Aisha Tyler is opening up about her separation from husband Jeff Tietjens after 20 years of marriage.On Monday’s episode of The Talk, she couldn’t help but tear up as she let viewers in on what’s been happening behind the scenes.
via E!:
“He’s the person who has influenced me and cared for me the most. In fact, he cared for me even longer than my parents have cared for me and it’s very hard when you love someone very much to also start to realize that maybe you want different things for your lives,” she explained. “That’s a very difficult realization to come to and you don’t want to accept it and you don’t want to believe it.”
Aisha later confessed to the audience that the pair separated in January 2015, but were continuing to work on their relationship.
As to why she didn’t speak out about the struggles in her marriage sooner, the actress explained that she wanted to protect her husband.
“He didn’t choose this life, I chose this life. It’s very unfair to drag someone into this life that doesn’t want any part of it. The only reason they’re here is because they fell in love with someone in the business,” she explained to her tearful co-hosts including Sheryl Underwood and Sara Gilbert. “He’s a very private person. He’s a very kind-hearted person and I didn’t want to expose him to the kind of stuff I knew was going to come when this happened.”
With the divorce news public, Aisha continues to have nothing but kind things to say about a man that has been part of her life for so long. In fact, she doesn’t view the relationship as a “failure” in any way.
“I was with this extraordinary person. I had this extraordinary love affair for 25 years of my life and that is how I feel. I think we did it exactly right,” she shared after receiving a standing ovation from the audience. “We loved each other passionately and lived life fully and we’re trying to let each other go in the kindest way we possibly can and even though we’re separating, all I want for him is joy and fulfillment and whatever he chooses to do in his life next and whatever I can do to help him do, that I want to do that.”
She added, “He’s a wonderful person. He’s been my best friend for always my entire life. I’ll always love him. I want to say to people out there that are speculating about it, that’s what I’m going to say about the relationship and the rest of it is none of your damn business.”
Watch below.
