The best days of Brittany Cartwright and Jax Taylor's lives? Well, that depends on who you ask.
Because while the parents of son Cruz, 3, both attended the White House Correspondents Dinner April 27, their outing was a far cry from date night.
"We're still very much separated," Brittany told E! News in an exclusive interview on the red carpet. "Different hotel rooms, all the stuff. But we are very friendly with each other. We're raising our child, so that's most important, but there's no back together right now." (For more from the WHCD, tune into E! News tonight, April 29 at 11 p.m.)
Jax, on the other hand, had a slightly different outlook on the status of their marriage. "Your guess is as good as mine right now," the 44-year-old told E! in a separate interview. "I'm being dead serious. Who knows?"
But "depends on how much I have to drink tonight, we'll see who goes to what room," Jax added with a laugh. "Well, it depends on how much she has to drink, actually."
In all seriousness, The Valley duo—who announced their separation in February—are working through it. "Every week, it's changing," Jax shared. "We're talking. We're eating dinner, we're going out for drinks. So, who knows? Do I want to be back together again? Of course I would, but, you know, we gotta see what's healthy for us and our son."
But according to Jax, he's inching closer to being the No. 1 guy in her heart. "I feel like I'm on the right track," the Vanderpump Rules alum continued. "I was going through a lot of personal issues with myself and my mental health that needed a time out."
Brittany would prefer to pump the brakes on any narrative about reconciliation. As she told E! after Jax's interview, "I mean, he needs to work on himself."
And, if all doesn't go according to Jax's plan, the Kentucky native is open to playing the field valley. "I feel like yeah, why not?" she said. "I'm 35. i know what I want. So, if we don't stay together, of course I'm going to date again."
As for what she wants exactly? "Somebody who has their stuff together," Brittany detailed. "Nice, funny, just a good man. But, also, I don't know yet. I'm not there. Maybe one day."
Because through this trial separation, she's learned her worth. "I'm a lot stronger than I thought I was," Brittany admitted. "I feel like I've grown a lot through this whole experience and I'm just glad I was able to stick up for myself in such a big way."
Jax, too, has done some soul searching. "I'm going through a lot of stuff personally, so I'm working on that," he shared. "The most important thing is our son and making sure our son has a great life and a great atmosphere and two loving parents that support him. That's the most important thing."
No doubt about it. After all, Cruz, "he's just a light in my life," Brittany raved. "He's the best thing ever."
Now, raise your glass high and read on for a full breakdown of their split...
Jax Taylor's First Cheating Scandal
Years before they even got married, Jax Taylor cheated on Brittany Cartwright in 2017 when he hooked up with former SUR waitress Faith Stowers.
"This isn't my first time being caught cheating," Jax admitted at the time as the drama played out on Vanderpump Rules. "In the past, I've gone through months and months of deny, deny, deny, and that didn't work for me."
But while a devasted Brittany broke up with him, they got back together months later and eventually wed in 2020.
Brittany Cartwright Announces Separation
Fast forward to February 2024, Brittany announced she and Jax—who share 2-year-old son Cruz—had separated after four years of marriage.
"Yes, marriages in general are very hard and I've had a particularly rough year this past year," the Kentucky native shared on their When Reality Hits podcast. "Jax and I are taking time apart and I made the decision to move into another home to take some space for the sake of my mental health."
"I'm taking one day at a time," Brittany added. "I don't know what the future holds, but right now my focus is on being the best mom to Cruz."
Signs Their Marriage Was Imploding
One month later, the cracks in the couple's relationship became much more apparent when Bravo released the trailer for its new series The Valley.
"I don't feel like he's attracted to me, we don't have sex ever," Brittany admitted in the March 11 preview before Jax added, "It's so hard to be married sometimes."
Plus, costar Janet Caperna teased in the clip, "There's a rumor about Jax cheating online."
Jax Taylor Addresses Cheating Rumors
However, Jax slammed allegations of infidelity days after the trailer release.
"We're just having a little communication issues right now. That's all, there's nothing else," he exclusively told E! News March 14 at The Valley premiere party. "There's no cheating. There's no infidelity anywhere. It's just communication. I know it's shocking, but people sometimes just don't get along and that's life."
"We see each other every single day," he added. "The only thing that's different is we just don't sleep under the same roof. That's it."
Brittany Cartwright Weighs in on Infidelity Claims
Despite rumors, Brittany confirmed Jax cheating did not cause their breakup and shared the true timeline of their separation.
"We got into a very bad fight and I decided to pack up my stuff," the 35-year-old exclusively told E! News March 18, "and I've been staying in an Airbnb since January 24."
"I'm doing it for my mental space," she added, "and I feel very strong with my decision to get out for a while."
Jax Taylor & Brittany Cartwright Are Putting Son Cruz First
Despite their personal drama, the estranged couple agreed on one thing: They are doing what's best for 2-year-old son.
"He's no. 1 and we both agree on that," Jax told E!. "It's about knowing he's got two loving parents that love him to death and he's gonna have the best life possible, whether we are together or not."
As for their increased fighting, Brittany agreed, "I just don't want that for our son. I don't want him growing up thinking it's normal to live like that."
Brittany Cartwright Shares Hope for Possible Reconciliation
Brittany admitted in March that "there's always hope," but she just needs Jax to put in the work.
"I don't think anybody will ever love Jax the way I've loved Jax," Brittany told E!. "Over all these years, I've been through so much with him and I'm stuck by his side through everything. So I think that if he makes certain changes that I've asked, maybe we could get back together. But right now, I just really need to figure out myself. I felt really strong and really proud of myself for being able to step out and do what's right for me. My mental health is super important."
Lisa Vanderpump Weighs In
One person who wasn't so shocked by Jax and Brittany's separation? Their former SUR boss Lisa Vanderpump.
"Everybody predicted that when they got married," the Real Housewives alum shared with E!. "They said, 'Oh this won't last long,' but I kind of never liked to draw conclusions."
"I don't know what the reason was," she added, "but I imagine it was probably something to do with Jax's bad behavior. I'm not sure, but the indicator of future behavior is normally past behavior."
Scheana Shay Is Team Brittany Cartwright
"I think it’s for the best," their longtime friend Scheana Shay told E! News March 23 of the split. "I think she deserves better and she deserves a partner who’s going to treat her with respect."
Kristen Doute Supports Brittany Cartwright's Decision
And the couple's The Valley costar Kristen Doute agreed with Scheana.
"I'm proud of Brittany for setting boundaries for making the choice for her," Kristen admitted. "But I'm very hopeful that they can work this out. But that's on Jax, that's not on her."