Shailene Woodley Shares Outlook on Love 2 Years After Aaron Rodgers Breakup

Shailene Woodley is putting herself first.  

The Divergent alum, who was previously engaged to NFL star Aaron Rodgers before their 2022 breakup, got candid about how her outlook on romance has changed as a result of her relationships.  

“I give all of myself,” she told Bustle in an interview published Sept. 9. “I used to be a person who, if you crossed me and disrespected that, would continue to give and give. And now you cross me, I respectfully go, ‘Thank you so much for that information. Have a beautiful life. I wish you well.’ Not interested.”

But despite previously being left “broken-hearted,” Shailene is looking forward to having that forever with someone—and she isn’t deterred by getting older.  

“I don’t think I ever really had expectations of life,” the 32-year old reflected. “I don’t have a ‘that should have happened by now’ kind of thing. I wake up every day and I say out loud, ‘I’m so excited for the magic and miracles that are going to happen today.’” 

And on what kind of magic she hopes her future holds, Shailene added, “I want to be a mom. My God, I want to cook someone dinner every night and travel the world with them and have pillow talk and celebrate their joys and their purpose and their destinies and have mine also be celebrated.” 

She continued, “I want to find a person to do life with, and have a family. And I want to watch the sunset.”

But in the meantime, the Big Little Lies star isn’t looking to pretend to be where she isn’t. 

“I’m very uninterested in the performance of people at this moment in life,” she explained. “I’m uninterested in the external value that we put on everything. I find the performance of being something else in order to receive love or acceptance or work from others to be the ultimate form of soul death.” 

Instead of pretending or trying to make that future she longs for happen tomorrow, Shailene is looking to make the most of every moment. 

“Honestly, I just want to wake up feeling content, and I want to go to sleep content,” she reflected. “Between those two moments, I’d like it to feel raw and real and expressive and deep and meaningful and simple and profound.”

The Secret Life of the American Teenager alum has previously been candid about the challenges that came with the end of her and Aaron’s engagement, which occurred while she was filming upcoming drama series Three Women.  

"It was hard to film because I was going through the darkest, hardest time in my life,” she told PORTER in January 2023. “It was winter in New York, and my personal life was s---ty, so it felt like a big pain bubble for eight months. I was so grateful that at least I could go to work and cry and process my emotions through my character." 

At the time, she also detailed how the scrutiny over her and Aaron’s relationship changed her feelings about social media.  

"It honestly never really hit me that millions of people around the world were actually watching these things and paid attention to them," she shared. "Then, I dated somebody in America who was very, very famous. It was the first time that I'd had a quote-unquote ‘famous' relationship, and I watched [the] scrutiny, opinions, the desire for people to know my life and his life and our life." 

She continued, "It just felt violating in a way that, before, it was fun. I'm a very private person, and so I found that any time I posted anything, I instantly felt like I was sharing too much of who I am with people I didn't necessarily trust." 

For a look back at the former couple's time together, keep reading. 

In February 2021, E! News reported that Aaron and Shailene were dating. A few days later, the NFL player announced that he and the actress were engaged.

The NFL quarterback and his fiancée were all smiles on their trip to Arkansas while posing for a photo with the crew from Best Cafe and Bar.

The two went live on Instagram to answer 10 fan questions about Aaron's two-week role as the Jeopardy! guest host. "You guys thought he was a football dude," Shailene said, before telling Aaron, "No one knows the real you!" She later joked about their life at home, "Who else gets in fights with their partners about how much they get to cuddle with their dog?... Is it just us?"

The newly engaged couple embraced each other with a hug while spending time at Disney World in Orlando, Fla. during Easter weekend. 

The pair held hands together while wearing matching Star Wars face masks at Disney World. 

The couple showed off their Sunday best while attending the Kentucky Derby with friends.

A source confirmed to E! News that Aaron and Shailene called it quits after more than a year together. "They are two very different people," the source shared. "They are both focused on their careers but it took them in separate directions." 

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