Jessica Simpson and Ex-Husband Nick Lachey Have Awkward Run-In After Boarding Same Flight to Hawaii

Jessica Simpson and ex-husband Nick Lachey had an awkward reunion after boarding the same flight to Hawaii, RadarOnline.com can reveal.

The former couple, who were married from 2002 to 2006, were both seated in first class as they departed from Los Angeles.

And according to TMZ, the pair were desperate to avoid each other.

A source said, "We’re told the exes went out of their way to avoid each other the entire time."

Love Is Blind host Lachey was reportedly visibly uncomfortable and "turned bright red" when he realized the awkward encounter. Simpson is even said to have switched seats to avoid interacting with her ex.

Lachey and his wife, Vanessa, who was also on the flight, lived in Kahala, Oahu, for three years while she was filming her hit CBS series, NCIS: Hawai’i. While they relocated back to California in 2024, Vanessa, 45, shared a snap from the island on April 1.

Simpson, 45, and Lachey, 52, tied the knot in October 2002, and they eventually went their separate ways after four years of marriage and a successful MTV series, Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica.

The Irresistible singer chronicled her time with Lachey in her 2020 memoir Open Book, which covered everything from their first meeting to their eventual divorce.

She told People at the time of the book's release that Lachey was her "first love," and she still respects him "very much."

"We meant a lot to each other and we always will," she said. "I want to be very respectful because I married him for a reason, and we were together for seven years for a reason. He has a family now, and I would never say anything to disrespect that."

Radar recently told how Simpson is dating Thomas Eisenhood, who was previously a member of the now-defunct Stoop Kids band and now works as a roadie.

It’s her first romance since her split from second husband Eric Johnson, the father of her three children.

Simpson, who announced in January 2025 that she had split from Johnson after a decade of marriage, met Eisenhood through mutual friends and has been together for around three months, but is taking things slow. He's yet to meet her children, Maxwell, 13, Ace, 12, and seven-year-old Birdie.

The couple spends time together when the Dukes of Hazzard star is visiting her second home in Nashville, and Simpson is "excited" about their romance.

A source told People: "She's happy. She's in a great place, excited for her future."

The new romance won’t irk her ex, as the pair remain on good terms, according to insiders.

They added: "She and Eric are committed to being the best possible parents they could be, having a harmonious relationship and supporting their kids."

The former couple is said to still be living together while they try to "figure out the best path forward" and sell their family home in Hidden Hills, which has been on and off the market since they split.

A source explained, "He's been living there, but they're working on selling the house. The goal has been to keep everything as stable and as friendly for the kids as possible.

"They still have a great relationship. They're still co-parenting. The main goal is the kids, but they're moving toward next steps."