Jessica Simpson has entered her cougar phase after splitting from her estranged husband Eric Johnson.
“I think I’m interested in younger men right now,” she admitted to Extra at the premiere of “All’s Fair” in Los Angeles on Thursday.
“When you’re newly separated…I feel like younger men like the confidence of older women,” she explained. “I’m having fun!”
The 45-year-old singer stunned in a sophisticated black latex dress by Vex, which featured a high slit and plunging neckline, but playfully gushed that she usually likes to “save latex for the bedroom”.
She also teased that in the upcoming Hulu series, viewers will get to see her “hot and sultry” side through her “naughty” character, but she also likes to save that for Boudoir.
Simpson said her relationship with her 76-year-old co-star Rick Springfield was “not terrible,” but she’s definitely become more interested in younger men now that she’s single.
The actress’ confession to be dating comes just weeks after she was spotted with Johnson, 46, at her sister’s Las Vegas concert, sparking rumors that they were back together.
In a video shared by TMZ, the estranged couple, who married in 2014, can be seen looking down while attending the opening show of Ashlee Simpson’s Vegas residency at the Voltaire Nightclub at the Venetian Hotel on August 29th.
Although they didn’t seem to be showing any PDA during their outing, they were just spotted boarding a flight together from Burbank, Calif., to Las Vegas, fueling rumors.
The former couple, who share three children together, announced their separation in January 2025 after 10 years of marriage.
“Eric and I have been separating to overcome difficult times in our marriage,” Simpson told People in a statement at the time.
“Our children come first and we care about what’s best for them. We appreciate all the love and support we have received and value our privacy at this time as we work through this situation as a family.”
Eagle-eyed fans had already speculated that she and Johnson were having trouble in their marriage when they noticed that Simpson hadn’t posted a photo with her spouse since 2023.
Since announcing their split, Simpson has opened up about “loving people through their mistakes” and hinted that the divorce was “unexpected.”
“I choose love because if I choose to hold a grudge or choose to be overwhelmed by the pain, I fail,” Simpson told Parade about the breakup in an interview published in August.
“If you want to love through your mistakes, you must also love through the mistakes of others.”
She also revealed how the end of her marriage inspired the creation of her album, Nashville Canyon Part 2.
“When I was in Nashville recording, I was going through some really tough times and unexpected changes in my life. I don’t think I’ve ever been this confused. But I didn’t let the chaos, the heartbreak, the negativity drag me down,” Simpson said.
A source close to the fashion designer exclusively detailed how the divorce played a big role in the country-inspired project, which will be her first album in 15 years.
“Jessica has been working on new music for a while, but with everything going on right now, she feels it’s the perfect time to go all-in,” a source exclusively tells us.
“She kept a diary all the time, and some of her posts evolved into songs about heartbreak and resilience. It was a heartbreaking but very creative time for her.”
