Rachel Bilson and Hayden Christensen ended their nearly 10-year-long relationship, Us Weekly exclusively revealed in September 2017.
“She’s full-time back in L.A. He’s in Toronto,” a source told Us of the former flames at the time. “They’ve been on the outs for a couple of months. They are completely, officially done.”
The actors first met on the set of their 2008 film Jumper and got engaged that December. They quietly called off their nuptials in August 2010 but got back together three months later. In October 2014, Bilson gave birth to the couple’s only child together, daughter Briar Rose.
A source confirmed to Us in October 2017 that Emma Roberts was involved in Bilson and Christensen’s split. The Hart of Dixie alum reportedly found text messages between the Little Italy costars, which caused her to believe they were having an inappropriate relationship.
Despite the drama, the exes remained committed coparents, taking Briar to Disneyland for her 5th birthday in October 2019 and navigating quarantine guidelines when the coronavirus pandemic hit in 2020.
Bilson noted during an April 2021 episode of the “Betches Moms” podcast that the two had “to trust each other” when the world went into lockdown amid the global health crisis. “Luckily, [he] is pretty hardcore with [the COVID restrictions],” she explained. “He’s actually been in Canada for a bit, so that’s pretty safe knowing she’s not seeing him. That’s not a worry.”
She added: “We’ve just handled it. Survival mode.”
Bilson also joked about her daughter not knowing about Christensen’s Star Wars role as Anakin Skywalker, who eventually became Darth Vader in the franchise. “Luckily, she’s not aware that her dad is one of the biggest villains of all time,” she exclusively told Us in December 2020. “When that [time] comes, I don’t know how that’ll probably fare in school because nobody will mess with her!”
Although she is unfamiliar with the actor’s iconic part, Briar somewhat realizes what her parents’ careers are, even if she does not understand the magnitude of their fame. “She sees, like, I had to tape an audition, so she’s kind of aware of what we do,” she said. “And she’s aware that there’s actors in her favorite shows and stuff, so she has a tiny grasp, but I don’t think totally.”
Us collected our favorite quotes Bilson and Christensen have said about one another and their family through the years. Scroll through the gallery below to revisit them: