Hollywood marriages seem doomed to failure, especially whirlwind marriages with short engagements. However, we are all more surprised when we see celebrity couples in long-term relationships marry and choose to end their union shortly after. Famous for his Game of Thrones and DC Universe larger than life characters, Jason Momoa announced he and his wife Lisa Bonet are divorcing after five years of marriage and 17 years as a couple.

Jason Momoa and Lisa Bonet Call it Quits After 17 Years Together

The joint statement was released on Wednesday, and it was posted on social media as a way of directly addressing their fans.

While Lisa Bonet has an Instagram account, the following joint statement was posted to his account:

“We have all felt the squeeze and changes of these transformational times…A revolution is unfolding and our family is of no exception…feeling and growing from the seismic shifts occurring,” their message began. “And so we share our Family news that we are parting ways in marriage.” The former couple continued, “We share this not because we think it’s newsworthy, but so that as we go about our lives we may do so with dignity and honesty. The love between us carries on, evolving in ways it wishes to be known and lived. We free each other to be who we are learning to become…Our devotion unwavering to this sacred life & our Children. Teaching our Children what’s possible. Living the Prayer. May Love Prevail.”

Many fans have long considered the couple a Hollywood love story. They met in 2005 at a jazz club before Momoa’s star rose in Tinseltown. After they became a couple, the Game of Thrones heartthrob admitted he’d had a crush on Bonet since she starred as Denise Huxtable on The Cosby Show in the 1980s. They said their relationship was fast and hot, and once they decided there was indeed a spark, they began starting a family. Their first child together, daughter Lola, was born in 2007, and a year later, son Nakoa-Wolf was born. Even though the couple wasn’t married at the time, Momoa stepped in to help raise Bonet’s daughter, actress Zoë Kravitz, from her marriage to musician Lenny Kravitz. Momoa, Bonet, and Kravitz created a co-parenting model that many found refreshing. Momoa and Kravitz even bonded, creating their own genuine friendship. After 12 years together, Momoa and Bonet shocked fans when they decided to marry in 2017. So, it’s not surprising fans on social media have been asking how a couple with such a strong foundation didn’t make it?

Long-Term Cohabitation is a Divorce Factor

Unfortunately, Momoa and Bonet are not unique. Many long-term couples who marry after many years together end up divorced. Our society is more progressive than at any time in our history as a country. Many social norms related to marriage, divorce, and cohabitation have been relaxed. Choices once considered unacceptable have been recognized as personal issues not open to public debate. But, while social norms have made choices like premarital cohabitation acceptable, studies have shown it continues to be a serious risk factor for divorce.

Marriages that begin with cohabitation do not always fail, and couples who choose not to cohabitate aren’t guaranteed success, but married couples who cohabitate are 1.31 times more likely to divorce. Marriage counselors and researchers have studied the effects of cohabitation on marriage for many years, and they continue to show a connection between marriage failure and “trial marriages.” According to many couples, they see cohabitation as a form of trial marriage and view it as a means of practicing the duties and responsibilities of marriage before choosing to take a trip down the aisle. Maybe Jason Momoa and Lisa Bonet fell victim to the cohabitation curse. Unfortunately, we’ll never truly know.

Cairns Law Group

If you think your marriage is ending and you’re ready to speak with an attorney to discuss your options, contact the divorce lawyers at Cairns Law Group today at (888) 863-9115. We can work with you to choose the best filing type to fit your situation. You can also contact us by submitting an online contact form to schedule a consultation.