Everything to Know About Alan Ritchson and Estranged Wife Catherine's Marriage After Shocking Split — as Exes Unite for the 'Sake of Our Boys'
The exes announced their split in a joint statement.
Oct. 10 2026, Published 6:00 a.m. ET
Alan Ritchson and his wife of nearly two decades, Catherine Ritchson, have gone their separate ways.
The estranged couple announced their split in a joint Instagram statement on September 12, revealing their decision to end their marriage and "continue alongside one another in a different way."
Alan and Catherine first met in a high school dance class in Florida and later reconnected before tying the knot in 2006. They went on to welcome three children together.
Following their split, RadarOnline.com can look back at Alan and Catherine's relationship through the years.
Around 1999: Alan and Catherine Ritchson Meet as Teenagers
Alan and Catherine Ritchson announced their separation in a joint statement.
Alan and Catherine's paths first crossed around 1999 at a ballet class in Florida, when he was 17 and she was 16.
"I'll never forget seeing him for the first time in the [dance] studio. I turned to my friend Miriam, and I said, 'Who is that?'" Catherine recalled during a September 2023 appearance on The Road to Wisdom podcast. "He, at some point, came up to me and we just got chatting."
Meanwhile, the Titans alum told a publication in 2024 he was initially reluctant to make the first move.
"I thought she was a college student, so I was afraid to talk to her. I figured there was no point because she's going to be older than me, but I found out she was doing the exact same thing that I was. We finally spoke and then did a play together that summer," he recalled.
In a separate February 2024 interview, Alan spoke candidly about enlisting a friend to find out what Catherine liked before finally working up the courage to ask her out.
"She was like the sweetest thing in the world," he added.
Although Alan and Catherine called it quits after their first summer together, they reconnected and rekindled their romance a few years later.
May 12, 2006: Alan and Catherine Ritchson Get Married
The estranged couple confirmed their split months after Alan Ritchson filed for divorce.
Alan and Catherine exchanged vows on May 12, 2006.
September 19, 2012: Alan and Catherine Ritchson's First Child Born
Alan and Catherine Ritchson were married for nearly two decades.
Alan and Catherine welcomed their first son, Calem, on September 19, 2012. His name, which means "dove" in Latin, inspired the Blue Mountain State star to have the symbol tattooed on his forearm in 2023.
2013: Alan and Catherine Ritchson Welcome Second Child
Alan Ritchson filed for divorce in December 2025.
The estranged couple's second child, Edan, was born in 2013. Alan also has an abstract flame tattoo in honor of Edan.
"Tattoos, I realized, are very much an opportunity for me to tell my story and the things that matter most to me: family, the story of my wife and our connection, what loyalty means to me, faith," he explained in an interview.
"But this right here is as close as I'll get to a personal identity," he continued. "It has a dual meaning for me in the extremes – the happy, the sad, the ups and the downs – as somebody who lives with bipolar and ADHD on a daily basis. Being bipolar has wreaked havoc on my life many, many times. I would wish it away if I could, but it's so much a part of who I am now that I should celebrate it a little or, at least, accept it."
December 6, 2015: Alan and Catherine Ritchson Welcome Third Child
Alan and Catherine Ritchson reconciled months after the divorce filing.
Amory Tristan, Alan and Catherine's third child, was born on December 6, 2015.
In 2023, the actor honored Amory with a sword-and-shield tattoo.
May 2022: Alan Ritchson Celebrates 16th Wedding Anniversary
Alan and Catherine Ritchson share three children.
In May 2022, Alan marked the couple's 16th wedding anniversary with a sweet post dedicated to Catherine, joking they had been through "thick and thin" and that "both the thick and the thin were [his] fault."
"She did all the good stuff. She's very nice. She is a mother. They'll let anyone have kids these days. I just mean in general. She should be allowed for sure," he quipped. "Also, I never dreamed all those years ago, when we were getting married, that 16 years later we would be living the kind of life where we could afford any car in the world and she would still insist on driving a minivan. But that's just who she is."
