe. I'm, I mean, all of those things. So, I'm very thankful."
He added of the speculation and gossip about his private life, "If they're getting entertainment from that, I think it sort of comes with the territory, but I've also sort of always had this view that I will have a public life, but I will be very private about my personal affairs."
February 2021: Justin Hartley and Chrishell Stause finalize their divorce
Matt Baron/Shutterstock; Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Chrishell Stause; Justin Hartley
Hartley and Stause finalized their divorce on Feb. 8, more than a year after Hartley first filed to dissolve their union, sources confirmed to PEOPLE. No details about the settlement were revealed.
Both Stause and Hartley had moved on by that point: Hartley became Instagram official with Sofia Pernas on Dec. 31, 2021, while Stause was dating Dancing With the Stars pro Keo Motsepe, with whom she'd spent the holidays.
April 2022: Chrishell Stause reveals she sold her wedding ring from Justin Hartley
The Selling Sunset star appeared on The Kelly Clarkson Show on April 6 and confirmed that she sold the wedding ring Hartley had given her in order to help pay for her new home.
When asked by host Kelly Clarkson if the move was therapeutic, Stause responded, "When sometimes life gives you lemons, sometimes you've gotta add a little vodka."
