Shailene Woodley was going through the worst time of her life amid her turbulent split from Aaron Rodgers last year.
“It was hard to film because I was going through the darkest and hardest time of my life,” said Woodley, who was filming her show Three Women at the time of their split, in an interview with Net-A-Porter published Monday.
She added, “It was winter in New York and my personal life was a mess, so for eight months it felt like a big blister of pain.”
But the 31-year-old actress said she was able to channel her heartbreak into her role in the 2019 Showtime adaptation of Lisa Taddeo’s book, which follows an author’s journey across the country and about sex life reported by three women.
“I was so thankful that I could at least go to work and cry and process my feelings through my character,” she said.
Shailene Woodley went through her “darkest” time when she split from Aaron Rodgers. Getty Images
She described the time of their split as a “big bubble of pain.” Disney Parks
Woodley added that she’s changed the way she manages her mental health for the better, especially after learning the importance of living in the moment while traveling in Europe last summer.
“The way I take care of myself looks very different now than it used to,” she said.
Woodley and Rodgers, 39, announced they got engaged in 2021 after dating in 2020.
They got engaged in 2021. aaronrodgers12/Instagram
But last February, rumors circulated that they had called off their engagement after almost two years together when she was spotted without her engagement ring.
Despite the breakup chatter, they appeared to be giving it another shot and have been spotted on several outings together, including to a grocery store and to a wedding last March.
They appeared to be giving things a second chance after their split. Instagram/keleighteller
They appeared to be giving things a second chance after their split. Instagram/keleighteller
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They appeared to be giving things a second chance after their split. Instagram/keleighteller
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Ultimately, the “Big Little Lies” star and athlete couldn’t work out their differences, and Woodley decided she was “done.”
“Shailene tried to give it another try and was hanging out with Aaron,” an insider told E! News in April 2022. “But she quickly saw that everything was on his terms and nothing would change.”
A source shared that Woodley was “done” with Rodgers last April. WireImage
This month, Woodley alluded to the grief surrounding her relationship when she posted a quote about grief.
Meanwhile, the Green Bay Packers star seemed to be coming to terms with their split by getting his first-ever tattoo on his arm last July. His ink included astrological symbols, a pair of lions, a seascape and an eye.
Rodgers and Woodley may have initially bonded over their love of astrology and even shared the same astrologer.
Rodgers processed their breakup by getting his first tattoo ever last summer. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Unfortunately, the stars don’t seem to align for the exes, and both seem to be trying to move forward.
While Woodley has managed to keep her previous relationships out of the spotlight, Rodgers has previously dated several famous women including Jessica Szohr, Olivia Munn, Kelly Rohrbach and Danica Patrick.