Alan added, "If marriage has taught me anything, it's that you will continue to learn about your spouse's faults and there's nothing you can do about it. You just have to drive the minivan. Because you promised no matter how bad it got you would drive a minivan if she made you (until one of you dies)."
May 2023: Catherine Ritchson Mark 17th Wedding Anniversary
Alan Ritchson called Catherine 'the sweetest thing in the world.'
To mark their 17 years of marriage, Catherine shared some of the lessons she had learned along the way.
In a May 2023 Instagram post, she wrote that "true, deep, sturdy love is built by brick," explaining how lasting relationships take patience, effort and care. She shared how couples can look back and realize they have "built a kingdom," even if some parts still need to be repaired or rebuilt.
"As the days, months, and years pass, you look around and realize you've built a kingdom. Some parts will lay unfinished; others may have been knocked down and need to be rebuilt. But the important part is that you both keep building by tenderly place each brick with dedication and honor in your heart for one another," the mom of three continued.
July 2023: Alan and Catherine Ritchson Launch Their Instagram Series
Catherine Ritchson supported Alan throughout his career.
Alan and Catherine shared more glimpses of their marriage in "Not Newlyweds," the Instagram Reels series they launched in July 2023.
May 2025: Alan Ritchson Celebrat 19th Wedding Anniversary
Alan and Catherine Ritchson shared annual anniversary posts before their split.
In May 2025, Alan celebrated their 19th wedding anniversary and honored Catherine on Mother's Day, calling himself the "luckiest man alive."
"To be able to build the treasure that is our marriage and family is and always will be the greatest privilege and success of my life," he said. "@catritchson you are wisdom personified. Strength incarnate. A tantalizing percolation of joy, adventure and love. The boys and I are so beyond blessed to be able to journey with and for you. Happy Mother's Day/19th Wedding anniversary momma. You deserve to be revered and celebrated forever and always."
December 2025: Alan Ritchson Files for Divorce From Catherine
Neither Alan nor Catherine Ritchson shared a public tribute for their 20th wedding anniversary in May.
According to court records, the Reacher actor filed for divorce from Catherine in Williamson County, Tennessee, in December 2025, citing irreconcilable differences. He also noted that they were "unable to live together successfully as husband and wife."
March 4, 2026: Alan and Catherine Ritchson Reportedly Reconcile
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Alan and Catherine Ritchson talked about their marriage in the Instagram series.
On September 14, Alan filed an agreed order of reconciliation in March as he and Catherine attempted to repair their marriage.
They reportedly requested a "suspension of the proceedings," which a judge granted for six months. The filing stated the two "may resume living together as husband and wife," while allowing the divorce case to move forward if their reconciliation proved unsuccessful.
July 2026: Alan Ritchson Open Up About His Changing Relationship With Catherine
The former couple said they 'want to give each other room to grow into the people [they] are becoming.'
In July, Alan spoke candidly about the state of his relationship with Catherine, disclosing they were "no longer continuing forward in the same way."
He told a publication, "That's been hard. All-consuming. But we've learned to co-parent as friends, which is a relief. The life of a high-creative with ADHD is a cakewalk. 10/10 would recommend…eye roll."
September 2026: Alan and Catherine Ritchson Jointly Announc Their Split
Alan Ritchson previously called his marriage to Catherine his 'greatest success.'
Alan and Catherine went public with their split in a joint statement on Instagram on September 12.
"After twenty years together, Cat and I have decided to end our marriage and continue alongside one another in a different way," the post read. "We grew up together. We built a life and a family together. And we are raising three incredible boys who will always be the center of our world."
"Nothing can diminish what these years have meant to us – or the love and respect we will always share," they said, adding their priority was maintaining a healthy relationship for their three sons.
They said they "also want to give each other room to grow into the people we are becoming."
"Change is hard enough without the whole world weighing in. We hope, especially for the sake of our boys, that you will allow our family to move through this chapter with privacy and compassion," they concluded. "Thank you for supporting us as we continue making the health and happiness of our family our priority."
