Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas say divorce is 'united decision'

Joe Jonas, in a blazer, puts his arm around wife Sophie Turner, who wears a glittering silver dress

By Nardine SaadStaff Writer

Sept. 6, 2023 7:32 AM PT

Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas want to shut down those “speculative narratives” about the dissolution of their marriage. Right now.

The “Game of Thrones” star and Jonas Brothers musician, who filed for divorce in Florida on Tuesday, took to Instagram on Wednesday to break their silence on the matter with a “statement from the two of us.”

“After four wonderful years of marriage we have mutually decided to amicably end our marriage,” their joint statement read. “There are many speculative narratives as to why but, truly this is a united decision and we sincerely hope that everyone can respect our wishes for privacy for us and our children.”

The pair turned off comments on the identical posts, which appeared on each of their Instagram grids.

Jonas, 34, submitted paperwork Tuesday in Florida’s Miami-Dade County, stating that his relationship with the actor is “irretrievably broken.” The “Sucker” singer took legal action soon after reports surfaced over the weekend that he had hired a divorce attorney.

He and the British actor, 27, wed in 2019 after dating for about three years. Jonas’ divorce petition indicates that they intend to share custody of their children, ages 1 and 3, whose privacy they have fiercely guarded.

The filing also confirmed that Jonas and Turner signed a prenuptial agreement, noting that both parties “have the ability” and “should ... be required” to provide financial support for their kids.

The future exes welcomed their first daughter, Willa, in July 2020. Almost exactly two years later, Turner gave birth to a second daughter, whose name they have not revealed.

The children reportedly joined Jonas during the Jonas Brothers’ U.S. tour over the last month while Turner was working in London.

Some of the “speculative narratives” percolating this week included TMZ reporting that their marriage had been having issues for about six months, stemming from the artists’ differing lifestyles. According to a source, Turner likes to party while Jonas likes to stay home. (But fans were quick to point out that it was Turner who said in 2020 that she was the “homebody” who struggled to “lock [Joe] down” during the pandemic.)

The rumor mill kept churning Wednesday when People reported that their split was no surprise for the couple’s inner circle since they spent “the whole summer apart.”

“They were not separated but they’ve been living separate lives for months,” the People source said, adding that the pair “haven’t gotten along in a while, but they’re hoping to resolve this all amicably.”

Birmingham Live also reported that Turner was seen downing shots and cocktails in the English town, and the moment appeared on a fan’s Instagram Live. The fan allegedly said that Turner told her that her brother-in-law Nick Jonas was “chatting s—” as her husband filed for divorce.

A source purporting to be a friend of Turner’s told the Daily Mail that the “Dark Phoenix” star “feels like she’s only just waking up to what her life and reality really is” after becoming famous, getting married and having kids at a young age.

“[She] never really had the teenage years of sleeping around and just having carefree fun with friends,” the tabloid reported. “She feels like her life has stalled after ‘Game of Thrones’ and so has her personal life. Since the kids came along, she’s feeling trapped... she feels that she wants to make up for the time she’s lost as a young person. He (Joe) wants a more settled life but she’s not ready for that because she feels that she’s not even had a teen or young adult life.”

Shortly after the couple’s joint statement went up Wednesday, TMZ published a cryptic story about the demise of their marriage. Citing multiple sources close to Jonas, the outlet reported that he had access to a Ring camera that “captured Sophie saying and/or doing something that made him realize the marriage was over.”

No further details were made available and representatives for Turner and Jonas did not immediately respond Wednesday to The Times’ requests for comment.

Just three weeks before filing for divorce, Jonas had said Turner was the person who’s “got [his] back no matter what” as he sang “Hesitate,” a song written for her and that he dedicated in her honor at a Jonas Brothers concert in New York.

Times staff writer Christi Carras and Times news researcher Scott Wilson contributed to this report.