What CeeLo Green's Ex Christina Johnson Blames For Their Divorce
The following article includes mention of domestic violence.
"Atlanta Exes" fans will no doubt remember that during Christina Johnson's time on the show, she was super close with musician ex-husband, CeeLo Green. As it turns out, that's because their split was never about falling out of love with one another. On the contrary, their split was based more on toxic behaviors and their individual needs to heal from past traumas.
To refresh, Johnson and Green were married from 2000 to 2005. Speaking of their relationship in an interview with VH1 ahead of "Atlanta Exes" premiering, Johnson shared that they'd been pretty much inseparable from their first date — something that didn't change once they'd broken up. As Johnson shared in an interview on "Smitty and Dee," even after divorcing in 2005, they continued to be in one another's lives, and on "Atlanta Exes," she shared that they'd even dated for a time, post-split.
Even with their hesitance to part ways for good, by the time Johnson joined the cast of "Atlanta Exes" in 2014, the former couple were officially done, with Green in a new relationship and Johnson eager to get back out there. In fact, in one scene from the show's first and final season, Green even helped her shop for date-appropriate clothing (albeit reluctantly). The romantic aspect of their relationship was behind them, but it was clear they still had a lot of love for one another. That makes sense, though, as Johnson shared on "Smitty and Dee," they still loved each other when they split.
Both CeeLo and Christina had unresolved past traumas
Despite the love they had for one another, Christina Johnson and CeeLo Green had fallen into some toxic patterns in their marriage, and that's what led to their divorce.
Speaking to "Smitty and Dee," Johnson shared that both she and Green had faced some serious trials and tribulations growing up, which began taking a toll on their marriage. For Johnson, one of the things that had been particularly pervasive throughout her childhood was domestic violence. As for Green, he'd been bullied and hadn't yet realized he could channel his feelings and eccentricities into music. Neither of them had healed from everything they'd been through, so they had come into the marriage with heavy baggage — so much so that in the "Smitty and Dee" interview, Johnson explained, "We were trauma bonding."
Of course, trauma bonding refers to toxic patterns within a relationship, and it certainly seems as though that was the case with Johnson and Green. In fact, in 2018, Star reported that over a decade prior, Green had been arrested after an argument between the then-couple escalated to the point of him smashing their car's windows (via Daily Mail). What's more, Johnson told "Smitty and Dee" that it was the toxicity that led to her ending the marriage. Even so, she never stopped loving Green despite his shady behavior.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.
They're no longer as close as they once were
Enduring mutual love for one another post-divorce aside, Christina Johnson has admitted that her split from CeeLo Green was a tumultuous one. In fact, on "Smitty and Dee," she pointed out that it was precisely that amicability and their continued presence in one another's lives that contributed to the ups and downs. "It was like an emotional rollercoaster. Like, I left ... but I'm really not gone. He's like, 'Yeah, we're divorced, but it's a continuum,'" she recounted.
That's not to say Christina has any regrets about the bond they shared while they co-parented their son, Kingston Johnson. As she said in a 2014 interview with "Kenya Kardashian — The Candy Shop," her ongoing friendship with her ex-husband was a non-negotiable, and they'd both done whatever they could to maintain that.
Even so, in 2023, the "Atlanta Exes" star revealed that they no longer saw as much of each other, with Kingston and her two daughters from previous relationships being adults. In the "Smitty and Dee" interview, she pointed out that they were old enough to create time with the controversial "The Voice" alum without her involvement and that she was headed into a new chapter herself. Said chapter has seen her become a life coach and use her own experience of healing from past traumas to help others deal with their own. Talk about a full-circle moment!