Mandy Moore Says She Felt Like She Was 'Drowning' During Her Marriage to Ryan Adams
Mandy Moore is speaking out about her “unhealthy” marriage to Ryan Adams.
Just five days after the New York Times published a report in which multiple women, Moore included, accused Adams of harassment and emotional abuse, the This Is Us star opened up about their relationship during an episode of Marc Maron’s WTF podcast. Adams has denied the allegations including the suggestion he had “sexual conversations” with an underage teen.
“I was living my life for him… being the mother,” Moore, 34, told Maron.
“It’s an entirely unhealthy dynamic,” More said with a sigh. “I had no sense of self… I was so small.”
Moore said she knew the marriage was not working when she felt she was “drowning.”
“It was so untenable and unsustainable and it was so lonely,” Moore said. “I was so sad. I was so lonely with him.”
“I knew this was not the person I was meant to be with,” Moore said of Adams.
Moore also admitted to putting her career on pause in order to cater to Adams’ needs.
She explained she knew their marriage couldn’t “sustain itself” if she focused on work full time.
“I would do little jobs — it’s not like I completely stopped working,” Moore said. “But it would become abundantly clear while I was working, things would completely fall apart at home.”
RELATED: Phoebe Bridgers Breaks Silence on Ryan Adams Abuse Allegations as Mandy Moore Offers Support
“I couldn’t do my job because there was a constant stream of trying to pay attention to this person who needed me and wouldn’t let me do anything else.”
However, once Moore did finally decide to call it quits, her career began to pick up.
“Six months later, I got This Is Us,” Moore recounted.
Moore and Adams, 44, tied the knot in March 2009 and split in January 2015.
Moore has since married singer Taylor Goldsmith. The couple wed in an intimate backyard ceremony in November.
In the New York Times story released on the afternoon of Feb. 13, seven women accused Adams, of being manipulative, controlling and obsessive. A 20-year-old woman named Ava also claims Adams had “sexual conversations” with her when she was just a teen.
Adams’ lawyer Andrew B. Brettler denied the claims to the Times, saying his client never “engaged in inappropriate online sexual communications with someone he knew was underage.” Brettler also says the allegations come from “disgruntled individuals” who blame the singer for personal or professional disappointments, according to the outlet.
In a series of tweets posted shortly after the Times story was released, Adams addressed the allegations:
“As someone who has always tried to spread joy through my music and my life, hearing that some people believe I caused them pain saddens me greatly. I am resolved to work to be the best man I can be. And I wish everyone compassion, understanding and healing,” wrote Adams.
In the report, Moore says her ex-husband took charge of her music career in 2010 three years after they first met when she was 23.
The actress also says he was “psychologically abusive” and belittled her musical abilities. “His controlling behavior essentially did block my ability to make new connections in the industry during a very pivotal and potentially lucrative time — my entire mid-to-late 20s,” Moore told the Times.
Adams denied Moore’s claims via his lawyer, saying her “characterization” of their relationship is “completely inconsistent with his view.”
Adams’ ex-fiancée Megan Butterworth — the pair split in 2018 — also claims the musician was controlling and emotionally abusive during their relationship.
RELATED: Mandy Moore Speaks Out After Alleging Ex Ryan Adams Was ‘Psychologically Abusive’ in New Report
While she says he never hit her, Butterworth claims Adams was “rageful” and physically intimidated her as well as harassed her online. The Times says they reviewed “dozens” of messages that included “emotional pleas and vitriol,” as well as threats of suicide. Adams also denied Butterworth’s claims via his lawyer.
Musician Phoebe Bridgers, singer Courtney Jaye and two female singer-songwriters who remained anonymous in the Times story all had similar claims of harassment against Adams. (Bridgers and Jaye declined to comment to PEOPLE.)
A representative for Adams did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment regarding Moore’s WTF with Marc Maron episode.
If you suspect domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
Solve the daily Crossword
