Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey were once one of Hollywood's most famous couples. The singer of "Irresistible" and the 98 Degrees member got married in October 2002 after four years of dating. Although they were already considered an "It" couple, their fame grew significantly with their 2003 MTV reality show, Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica — but their relationship soon began to deteriorate.
Simpson and Lachey ended their marriage in November 2005, with the Dukes of Hazzard actress filing for divorce the next month. Their divorce was finalized in June 2006.
Years later, in her 2020 memoir Open Book, Simpson spoke openly about their breakup, writing that they "got crushed by the media and by ourselves." She also referred to Lachey as her "first love."
Below is a timeline of Simpson and Lachey's relationship:
1998 Simpson and Lachey first met at the Hollywood Christmas Parade in Los Angeles. At the time, they shared the same manager for their music careers.
2000 Simpson and Lachey released their duet "Where You Are" for her debut album, Sweet Kisses.
2001 Simpson and Lachey briefly broke up in early 2001 while she focused on her second album. They reunited a few months later, with Simpson writing on her website that 9/11 made her reconsider their relationship. "I knew that I never, ever wanted to be away from Nick ever for the rest of my life," she wrote.
February 2002 Simpson and Lachey got engaged in Hawaii shortly after getting back together. "Nick Lachey asked me to marry him in a very romantic way and I said yeeeeeeeeeeeessssss!!!" she wrote on her website. "He had been patiently waiting for me to grow up a little (which I needed). And I did! Now my life feels so perfect."
October 2002 The couple married at a church in Austin, Texas, with 350 guests in attendance, as shown on Newlyweds.
August 2003 Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica premiered on MTV, showcasing the highs and lows of their marriage. The show ran for three seasons until March 2005.
November 2005 After months of rumors, Lachey and Simpson confirmed their separation. "After three years of marriage, and careful thought and consideration, we have decided to part ways," they said in a joint statement. "This is the mutual decision of two people with an enormous amount of respect and admiration for each other."
April 2006 Lachey spoke about the divorce in an interview, saying he felt "blindsided." "I'll tell you how I knew my marriage was over: I was told," he said. He also claimed Newlyweds negatively affected their marriage. "Jessica and I began playing these parts even when we were by ourselves," he explained. "It became a really blurred line."
June 2006 The former couple's divorce was finalized less than a year after they announced their split.
March 2026 Simpson and Lachey had an unexpected reunion when they were on the same flight from Los Angeles to Hawaii. "They actually did say hello, and it was a nice, cordial conversation," a source told Us Weekly. TMZ reported that Vanessa and Johnson were also on board.
May 2026 Lachey reflected on the encounter during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen. "It was strangely OK," he said. "You know, it's been 20 years, and so we hadn't seen each other in those 20 years and then spent six and a half hours on a flight to Hawaii together. Everyone was very cordial, very respectful. It was honestly … it was fine."