Channing Tatum wasn't an absentee dad or husband despite claims that he was "unavailable" after his ex-wife, Jenna Dewan, gave birth to their daughter, Everly, in 2013.
Friends of the actor clarified to TMZ that Dewan's recent statement about being all by herself with the baby, weeks after the birth, could be misconstrued. Her remarks in the podcast Dear Gabby, with author and inspirational speaker Gabby Bernstein, apparently didn't fully account for what went on with the couple after Dewan's pregnancy.
Dewan said that after Everly was born, her life turned crazy because she was without a partner. The actress said that she needed to travel, but Tatum couldn't join them for at least six weeks. However, she did have a doula to help her out with Everly, but Dewan said she had a hard time balancing new motherhood and her work as she had to be on the set for long hours.
The actress told Bernstein that she experienced "a lot of postpartum anxiety" because the craziness didn't stop. She had to breastfeed Everly and was also pumping on the set.
Her experience was different with her second child, Callum, her 16-month-old son, with partner Steve Kazee. Dewan said that she was in her love nest at home when she was nursing Callum as the world grappled with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Channing Provided for Jenna
But Tatum's friends said that Dewan had to return to work in Vancouver weeks after giving birth to Everly. It was for a project she booked while still pregnant with her first baby. On the other hand, Tatum couldn't come with his wife and child as he was filming his movie "Jupiter Ascending" in London.
However, Tatum made arrangements for Dewan, their baby, and the doula to fly on a private plane. He also rented a nice house for his family in Vancouver so they would be comfortable while Dewan worked.
When Tatum's movie production moved from London to Chicago, he frequently visited Vancouver as his schedule allowed. Some of these visits were less than 24 hours, but the friends said that the actor tried to spend as much time as possible with his wife and daughter.
Since becoming a dad, Tatum had a special bond with Everly and even wrote a children's book inspired by her. Sources for both sides of the now-divorced pair said that Dewan's podcast interview wasn't meant to paint Tatum in a bad light but to show the actress' challenges as a working mother.
Separate Lives
Tatum and Dewan split in 2018 but had their divorce finalized in 2019. Sources said that the couple fell out of love, and Dewan has been dating Kazee months after the split.
Tatum, on the other hand, was dating singer Jessie J until late 2020. The actor was rumored to be seeing Zoë Kravitz in January, but sources said they have a professional and not a romantic relationship.
Meanwhile, Dewan and Kazee wanted a destination wedding following their engagement in February 2020. However, the actress told Us Weekly that their plans are currently on pause because of the pandemic. What she knows for sure, however, is that Everly will be part of the wedding as the flower girl.
