John Cena and Nikki Bella break up, plus more celeb love life updates for mid-April 2018
By Jessica Wedemeyer 9:04am PDT, Apr 19, 2018
Wonderwall.com is taking a look back at the stars who found love, suffered heartbreak or experienced some other major event in their love lives this week, starting with the former first couple of wrestling: On April 15, Nikki Bella posted a statement on Instagram announcing that she and John Cena had called it quits a year after he proposed during Wrestlemania 33 and just weeks before they were set to wed in Mexico. "After much contemplation and six years of being together Nikki Bella and John Cena announced today their decision to separate as a couple," read the post. "While this decision was a difficult one, we continue to have a great deal of love and respect for one another." The following day, People magazine reported that the "heartbroken" reality TV star pulled the plug on their relationship when she realized that the "Blockers" actor had cold feet about tying the knot: "She never gave him an ultimatum," said a source. "He talked a really good game about having changed, about having his priorities straight, about knowing what's important, and that it was her. But as the day got closer, it was like he just went back to who he's always been — which is someone who puts himself first, always. … He's an incredibly dedicated, driven, ambitious guy. And for the longest time he said he didn't think he had room in his life for a spouse or kids. It seems like in the end that was still the truth." Continued the insider, "But in that case, he never should've proposed, let alone in front of millions of people. Now she's heartbroken. … This was supposed to be the happiest time of her life. … He ruined it and blew everything up." Meanwhile, another source told Us Weekly that Nikki took issue with "the things [John's] been saying on television and in the press" recently about their relationship — namely that he would drop everything to marry her when she was ready. The insider added that "John is a mess" in the wake of the breakup, but his former love "is not devastated." Continued the source, "She's in a place where she's just exhausted by some of the things going on in the relationship. John is the love of her life [and] she adores him. They still speak. It's just very hard. But right now, she has to focus on herself." On April 18, Us Weekly reported that a reconciliation isn't entirely out of the question: "They could get back together in a year," said a source, who added that "John is one of the loveliest people, but he is not open-minded. … He's controlling about everything in his life. … Work always comes first. … John puts a lot before Nikki." Now keep reading for more of the week's biggest celeb love life updates…
Paula Patton told "Extra" on April 16 that there's a new man in her life: "I have a boyfriend now. I haven't called anybody a boyfriend. He's my boyfriend!" she said, adding that she met her new beau of about a month through their kids. "If you have a kid and you have a basketball game, look at the daddies," she said. "It's kind of a suburban romance. He's got kids. I got a kid. It's one of those!" And it appears things are already serious: "When you know, you know. I love him," said Paula, who has a son, Julian, with ex-husband Robin Thicke. On April 18, Page Six identified Paula's new man as real estate agent Zachary Quittman. According to a source, the father of two is still married and has been with his wife for nearly 20 years: "They're married, they're not even legally separated," tattled the insider. "He doesn't even have his stuff out of the house." The source told Page Six that Zachary "coaches a lot of kids sports [teams], so he's known by a lot of families" in the Malibu area. Continued the insider, "I'm just kind of disgusted that [Paula] is being that callous to talk about the basketball game when we come from a very small town and everybody knows about this." A second source described Zachary as "a trust fund kid," saying, "His mom is like No. 1 in real estate, he's a good salesperson, so I'm sure he's selling himself. … He hasn't really made anything of himself in his life and being in the spotlight is great for him. … He's all about what he looks like, his body, his tattoos, he's a very selfish man." According to Page Six, Zachary has been living with Paula since they started dating. According to one source, his estranged wife "has just been shocked" by his relationship with Paula, whom she thought was "nice" when they first spent time together in social settings with other moms. "She's on the floor, [but] she's so worried about the safety of the kids," said the source. "She just doesn't want to rock the boat." Concluded the insider, "[Paula] paints herself as the jilted woman who was left for another woman, but she's doing the same [thing], she's a hypocrite." On the same day that the Page Six report went live, Zachary told Radar Online that he's "technically by law" married but separated and has been "for a while now." Said the real estate agent, "The bottom line is, I am separated. The most important thing for people to know is that I am separated. When I met Paula, we were separated. … My marriage was completely finished before I moved on. That's the truth."
