Elon Musk and Grimes have ‘semi’ separated after three years together. Take a look back at the billionaire’s past relationships following the breakup news.
After three years together, Elon Musk and Grimes, real name Claire Boucher, have called it quits — or, “semi” quits. The billionaire founder of SpaceX, 50, confirmed that he and the musician, 33, are “semi-separated” but will continue to co-parent their son X Æ A-Xii, 1, together in a statement issued to Page Six on Friday, Sept. 24.
“We are semi-separated but still love each other, see each other frequently, and are on great terms,” he told the outlet. “It’s mostly that my work at SpaceX and Tesla requires me to be primarily in Texas or traveling overseas and her work is primarily in L.A. She’s staying with me now and Baby X is in the adjacent room.”
In light of the split news, take a look back at the entrepreneur’s past relationships, which has spanned three divorces and several other Hollywood stars beyond Grimes.
Justine Musk
Justine Musk (née Wilson) was Elon’s first wife. The two were married between 2000 and 2008. He and the Canadian author share five children together: twins Xavier and Griffin, both 17, and triplets Kai, Damian, and Saxon, all 15. The two were also parents to the late Nevada, who died of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) at 10 weeks old in 2002. Elon and Justine made headlines for their messy divorce proceedings during their split back in 2008. In 2010, Justine penned a searing essay for Marie Claire about the turbulent marriage and split, writing that she was a “starter wife.”
“It was a dream lifestyle, privileged and surreal,” she wrote about her husband’s new billionaire status. “But the whirlwind of glitter couldn’t disguise a growing void at the core. Elon was obsessed with his work: When he was home, his mind was elsewhere. I longed for deep and heartfelt conversations, for intimacy and empathy.” She added that when they argued, her “faults and flaws came under the microscope. I felt insignificant in his eyes, and I began thinking about what effect our dynamic would have on our five young sons.” Justine later wrote, “I barely recognized myself. I had turned into a trophy wife — and I sucked at it.”
Talulah Riley
A few months after his split from his first wife, Elon began dating English actress Talulah Riley. It was a whirlwind romance. After meeting in 2008, the duo married in 2010 in Scotland. However, they separated the following year and formally divorced in 2012. On Twitter at the time, Elon tweeted at the actress, “It was an amazing four years. I will love you forever. You will make someone very happy one day.” The duo eventually reconciled and got married again in 2013, but split for good three years later in 2016. The two remained on the good terms after the second divorce — and Talulah even told Daily Mail that she wouldn’t rule out a third reconciliation. “I mean, never say never,” she said. “Marriage is a social construct, but I still believe in it. Elon and I are best friends. We still see each other all the time and take care of each other.”
Amber Heard
Following his split from Talulah, Elon began dating actress Amber Heard following her divorce from Johnny Depp. The two became linked in late 2016 but called it quits in August 2017 due to their busy conflicting work schedules. The duo briefly got back together the following year in January 2018 but broke it off a month later. In his interview with Rolling Stone in 2017, Elon said the split from the actress “hurt bad.” He said, “I just broke up with my girlfriend, Well, she broke up with me more than I broke up with her, I think.” Elon said he was “really in love” with the actress. In December 2018, Amber told The Hollywood Reporter about the “beautiful” relationship. “Elon and I had a beautiful relationship, and we have a beautiful friendship now, one that was based on our core values,” she said. “We just bonded on a lot of things that speak to who I am on the inside. I have so much respect for him.”
Grimes
Elon began dating Grimes in April 2018. The couple made their red carpet debut in May of that year at the Met Gala. A source told Page Six at the time that Elon reached out to the singer on Twitter over a shared love of artificial intelligence jokes. After Grimes announced her pregnancy in January 2020, the two welcomed their son X Æ A-Xii in May 2020 — and the name took the internet by storm. Grimes explained the moniker on Twitter: “X, the unknown variable •Æ, my elven spelling of Ai (love &/or Artificial intelligence) •A-12 = precursor to SR-17 (our favorite aircraft). No weapons, no defenses, just speed. Great in battle, but non-violent + (A=Archangel, my favorite song) (metal rat).” Prior to their September 2021, the couple attended the 2021 Met Gala together. Grimes walked the red carpet alone, but Elon joined her inside later. Per the billionaire’s statement, the two remain on amicable terms and will co-parent Baby X.