Lala Kent and Randall Emmett’s Custody Battle Over Daughter Ocean: Everything We Know About Their Communication, Coparenting and More

Credit: Image Press Agency/NurPhoto/Shutterstock; Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP/Shutterstock

Lala Kent and Randall Emmett's Custody Battle Over Daughter Ocean: Everything We Know About Their Communication, Coparenting and More

Their new normal. Following many ups and downs in their relationship, Lala Kent and Randall Emmett's official split came seven months after the arrival of their daughter, Ocean. The pair took their romance public in 2018 after the director's divorce from Ambyr Childers was finalized. Later that year, Kent and Emmett announced their engagement and went on to welcome their little one in March 2021. The reality star sparked split speculation in October 2021 when she removed all traces of her then-fiancé from her social media feed. One month later, Us Weekly confirmed that Kent and Emmett called it quits. "Randall did not want to split but it was Lala's decision. The trust is gone," an insider exclusively shared with Us at the time. "He's been trying to win her back. ... For now, she's not wearing her ring and she's truly focused on her daughter and her projects. She's trying to keep everything private." Kent later opened up about the challenges she faced with Emmett over the years. "Randall was never ever home. He would always say that it was work-related and he was always on his phone. It was nonstop on his phone, and I still didn't even register it," she emotionally shared during the Vanderpump Rules season 9 reunion in January 2022. "I just knew that Randall was not who I think he is." [sendtonews type="float" key="bigaDMXFUW-2832029-14453"] She added: "I thought I knew that he was loyal to me. That is all I wanted. Because I was like, 'I know how dudes are and I know I can trust him.' In my mind, I thought life is not cookie-cutter. We were soulmates, we fell in love, and of course, I didn't think he would be doing this to me." Amid Kent's accusations of infidelity, movie producer explained that his main focus was on their baby. "She's the mother of my child. No matter what happens in life, I will never disparage or talk ill about her because she's Ocean's mom," he said during an episode of the "Genuinely GG" podcast in March 2022. Emmett, who also shares daughters London and Rylee with his ex-wife, pointed out that friendly coparenting was his biggest priority. "I have two other kids and I coparent with Ambyr and in that world, I never said one negative thing and vice versa," he added at the time. "At the end of the day, I am not that comfortable in this whole thing, but the truth is that I just have to always look at the big picture." Scroll down for everything to know about Kent and Emmett's custody battle for Ocean: [podcast_block]

Credit: Image Press Agency/NurPhoto/Shutterstock; Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP/Shutterstock

Lala Kent and Randall Emmett's Custody Battle Over Daughter Ocean: Everything We Know About Their Communication, Coparenting and More

Their new normal. Following many ups and downs in their relationship, Lala Kent and Randall Emmett's official split came seven months after the arrival of their daughter, Ocean. The pair took their romance public in 2018 after the director's divorce from Ambyr Childers was finalized. Later that year, Kent and Emmett announced their engagement and went on to welcome their little one in March 2021. The reality star sparked split speculation in October 2021 when she removed all traces of her then-fiancé from her social media feed. One month later, Us Weekly confirmed that Kent and Emmett called it quits. "Randall did not want to split but it was Lala's decision. The trust is gone," an insider exclusively shared with Us at the time. "He's been trying to win her back. ... For now, she's not wearing her ring and she's truly focused on her daughter and her projects. She's trying to keep everything private." Kent later opened up about the challenges she faced with Emmett over the years. "Randall was never ever home. He would always say that it was work-related and he was always on his phone. It was nonstop on his phone, and I still didn't even register it," she emotionally shared during the Vanderpump Rules season 9 reunion in January 2022. "I just knew that Randall was not who I think he is." [sendtonews type="float" key="bigaDMXFUW-2832029-14453"] She added: "I thought I knew that he was loyal to me. That is all I wanted. Because I was like, 'I know how dudes are and I know I can trust him.' In my mind, I thought life is not cookie-cutter. We were soulmates, we fell in love, and of course, I didn't think he would be doing this to me." Amid Kent's accusations of infidelity, movie producer explained that his main focus was on their baby. "She's the mother of my child. No matter what happens in life, I will never disparage or talk ill about her because she's Ocean's mom," he said during an episode of the "Genuinely GG" podcast in March 2022. Emmett, who also shares daughters London and Rylee with his ex-wife, pointed out that friendly coparenting was his biggest priority. "I have two other kids and I coparent with Ambyr and in that world, I never said one negative thing and vice versa," he added at the time. "At the end of the day, I am not that comfortable in this whole thing, but the truth is that I just have to always look at the big picture." Scroll down for everything to know about Kent and Emmett's custody battle for Ocean: [podcast_block]

