Jenna Dewan is ready for a Hollywood comeback. And it has nothing to do with the star’s April split from her husband Channing Tatum, whom she was married to for nearly nine years.
“The moves I’m making are completely not related to my marriage or separation, interestingly enough. I was always very happy being a wife,” the 37-year-old told HarpersBAZAAR.com in an interview published Tuesday, May 29. While reflecting on her life, Dewan, began to ask herself questions. “‘Who are you? What do you want to give the world?’ Those feelings started bubbling up for me, naturally . . . so I really wanted to expand my life, and myself,” she explained.
Dewan, who hosts NBC’s World of Dance, revealed she feels “a sense of joy and freedom and excitement” about the “new chapter” in her life.
Dewan has been in the business for a long time, dancing for artists including Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake. But her big acting break came in 2006 when she starred alongside Tatum in Step Up. (She and the 38-year-old famously met and fell in love on set.)
“Even though I was in a hit dance movie, all of a sudden my agents were telling me to go into audition as, ‘You’re not a dancer, you’re an actress. That’s all you do.’ It was so weird,’” she told Harper’s Bazaar. “They were just trying to fit me into this thing, and I really didn’t fit into that box.”
Dewan, who shares daughter Everly, 5, with her ex, took solace in motherhood. “Whether you try and hide it or not, most actresses and actors have a certain sense of anxious desperation about what their next job is,” admitted the Supergirl alum. “As soon as I had Everly, it went away. I had this freedom of, ‘Well, I could never work another day in my life, and I have purpose.’”
Both Dewan and The Magic Mike XXL actor are committed to raising their little girl peacefully. “We’re just getting used to it,” she said. “We’re in a very positive energy together, trying to be the best parents to Everly. We support each other.”
While life without a hyphenated last name is new for Dewan, some things remain the same. “I’ve never once woken up early with enough time to get ready before I get my daughter school,” she cracked. “My hair’s always wet, I’m always changing clothes. I mean, it’s always a little haphazard in my life. [But] I do have a hamper now!”
Dewan and Tatum released a joint statement via social media in April announcing their separation. It read in part: “We fell deeply in love so many years ago and have had a magical journey together. Absolutely nothing has changed about how much we love one another, but love is a beautiful adventure that is taking us on different paths for now.”
World of Dance premieres Tuesday, May 29, on NBC at 10 p.m.