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Khloe Kardashian might not be 100 percent committed to working through her issues with her cheating baby daddy, Tristan Thompson, after all. On April 17, TMZ reported that the reality TV star is "still furious" with the professional basketball player and hasn't been alone with him since their daughter's birth — nor spoken to him in days. According to the website, their relationship is "in shambles," "hanging by a thread" and "tenuous at best." Khloe and her famous family are reportedly "nowhere near forgiving Tristan," and the new mom's sisters are said to be "livid." The "Revenge Body" host is reportedly "putting on a brave face for the sake of their daughter" and is only staying in the Cleveland home where she and Tristan intended to raise their little girl, True, out of convenience. Though Khloe spent months preparing her daughter's Cleveland nursery, TMZ reports that she intends to return to Los Angeles with True as soon as they've been medically cleared for travel.
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Michelle Williams is getting married — to a pastor! The Destiny's Child singer and pastor and life coach Chad Johnson announced their engagement to People magazine on April 19, revealing that they've been dating for a year. The singer and Chad, who's also worked as a chaplain for pro sports teams including the Los Angeles Dodgers and Pittsburgh Steelers, met in March 2017 at a spiritual retreat in Arizona.
Is it possible Kendra Wilkinson and Hank Baskett may not divorce after all? On April 13, The Blast reported that the duo are "attempting to work things out" and that "things are getting better between them." According to the webloid, "hope among those close to them is that they can put their differences behind them and reconcile, but it's still too early to tell if that is going to happen." The former couple, who are reportedly still living under the same roof, have spent both weekends together since the reality TV star filed for divorce on April 6. Hank even told a TMZ cameraman on April 13 that he'll "always leave the door open" for a reconciliation with Kendra.
Olivia Munn is reportedly dating Alex Gonzalez. On April 13, Us Weekly published photos of the duo stepping out together in Los Angeles on March 28. In the pics, the Spanish actor can be seen shopping for a large bouquet of flowers before picking up the makeup-free "X-Men: Apocalypse" actress from a medical building. According to the photographer, the duo were "caressing each other as they drove from location to location." A source told Us Weekly that they've been secretly dating for about three months.
On April 15, People magazine reported that Bella Hadid and The Weeknd reconnected at Poppy nightclub's pop-up bash during Coachella. According to a spy, the duo "were sitting on each other's laps and all over each other all night long" and "definitely looked like they were fully back together." But the model has denied the story: "it wasn't me," she wrote in the comments of a photo of herself and her ex on E! News' Instagram page, which the outlet posted with the caption, "The Weeknd and Bella Hadid were spotted 'kissing all night' at a #Coachella after party and it's safe to say we didn't feel it coming." But Bella wasn't the only bold-faced name to whom the singer was linked this week…
The Weeknd was caught on-camera walking with his arm around model Chantel Jeffries, who previously romanced Justin Bieber, during the second day of Coachella. "Chantel and The Weeknd are definitely dating," a source told Us Weekly as part of an April 18 report, adding that the romance is "new and nothing crazy serious." The insider also said that the singer and the model-DJ "dated years ago" — before she was linked to Justin and before the "Starboy" singer dated Selena Gomez. "They have been friends for years since," said the source. "They're seeing if they can make it work." (For anyone who hasn't been keeping track, that means The Weeknd and Justin Bieber have dated the same women TWICE.)
