Demi Lovato has said her age-gap relationship with her ex Wilmer Valderrama ‘was not OK.’
The 33-year-old star, who recently got emotional as she celebrated an eating disorder recovery milestone, briefly discussed the topic on the latest episode of the Baby, This Is Keke Palmer podcast.
Lovato and Valderrama notably had a 12-year age difference during their past relationship. The songstress had been 18 when she started dating the fellow actor who was 30 at the time.
The former Disney Channel star did not mention Valderrama by name but referred to a relationship with a 30-year-old boyfriend when she was a teenager.
At one point during the conversation, both Lovato and Palmer reflected on stepping into the entertainment industry as children.
‘I’m sitting here in this state of mind today, like, grateful for everything that I’ve been through,’ the Camp Rock alum said. ‘It was really challenging. There wasn’t a lot of time for play, but when I did, I played pretty hard.’
Palmer then chimed in to add, ‘I feel like people don’t understand that that’s what we was dealing with, you know? I found myself dating. I’m 15. Why is my boyfriend 20?’
Former Disney Channel actress Lovato quickly said, ‘Why was my boyfriend 30? You know what I’m saying?’
Palmer explained, ‘We were trying to find outlets and just a way to process this and nobody our age…’
‘Could understand!’ Lovato finished. ‘Nobody our age could understand. But then you look back in hindsight, when I turned 30 I was like, “That’s not okay.”‘
The Nope actress replied: ‘Girl, the moment that you realize and you get to the age that a lot of people that were around you and doing stuff…
‘It’s almost a mental break that can happen because you realize you were taken advantage of. “Oh, I was being exploited.”‘
Palmer continued: ‘That was very difficult for me because at 15 I’m thinking my boyfriend’s older because I’m doing an older job, and I’m doing a bunch of things, and this is the way that it is, and it seemed normal in my mind.’
Lovato interjected with, ‘Especially if you are an older soul, too. Especially if you’re mature for your age.’
She then recalled her past track 29 – which is found on her 2022 album Holy Fvck.
‘I also wrote a song about that. It’s called 29. And when you listen to it, I think you’ll be able to relate to it.’
Lovato and Valderrama first crossed paths in 2010 on a shoot when she was 17 and he was 29. Once she turned 18, the pair began an on-and-off relationship which eventually came to an end in 2016.
Her song 29 is speculated to have been about her romance with Valderrama. Some lyrics include: ‘Far from innocent / What the f***’s consent? / Numbers told you not to / But that didn’t stop you.’
She also sang, ‘Finally 29 / 17 would never cross my mind / Thought it was a teenage dream a fantasy / But it was yours it wasn’t mine.’
‘When I met him and I laid eyes on him for the first time, I was in hair and makeup and I was like, “I love this man and I have to have him,”‘ Lovato recalled in her 2017 documentary Simply Complicated.
‘But I was only 17 so he was like, “Get away from me.” After I turned 18, we began dating.’
In 2016, the pair announced their separation in a joint statement and explained to fans that they ‘realized more than anything that we are better as friends.’
Two years later in 2018, Lovato had a near-fatal heroin and fentanyl overdose inside her Hollywood Hills home.
Valderrama had supported the actress at the time and was also spotted visiting her at a hospital in Los Angeles.
The That ’70s Show alum has since been linked to Amanda Pacheco and the pair share two children together.
Last year in May, Lovato said ‘I do’ to singer Jutes – whose full name is Jordan Lutes – during a romantic ceremony in Santa Barbara, California.
Lovato was a breathtaking bride as she walked down the aisle in a Vivienne Westwood gown – just one day after they both participated in a practice run with the rest of their wedding party.
It was confirmed back in 2022 that the actress struck up a romance with the Red Velvet singer.
The following year, the pair became engaged when he popped the big question with a pear-shaped diamond ring.
Lovato offered rare insight into her marriage with Jutes as she spoke to Who What Wear last year in November.
‘I had expected to be married by a certain age,’ she admitted. ‘There’s all this pressure that society puts on you, but it just organically happened.’
The star further gushed, ‘I’m really happy. I told my husband today, “I’ve never been more in love with you. I didn’t know my love could grow for you more so than it already has.” The timing was perfect.’
Lovato has been keeping busy and is preparing to kick off her It’s Not That Deep Tour next month on April 13 in Orlando, Florida.
She will perform concerts in various cities throughout the United States and Canada until the tour’s conclusion on May 25 in Houston.
The star recently cancelled a number of shows of the tour ‘to protect my health’ including an April 8 concert in Charlotte, North Carolina.
