Ryan Cabrera says he and ex Ashlee Simpson maintain a friendship two decades after their high-profile 2004 relationship.
In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, the 42-year-old musician opened up about their current dynamic. The pair dated briefly during the height of their early 2000s fame.
“We’re definitely friendly”
Cabrera explained that any past romantic tension has long since dissolved into mutual respect. He’s now married to WWE superstar Alexa Bliss, while Simpson has been married to Evan Ross since 2014.
The pop-rock artist revealed his wife has nothing but positive feelings toward his former flame.
“My wife loves her”
Their 2004 romance came during a pivotal time for both artists’ careers. Simpson was riding high on her debut album “Autobiography,” while Cabrera had just released his breakthrough hit “On the Way Down.”
The relationship lasted only a few months but generated significant media attention. Both were fixtures in the early reality TV landscape – Simpson through “The Ashlee Simpson Show” and Cabrera through various MTV appearances.
Cabrera married Bliss in 2022 after the couple got engaged in 2020. Simpson and Ross share two children together: daughter Jagger and son Ziggy. She also has a son, Bronx, from her previous marriage to Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy.
The musician’s comments suggest that time has allowed former romantic partners to find a comfortable friendship. Both have moved on to build successful marriages and families.
Their brief romance remains a notable moment in early 2000s pop culture history, representing the intersection of music and reality television that defined that era.