According to an April 16 report in The Sun, Drake and British singer-songwriter Raye fell for each other after collaborating on her music. "Raye is a massive fan of Drake's work and reached out on Twitter to send him one of her songs. He was clearly impressed by her songwriting talents and when they met to record, it quickly became obvious it wasn't just her music he was interested in," a source told the British tabloid, adding, "It's early days but the pair have already been out on a string of dates, with Drake taking her to his favorite restaurant, Nobo Berkeley in central London." Continued the insider, "He's got form for dating the hottest and most up-and-coming stars in the world so Raye isn't reading too much into it, they're just having fun at the moment." On April 13, The Sun reported that the rapper got close to another beauty, Hungarian backup dancer Réka Nagy-Miticzky, while partying at a London nightclub. "He was seen getting close to Réka after she was invited up to his private bash where there were only a few VIP guests. They spent most the night flirting and it soon became clear that Drake was enjoying the attention from her," said an onlooker. "Réka was celebrating her birthday with some of her dancer friends before leaving with Drake and his entourage."
Is there a new woman in Justin Theroux's life? On April 13, Jennifer Aniston's ex was all smiles during an outing in New York City with model Erika Cardenas, who's 20 years his junior. In photos published by DailyMail.com on April 17, the duo can be seen laughing together over drinks at an outdoor café as she flaunts her midriff in a cropped blouse with a plunging neckline and he shows off his toned biceps in a tank top. A source told the website as part of an April 18 report that the pair met at the gym and are "just friends."
Page Six reported on April 16 that Billy Idol and China Chow are dating. "China looks like she is completely smitten," said a source. The duo, who've attended several Hollywood events together in recent months and were first seen together in a selfie that the model-actress posted on Instagram in November 2017, were even spotted "making out" in public.
Iggy Azalea and Tyga fueled rumors they're more than friends when, according to Us Weekly, they arrived at an April 12 Coachella party hand-in-hand. According to an onlooker, they spent "at least two hours" talking in a private backstage area during the star-studded bash.
Just days after YBN Almighty Jay posted a photo of girlfriend Blac Chyna on Instagram with the caption, "Will You Marry Me?" the mother of two hinted that she and the rapper might be done. According to The Jasmine Brand, on April 14, Chyna posted and then quickly deleted a meme with the caption, "Mood single." The duo have not been seen together since.
It appears that Millie Bobby Brown and Jacob Sartorius have called it quits. The "Stranger Things" star, who got close to the singer-songwriter in late 2017, deleted all traces of her former beau from her Instagram after purported evidence of him hitting on other girls (including his "By Your Side" music video co-star, Morgan Cryer) on Snapchat went viral on April 12.
TMZ reported on April 16 that Vanessa A. Williams filed to end her marriage to Andre Wiseman for the second time. The "Melrose Place" and "Soul Food" actress, who tied the knot in 1992, first filed for divorce in 2008, but the divorce was dismissed in 2017 — possibly because, according to TMZ, she'd let it lapse by failing to file any documents after her initial petition. She's reportedly asking for joint physical and legal custody of her 14-year-old son with Andre.
Ryan Murphy hosted a star-studded engagement party for Gwyneth Paltrow and her fiance, Brad Falchuk, in Los Angeles on April 14. Reese Witherspoon, Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston, Cameron Diaz, Demi Moore, Steven Spielberg and Rob Lowe were just a few of the famous faces on hand during the fete, which some media outlets speculated may have been a cover for a secret wedding. The bride-to-be attended her bachelorette party in Mexico on April 13.
On April 18, Metro published a video of Hailee Steinfeld and Niall Horan, who have yet to officially confirm their rumored relationship, packing on the PDA at a bar in the Exuma Islands. According to one onlooker, the duo, who were first linked in late 2017, looked "really loved up." The witness told Metro, "They were chatting away for ages and then Niall put his arm around Hailee's neck and kissed her on the cheek."
Just a week after he was photographed smooching Playboy model Lexi Wood at a tattoo parlor in West Hollywood, Brooklyn Beckham was spotted hanging out with model Meredith Mickelson during Coachella on April 14 and April 15. TMZ published photos of the duo, who weren't exactly packing on the PDA, on April 16. In January, the blonde beauty was linked to Andrew Taggart of The Chainsmokers.
