The news rocked and shocked the Twitterverse — and the world: Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan Tatum split up after nearly nine years of marriage. While the joint statement made it clear they do still love each other but have decided to lead separate lives, it left us all in shambles.
“We have lovingly chosen to separate as a couple,” they wrote. “There are no secrets nor salacious events at the root of our decision — just two best-friends realizing it’s time to take some space and help each other live the most joyous, fulfilled lives as possible.”
It’s left us all wondering: What happens now? We’ve known Tatum and Dewan Tatum as this beautiful, head-over-heels-in-love duo and team. But clearly, it’s time we look at them as the talented individuals they were and still are.
So, let’s dig a little deeper into what we know about Tatum: father, actor and humanitarian. This is the man outside his marriage — because clearly, he’ll be flying solo for the foreseeable future.
More: 23 Hollywood Couples Who’ve Called It Quits in 2018
1. He has 6 projects in the works
It’s been a long time coming, but Tatum’s long-awaited Gambit solo film is finally happening. You’ll just have to wait until June 2019 to watch it.
In addition to Gambit, Tatum’s keeping himself pretty busy: He’s currently filming The Lego Movie Sequel. He’s the voice of Migo in the upcoming film Smallfoot (hitting theaters Sept. 28). He’s the voice of George Washington in the upcoming America: The Motion Picture (which doesn’t have a release date just yet). He’s rumored to be playing Abraham Van Helsing in the recently announced film, Van Helsing. And he’s reported to star in the R-rated musical comedy, Wingmen, directed by Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
2. He has his own brand of vodka
Yes, you read that right. Tatum founded Born and Bred, a premium distilled spirit that “celebrates what unfolds when camaraderie meets adventure,” according to its website.
3. He’s a humanitarian
Did you know Tatum spent time in Ecuador? It’s true, and for quite the cause: to help build two state-of-the-art medical facilities (one in Peru and one in Ecuador) as part of the #PlantMed Campaign, which he spearheaded.
“I witnessed firsthand the incredible knowledge this community has of the numerous medicinal plants in the Amazon,” Tatum told SheKnows. “When I realized that no one is systemically documenting their knowledge of plants and using scientific methods to analyze their treatment potential, I got inspired to get involved.”
4. He loves his fans
In order to help promote his vodka line in July 2017, Tatum hand-delivered bottles to his fans in Los Angeles who ordered his Born and Bred vodka.
“I got to have a little fun freaking people out this weekend,” he wrote in a Facebook post. “With the help of SAUCEY we spent the day delivering Born and Bred Vodka to the good people of LA. Thanks to all who let us into your homes — a few of you owe money to the swear jar.”
5. Shaking his way into fame wasn’t so glamorous
His first dancing gig was for Ricky Martin’s “She Bangs” video, and he got paid $400 for a seven-day shoot according to IMDb.
It didn’t end there: He was even cut from his first big movie. Tatum worked in the Steven Spielberg movie War of the Worlds, but the scene where he played a church boy ended up on the cutting room floor. Womp-womp.
As for his big break on Step Up? He said he was humiliated by his audition, saying he “hopes it never sees the light of day,” in an interview with About.com (now known as DotDash). We did some major searching and were unable to come up with the footage. Damn it.
6. He loves his daughter — so much
Back in May 2017, Tatum penned a heartfelt letter to his then-4-year-old daughter, Everly. In the essay for Cosmopolitan, he talked about his hopes for his daughter.
“… That’s what I want for my daughter — to be expectation-less with her love and not allow preconceived standards to affect her, to ask herself what she wants and feel empowered enough to act on it,” he wrote.
7. Born on the bayou
Well he wasn’t born on one, but he was born in a small Alabama town and moved to a Mississippi bayou when he was just 6 years old and spent most of his childhood there. It was here he became an amateur exterminator — only he didn’t spray for termites. He once had to catch an alligator because it had gotten “too big.”
He says his favorite place to visit is his Uncle Bruce’s ranch in Wetumpka, Alabama, where his mother grew up.
8. He uses his star power to raise awareness
Back in September 2017, Tatum and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story star Diego Luna teamed up to raise awareness for those who have been impacted by the earthquakes in Mexico.
9. He & Roxane Gay are working on something…
In October 2017, both Tatum and renowned feminist author Roxane Gay took to social media to share a selfie of the two.
“Cooking up something with this dangerously beautiful and brilliant woman,” Tatum wrote on Instagram. “Can’t express what kinda of an honor it is gonna be to learn and create with you. The world needs it.”
Cryptic. We have no idea what they’re working on, but it’s bound to be good.
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