The Real Reason Brody Jenner And Avril Lavigne Couldn’t Make It Work

Singer Avril Lavigne and reality star Brody Jenner were once an item before things got so complicated….yes, pun intended. The former couple dated for two years before calling it quits in 2012. Before their split, the couple was hot on the Hollywood scene enjoying double date nights with Kim Kardashian and then-husband Kris Humphries and even matching Brody’s tie with the neon green strip Lavigne wore in her hair, BuzzFeed reported. Simpler times, no?

The couple went public with their romance in early 2010, just a few months after Lavigne filed for divorce from Sum 41 rockstar Deryck Whibley in October 2009. By July 2010, Brody debuted a tattoo of Avril’s name on his arm. One month later, while at a beach in Malibu, Lavigne showed off her matching tattoo of Brody’s name on her lower torso. During their relationship, The Hills star often got photographed at Avril’s performances showing his support for the “Skater Boy” singer. But, ultimately, the stars decided to go their separate ways.

So what prevented the two from finding their happy ending together? Here’s what we know about the split.

He was a boy, she was a girl, and their tension got obvious

Amy Sussman, Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images
Although both Avril Lavigne and Brody Jenner remained silent on what led to their breakup, sources close to the two celebs shared alleged details around their split. According to what one insider told Life & Style (via The Star), the two “decided to end their relationship” because “it wasn’t working out.” Lavigne supposedly “wanted to settle down,” but the former MTV star reportedly “wasn’t exactly ready.”

At the time of their separation, Lavigne was enjoying the fruits of her labor in music. As for Brody, he hadn’t appeared on television since The Hills aired its final episode in 2010. Sources claimed their different career levels caused tension between them. “It was mutual, but Brody really broke up with her,” a friend told Us Weekly in January 2012. “He told her he was tired of always being her plus-one, and always going on tour with her.” With Avril always being on the road touring, it began to dig at Brody’s perception of his career. “Brody said, ‘I need to stay in L.A. and get back into TV,” the source claimed. “Either scripted or reality. But I feel like a loser.'”

At the time, there were reports that they could get back together, but that never happened. Brody married lifestyle influencer Kaitlynn Carter in 2018 (the two split in 2019), and Lavigne wed musician Chad Kroeger in 2013 (they broke up in 2015).