Page Six reported on April 18 that a Bravo camera crew will be on-hand as "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" star Danielle Staub and Marty Caffrey tie the knot on Bimini Island on May 5. According to a source, the duo pushed up their wedding date so that the bride-to-be could ask for a bigger paycheck for appearing on the reality TV show, on which she currently plays a supporting role. "Danielle wants to be a full-time housewife so badly, and she's letting Bravo film the wedding, but this still won't get her back on equal footing with the rest of the ladies," a source told Radar Online. Cameras also rolled when the couple got engaged in May 2017.
In other nuptial news, Toni Braxton told People magazine that she's planning a "The Great Gatsby"-themed wedding with her fiance, Birdman. "This is my second wedding, and I'm over 40," she said. "It's like Carrie Bradshaw, the last bride. It'll be elegant and a little sexy." She also revealed how she and the rapper-producer took their relationship to the next level in 2016 as she struggled with complications from lupus: "He's been my bestie for like 15 or 16 years," she said. "Every day I had a show, he came."
Dating Emma Watson has been "a huge and positive change" for Chord Overstreet, a source told Us Weekly as part of an April 16 report. "Chord is intrigued by Emma," said the insider, who added that the "Glee" alum "historically hasn't dated someone like Emma." The duo were first linked in March 2018.
Meghan Trainor and her fiance, Daryl Sabara, have put wedding planning on the back-burner. "Wedding planning, nah, not happening yet — too much going on. Thumbs down," the pop star told Pandora on the latest installment of its "Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down" video series, which debuted on Wonderwall.com on April 13. During the interview, the "All About That Bass" singer, who got engaged in late 2017, also expressed her enthusiasm for redheads and wedding speeches: "I expect everyone to give a speech. Get ready, fam," she said.
According to an April 17 report from Page Six, Bethenny Frankel has profiles on dating apps Bumble and The League. "Yes, she tried a few apps, but it wasn't for her," said her publicist. "She has also been doing research for her own dating app." The rep added that the reality TV star "isn't dating anyone now as she is focusing on her daughter and work."
Speaking of dating apps: Andy Cohen keeps getting kicked off of them, he told Ellen DeGeneres on the April 12 episode of her talk show. "I am on Tinder and there is a gay dating app that I'm on that I keep getting kicked off of because they think I'm impersonating Andy Cohen," he said. "And they're like, 'Your photos don't meet our guidelines.' I'm like, 'No, it is me!'" He also told Ellen that a member of his "Watch What Happens Live" studio audience recently asked him out, but he declined due to their nearly 25-year age difference. "He was very sweet," said Andy, who also called being single "fun."
Chris Pratt opened up about the end of his marriage to Anna Faris during an interview with Entertainment Weekly that hit the Internet on April 18. "Divorce sucks. But at the end of the day, we've got a great kid who's got two parents who love him very much. And we're finding a way to navigate this while still remaining friends and still being kind to one another," said the "Jurassic Park: Fallen Kingdom" star. "It's not ideal, but yeah, I think both of us are actually probably doing better."
During an interview with E! News that went live on April 16, Amy Schumer said that her new husband, Chris Fisher, is "really proud" of her. She also opened up about the best part of being married: "The best part is just having a partner and being like, 'I got a team,'" she said. "It was just me and [my dog] Tatiana and now it's cool — you got someone to go through life with together that you love and you want to be partnered up with."
Paris Hilton isn't worried about becoming the next Hollywood star to become embroiled in a cheating scandal: "That would never happen to me. My man is amazing," she told a TMZ cameraman on April 17.
During the April 17 episode of "Steve," Brooke Burke told host Steve Harvey that her goal following her breakup from David Charvet after nearly seven years of marriage is "to move forward with an open heart and to take the beautiful memories and to learn from the challenges that I faced and not to bring all the baggage, which is mine, and pass it on to someone else whenever that day comes." Added the mother of four, "It's easier said than done — ask me in six months."
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