Valerie Bertinelli Discusses Her Divorces
Valerie Bertinelli recently shared her thoughts on her two divorces during an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show. At 65, she opened up to Barrymore, who has also navigated the complexities of divorce herself.
In the January 27 episode, the two actresses, along with Ross Matthews, engaged in a conversation about the evolving trend where divorced women replace their wedding rings with celebratory jewelry. Bertinelli reflected on her experiences, saying, “I’ve been through two divorces, and they were completely different. During my last divorce, I actually returned my ring to the jeweler and opted for a festive evil eye bracelet instead.”
Barrymore expressed her support for this emerging trend, noting that divorce can carry a “source of shame,” and highlighted how this new practice can help women feel uplifted. She candidly shared that her third divorce was “the worst thing I’ve ever been through,” but acknowledged that the trend brings a “strange change of tone,” making it feel “somewhat empowering” and a bit rebellious.
Bertinelli agreed, stating, “It’s kind of the celebratory part of it, because there’s a celebration of not having that pain anymore, but at some point, there was love between them.” Her marital history includes a long-standing marriage with Eddie Van Halen from 1981 to 2007, followed by a second marriage to financial planner Tom Vitale from 2011 until their separation in 2022, which she described publicly as toxic.
In a February 2023 Instagram post, she talked about personal struggles, revealing that she had begun wearing pants she once put away due to feeling “relentlessly mocked” about her weight. She explained, “I have been yelled at many times and told how fat and lazy I am. I know that was just someone projecting onto me what they needed to project onto me, but my role in all of that was to believe it, and I don’t believe it anymore.” Still, she acknowledged that hurtful emotions can resurface.
In March 2024, Bertinelli announced a new relationship with Mike Goodnow, describing it as “unlike any other I’ve ever had with a man.” They dated for about ten months before announcing their breakup in November 2024.
Bertinelli, who has one son, Wolfgang, 34, with Van Halen—who tragically passed away from cancer in October 2020—reflected on her journey in a lengthy Instagram post in February 2025, saying, “I had two failed marriages and the last really good man I met didn’t work out. Maybe you won’t listen to my advice.”