Credit: Matt Baron/Shutterstock

Their Communication

Kent revealed that she and Emmett "don't communicate" since she saw the photos of him in Nashville.

"He came home. I had seen the pictures. I kind of knew what I wanted to do. We didn't have a conversation about it and I packed my stuff and I left. No communication about anything. Even now it's through lawyers," the reality star detailed on the "Not Skinny But Not Fat" podcast in December 2021. "I think that's what is so hard to stomach for me is that even when we weren't connecting, I was so loyal and faithful."

Emmett, for his part, later noted that he was hoping their communication would improve for the sake of their daughter. "We are not at that place. By the way, I could be at that place but I have to let Lala make that call," he said during an interview on GG Gharachedaghi's "Genuinely GG" podcast in March 2022. "I am optimistic that one day we will be at that place and she will be open to that. I respect however she wants this to be."

Credit: Courtesy of Lala Kent/Instagram

Coparenting Ocean

In January 2022, Kent offered a glimpse at the former couple's approach to coparenting. "We communicate through an app and it has just to do with Ocean. There was no closure at all when it came to my relationship and exiting it," she said on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen. "Ocean is the main focus and that is how we communicate. If that doesn't have to do with her then I have no desire to communicate with that person."  

Three months later, the Utah native returned to the show with an update on Ocean, saying, "We parallel parent, and I'm trying to move to zero contact. We'll see how that goes.”

Credit: Matt Baron/Shutterstock

Facing Complications

Kent previously claimed that Emmett "would threaten to call the police" when it was her turn to take their daughter following their breakup. "He would give me time periods that I could take her. I don't think he knew I was leaving; I think he needed to regain control of me," she alleged on Jeff Lewis Live in May 2022. "We [moved me out] quick. I was worried that he was having me watched, which he did send people to watch. Luckily, they didn't watch me move out. I packed my stuff probably in four hours."

Credit: Barry Brecheisen/Invision/AP/Shutterstock

How the Expose Factors Into the Battle

After Kent provided claims against Emmett for an exposé in the Los Angeles Times, a spokesperson for the filmmaker blamed his ex-girlfriend's allegations on their custody battle.

“The allegations in the Los Angeles Times story are false and part of a now-familiar smear campaign orchestrated by Randall's ex-fiancée to sway their custody dispute," the spokesperson told Us in June 2022. "Lala Kent has lied and manipulated others in her desperate attempt to win full custody of their daughter, keep her name in the press, and remain relevant in reality television.”

Credit: Nicole Weingart/Bravo

The Aftermath

During the season 10 premiere of Vanderpump Rules, Kent opened up about how her custody battle affected her friendships.

"I don't need people like that around me. When I hear that people are going and communicating with that person, I don't want you in my circle," she told Ariana Madix and Katie Maloney in February 2023 about her rift with Tom Schwartz. "I have a lot to lose and when you do something that affects my baby — when I'm in a custody battle — you're a liability.

The Give Them Lala author added: "When I found out the life that Randall was living behind my back, I got my closest friends together on Scheana Shay's rooftop. I was very clear that no one in my inner circle should communicate or see Randall because I was going into a custody battle, and we don't need to associate with the same group of friends."