Nick Cannon Says His Mariah Carey Divorce Changed His Outlook Forever

Nick Cannon has made quite a few headlines regarding his personal life since his 2016 divorce from former wife Mariah Carey. And while a number of longtime fans are aware of what the 41-year-old TV presenter and actor has been up to in regards to his private life, there’s still a lot that Cannon is fairly reticent to publicly discuss. But recently, he opened up about how his divorce from Carey left an indelible impact on him, and how it’s changed his outlook on marriage all together.

Cannon was memorably married to the “We Belong Together” singer and Grammy winner from 2008-2016. During that time, the couple welcomed twins Moroccan and Monroe, 11. But after Cannon and Carey divorced, the Drumline actor felt as if he had “failed” in his marriage. “Divorce is a sense of, ‘You failed,’ and when you have that level of failure with everyone seeing it, it was a lot on me for a long time,” he shared during his interview on It’s Tricky with Raquel Harper.

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“I didn’t really know how to process it. I had to go find myself. I had to go within,” Cannon continued. Despite his very public split from Carey, Cannon referred to the singer as one of his “best friends,” and someone for whom he has “so much respect.” But since the couple’s divorce, Cannon admitted he’s “probably still going through it,” and has yet to fully process the impact of the divorce.

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Roughly six years following their split, though, Cannon’s attitude toward marriage and monogamy has definitely changed. “That to me was one of the greatest experiences of my life and for that to come to an end as well, why would I go back if I couldn’t make that work out right?” Cannon said, referencing his 8-year marriage to Carey. “I did my best in this space, and now I feel like there’s a new journey in my life. I’m not going to backtrack and put myself in that situation again because it doesn’t get better than that,” he continued.

Later on in the interview, Cannon admitted he’s not “built for” marriage right now. “I’ve tried it, I’ve tried it, even without infidelity or any of those things. And I have to admit, clearly, I have issues with being selfish.” Instead, Cannon is trying to work through “toxic energy” without putting it “onto someone else.” To endure the end of a marriage is one thing, but going through that in the public eye and all the projected perception that comes with has to be overwhelming. Hopefully, Cannon can continue his journey of introspection and stay present for his family.

Before you go, click here to learn more about celebrities who’ve opened up about dating after divorce.

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