Inside Will Arnett And Amy Poehler's Failed Relationship
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You probably know Amy Poehler as the hilariously clueless boss from Parks and Rec, as well as her knee-slapping roles in comedies with long-time bestie, Tina Fey. And you probably know Will Arnett for his dreamy voice, featured in several animated productions (The Lego Movie, BoJack Horseman) and of course, his quirky character, Gob Bluth, in Arrested Development. Together, they made one uber hilarious pair and one could only imagine what kind of punchlines they threw around throughout their relationship.
Unfortunately, what once may have seemed like the perfect Hollywood comedy couple split back in 2012 and filed for divorce in 2014. To fans' dismay, any glimpse of hope for the two making amends was tarnished when the item officially finalized the divorce in 2016. From the moment they met to the amicable aftermath (and everything in between), we've got the inside scoop. Here's what you should know about the tragic severance of a once tightly-tied knot between Will Arnett and Amy Poehler.
Here's how the Hollywood goofballs met
Amy Poehler and Will Arnett were introduced by friends and began dating in 2000, but Arnett claims to have had a crush on Poehler since 1996, when he first spotted her at an improv performance with Upright Citizens Brigade. According to People, Arnett admitted that Amy caught his eye that night, despite him having a girlfriend at the time. "I went with my then-girlfriend, and she was like, 'You have a crush on that girl!'" Arnett told the tab, adding, "Amy did stick out. She was fantastic and obviously really cute." The feeling was eventually mutual for Poehler, who said in the same interview that Arnett "makes [her] feel very safe."
After dating for three years, Arnett officially "kissed the bride" in 2003 and their undeniable romance even made several appearances on the big screen, per CNN. The dynamic duo has worked together on several occasions. Most notably, they played the incestuous brother-and-sister villains of the 2007 Will Ferrell comedy, Blades of Glory. Poehler also (unironically) played Arnett's wife in Arrested Development, and Arnett was featured as Poehler's love interest in an episode of Parks and Recreation.
Did Will Arnett and Amy Poehler friend-zone each other?
Both Will Arnett and Amy Poehler have mostly kept their lips sealed in regard to the real reasons behind their split. However, circulating rumors indicate that inside sources say the romance just "fizzled out" and that the pair felt "more like best friends" than a romantic entanglement. "The two still love each other very dearly — and everything is completely amicable — but the romance died and neither one of them was happy, so something had to be done," noted a source reported by Radar Online.
There are no readily available online reports that allude toward a messy split, infidelity, a knock-down, drag-out fight, or anything of the sort. Is it possible that the pair just "friend-zoned" each other after several years together? Fortunately, it looks like there truly are no hard feelings to be found. Another unnamed source speaking to Us Weekly claimed at the time of their separation that the split was "very amicable." Props to the couple for refraining on airing out each other's dirty laundry and keeping their private life, well, private.
Why did it take so long for Amy Poehler to open up?
It probably took quite some time for Amy Poehler to finally open up about her feelings, because, for a long-term relationship, there's no time limit on letting the heart wounds heal. She and Will Arnett split in 2012, and Poehler finally broke her silence in the form of a memoir. Poehler wasn't afraid to unleash her raw (and arguably bottled up) feelings in her book titled Yes Please, which was released in 2014. Although she touches on the topic, she illustrates her typical rawness even further by letting her audience know that it's "too sad and too personal" to talk about. "I also don't like people knowing my s**t," she continues (via excerpts published by Salon).
Vague as she attempted to remain, Poehler did write that "getting a divorce really sucks" and described the process using a metaphor (via Radar Online): "Imagine spreading everything you care about on a blanket and then tossing the whole thing up in the air," Poehler explains in her memoir. "The process of divorce is about loading up that blanket, throwing it up, watching it all spin, and worrying what stuff will break when it lands." Despite these feelings that any divorcee must begrudgingly face, Poehler holds no grudges against her ex, Arnett. She also made sure to note that she is very proud of him and brags on him as a father figure to their two children, Archie and Abel.
Will Arnett wasn't thrilled with the tabloid coverage of his divorce from Amy Poehler
Very shortly after his split from Amy Poehler, Will Arnett claimed his true source of joy in life rests outside the confines of a marriage. "I'm 43, and I've found my happiness — which is my kids," Arnett told Details (via Us Weekly).
Finding true happiness is great and all, but it's clear that Arnett may still have even an inkling of sorrow when it comes to the split. In 2020, Arnett expressed a rare candor about his divorce while defended himself against critics on fellow actor Dax Shepard's podcast, Armchair Expert. After being tagged in a tweet from a "beat reporter for a Minnesota TV station," who said she was on "Team Amy," Arnett claims, "I wanted to respond and go, 'We're human beings in a relationship and our relationship fell apart. It's heartbreaking. We have two kids, and this is not some f***ing game.'" Yikes. Back off, haters.
