Chris Appleton is adding some highlights to his divorce from Lukas Gage.
Nearly two years after the hairstylist filed to end his marriage to the White Lotus alum, he publicly shared his thoughts on the breakup for the first time.
“You can love someone and there not be a forever happy ending,” Chris told Jay Shetty on the Aug. 6 episode of his On Purpose podcast. “And just because it's not forever doesn't mean it didn't mean something.”
He continued, “Any relationship I've ever gone into, I've learned so much from it—what's important to me in terms of boundaries, how I want to be loved, how I want to love—and that's a beautiful thing. It means you're always growing and evolving.”
The 42-year-old—who tied the knot with Lukas, 30, in April 2023, two months after sparking romance rumors—also pushed back on critics of his relationship timeline.
“Moving fast doesn't always mean you're reckless,” Chris explained. “Sometimes it means you're hopeful. Any relationship I've ever been into I've gone into with an open heart, and I have no regrets about that.”
He added, “We shame people too much for leading with an open heart, especially when it doesn't work out. And the sad part about that is you can learn to retract and protect yourself, but I would rather love and fall than to never feel anything at all.”
Chris also noted that he was dealing with “a lot of private pain” surrounding the end of his marriage, which was officiated in Las Vegas by his client and friend Kim Kardashian. However, with the help of his friends, family and therapist, he learned that it’s OK “not being OK.”
“One of the biggest lessons I learned is finding alignment,” the hairstylist said. “What I do is all about visual, but there was a real peace in finding alignment and inner peace on the inside. That wasn't an easy process, but when you align those two, when you genuinely feel good on the inside, that's when your real power comes in place.”
Plus, Chris didn’t feel the need to address public speculation about the reasons for his divorce (though Lukas has previously refuted rumors of any infidelity in the relationship). His primary focus was taking care of his kids Billy, 22, and Kitty-blu, 20, whom he shares with former partner Kate Katon.
“As a dad, I wanted to protect my kids,” he shared. “I'm very aware [with] any relationship I go into [that] there will be conversation around that. So for me, making sure that I had that internal alignment—which I'd never had my whole life—finding that, being comfortable with that and finding happiness was a really beautiful thing.”
Read on for a look back at Chris and Lukas’ cutest pics.
Turning Up the Heat
Lukas Gage and Chris Appleton first sparked romance rumors when they posted photos from their vacation to Mexico together in late February.
Best in Snow
The celebrity hairstylist shared a sweet snap of the pair from a ski vacation to Instagram March 2023.
Apple of Each Other's Eye
In March 2023, Chris captioned a series of photos from their recent getaways together: "Apple of my eye." His post came just days after he confirmed their romance, gushing that he's "very happy" and "very much in love."
Stepping Out in Style
Shortly after their March 2023 vacation, the pair attended the Vanity Fair and TikTok Celebrate Vanities: A Night For Young Hollywood event in Los Angeles.
Fun in the Sun
After the White Lotus star shared photos from their getaway, Chris complimented the actor by writing in the comments section alongside a heart emoji, "Stud."
Time to Check-In: They're Engaged!
Just weeks after confirming their romance, the You actor and celeb hairdresser got engaged, a source confirmed to E! News.