No, addiction did not play a role in Amy Poehler and Will Arnett's divorce
As we previously noted, there wasn't much scandal associated with Amy Poehler and Will Arnett's divorce. Years later, however, Arnett told The Hollywood Reporter that he relapsed into alcohol use after years of sobriety in 2012 — the same year he and Poehler separated. Quoting that interview, Us Weekly then made the following summation: "Not surprisingly, that time perfectly correlates with the end of his marriage."
Of course, neither Arnett nor Poehler has ever indicated that addiction caused a rift in their marriage. In fact, both have been candid about their prior experimentation before they got hitched, and Poehler was explicit about how being a parent basically makes that lifestyle impossible. In her memoir,Yes Please (via Radar Online), Poehler revealed that she experimented with cocaine and ecstasy back in the day. She also opened up about her occasional marijuana usage. But she noted, "How do you explain to a four and six-year-old that you can't play Rescue Bots because you have to spend all day in bed eating Cape Cod potato chips and watching The Bicycle Thief?" Translation: Hangovers don't work with kids around.
Our verdict on this one? Although they both opened up to the tabloids about past and present drug and alcohol use, there is no clear evidence that it played a part in their split.
What about Amy Poehler and Will Arnett's kids?
During the length of their 10+ year marriage, Will Arnett and Amy Poehler created a family of four with their two sons, Archie (born in 2008) and Abel (born in 2010). Luckily, the two kiddos seem to be in good hands (on both sides) because they are being shared between their parents. According to Daily Mail, the couple filed for joint custody. Since there seems to be no tension between the pair, there's a chance that co-parenting is running smoothly for them. The Daily Mail report, which pictures a scanned version of the dissolution file, indicates that neither Arnett nor Poehler are expected to pay spousal or child support.
Since the split is said to constitute no hard feelings, it appears that the pair is applying these amicable terms to parenthood so that they can both play a role as the boys grow up. It's possible that the exes even bring co-parenting to the next level by actually still parenting together in the same physical space (which we will get to).
Was Nick Kroll a rebound for Amy Poehler?
Amy Poehler obviously has a thing for funny guys (specifically comedians and voice actors). She "moved on" shortly after the divorce, jumping into a short-lived fling with Nick Kroll, known for his roles in Big Mouth, Sausage Party, and tons more. Poehler started dating Kroll in 2013, less than a year after her separation with Arnett (before the divorce was even finalized). According to an exclusive US Weekly report, they split in 2015 after two years of dating. "Unfortunately, they just couldn't make the relationship work with their schedules," spilled an inside source, who is close with both Kroll and Poehler.
The life of the rich and the famous definitely comes with a booked schedule, but could it be that the "busy" factor was a cover-up for Amy's residual feelings for Arnett? After all, a few months of healing doesn't seem like much for a relationship that lasted well over a decade.
It seems like Will Arnett has officially moved on
As of this writing, there isn't any news or gossip about Amy Poehler's relationship status. However, the same cannot be said for Will Arnett. He has been dating Alessandra Brawn since 2019, and the new couple just welcomed it's first child together (Arnett's third son) in June 2020, according to Us Weekly.
Don't worry, Amy. Many of us have become accustomed to riding solo. It seems as though Amy hasn't really stepped out on the romance scene since her break-up with Kroll five years ago. This dry spell can be interpreted in several ways. Could it be a sign that she is still hung up on her ex, Arnett? Is she just keeping her private life shielded from the media and public? She does seem to avoid the limelight when it comes to her personal affairs. Or maybe she's just taking some "me" time to focus on herself (because, self-care).
Are Amy Poehler and Will Arnett quarantining together?
You read that right. Will Arnett and Amy Poehler were seen together (among many other stars) at home on a virtual Canadian celebrity event. According to Insider, the April 2020 benefit, called Strong Together, Tous Ensemble, was created for celebs to pay their respects to front-line workers during the Covid-19 crisis. Given the restrictions of the pandemic, speculators assumed that Poehler and Arnett were (or still are?) self-isolating together after being shown side by side at home. Many curious folks hit up social media to express their confusion, particularly in light of the awkward timing for Arnett and girlfriend Alessandra Brawn.
"Seeing people talk about whether or not Will Arnett and Amy Poehler are back together as if his girlfriend isn't pregnant with his child," one confused fan tweeted. Another Twitter user had a similar musing alongside a Trailer Park Boys GIF: "Wait. Are Amy Poehler & Will Arnett back together or is this some Bruce & Demi s***?"
In other words: Did the road to Splitsville actually lead to Mendsville? We're guessing no, and that Poehler and Arnett just co-parenting in the best way they think is possible, sine both clearly want to be with their kids during these trying times.