The Untold Truth Of Jenna Dewan Tatum

Jenna Dewan Tatum's a triple threat — a dancer, actress, and host of NBC's World of Dance. But despite her amazing looks, this girl is way more than smokin' hot red carpet eye candy — she's a force to be reckoned with, and she continues to prove over and over again that she's never going to live in the shadow of anyone else's success. 

After getting her start music videos, Dewan Tatum was catapulted to international fame after showcasing her sick moves and acting chops in Step Up. Since then, she's taken the world by storm and made a name for herself as one-half of the internet's favorite couple. 

So when Dewan Tatum announced her separation from Channing Tatum in April 2018, a collective gasp could be heard around the world. Luckily, Dewan Tatum is a strong as she is talented — and, though break-ups are never easy, we have an inkling this gal is going to be more than okay. Here's why. 

Long before Step Up, Jenna Dewan Tatum was just a dancer with a dream. Any aspiring entertainer will tell you that success in the entertainment industry is talent, luck, and who you know. Lucky for Dewan Tatum, she had all three — and one of them happened to be one of pop music's most iconic performers — Janet Jackson (or Miss Jackson, if you're nasty). 

After appearing in Jackson's "Doesn't Really Matter" music video, Dewan Tatum went on to tour with the superstar as part of Jackson's 2001 All for You Tour. "[Jackson] was my dream job," Dewan Tatum divulged on an episode of Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, saying she owes "everything to Janet." 

If you think Jackson would make a pretty cool boss, you're right. According to Dewan Tatum, her former boss would insist on visiting strip clubs after shows. "We went to gay strip clubs," the dancer told Chelsea Handler (via E! News). "It was kind of crazy." You don't say?

Who doesn't have a girl crush on Jennifer Lopez? Jenna Dewan Tatum is definitely a fan, so imagine the excitement she felt on the first day of her new job alongside the one and only J-Lo! The two began working together in 2017 on NBC's World of Dance, where Dewan Tatum hosts and Lopez serves as head judge and executive producer. 

"I really admire her as a dancer and as someone who knows what she wants to create," Dewan Tatum revealed to AOL. "I wanted to really emulate and be around her and learn from her." 

And the love definitely appears to be mutual. In October 2017, Dewan Tatum posted a super sexy mirror selfie featuring knee high, lace-up Giuseppe boots gifted to her by the "On the Floor" songstress. "Only JLo can make a girl drop everything, put her favorite bodysuit on and take a spontaneous random photo in her closet," Dewan Tatum captioned the photo. 

The world screeched to a halt in 2002 when Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake broke up after three years of romance. Ever since, fans of both Timberlake and Spears have been left to speculate on why the duo decided to part ways — since neither will dish the details themselves. 

Of course, fans have their own ideas on why the two never reconciled. One theory directly involves Jenna Dewan Tatum — though it seems a little far-fetched. In 2002, Us Weekly (via Pop Dirt) reported that Spears and Timberlake had a run-in at a club, during which Spears confronted Timberlake when she spotted him dancing with "girlfriend Jenna Dewan." 

An argument ensued, and the pair battled it own on the dance floor in a "dance-off" reportedly lasting 90 minutes — a rumored moment in history that was immortalized in the Lifetime movie Britney Ever After. Sadly, Dewan Tatum shot down the rumor once and for all on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. 

Even a professional dancer like Jenna Dewan Tatum is bound to get a little nervous when asked to bust a move on camera with a cute, crush-worthy guy who, in Dewan Tatum's case, would go on to be her husband. 

In celebration of the premiere of YouTube's Step Up: High Water, Dewan Tatum, the original Step Up star, gave a behind-the-scenes look at her Step Up audition tape — featuring her crush-turned-hubby, Channing Tatum. "You guys should all see my most embarrassing moment," Dewan Tatum says as she introduces the clip. "Please watch how many times I giggle and I laugh. It's very cute." 

And she's right — it's insanely cute. The chemistry between the young lovebirds is palpable. Before their audition starts, a giggling Dewan Tatum makes a joke about posing for prom pictures, prompting Tatum to almost literally sweep her off her feet — spinning her around on the dance floor and keeping an arm around her waist at all times. 

Feeling guilty about your crappy television obsession? You're in good company. According to BuzzFeed, Jenna Dewan Tatum isn't above vegging out with a cheesy flick or two. When asked for her guilty pleasure, she responded, "Bad movies in general. Like bad shows, bad movies." 

The star even admitted to The New York Post that one of her own shows, Lifetime's Witches of East End, would likely end up on her guilty pleasure list. Full of sultry witches and spells, Witches of East End was cancelled after just two seasons. But Dewan Tatum has a couple of projects under her belt that could easily fall into the "So Bad They're Good" category. 

There was the starring role in the 2008 Lifetime original drama Fab Five: The Texas Cheerleader Scandal – a movie that wouldn't be exempt from Lifetime's reputation for churning out notoriously cheesy flicks. A year later, Dewan Tatum took the lead in the straight-to-DVD Rob Schneider flick, American Virgin. Yikes.

Channing Tatum may be one of the most famous movie stars on the planet. But Jenna Dewan Tatum has never been one to allow fans to think of her as simply "Channing Tatum's wife." 

The former Janet Jackson backup dancer and Step Up star was making money moves long before meeting the man she would eventually marry. Best of all, her incredible ambition and sense of determination has been unwavering, even in the face of all her fame, fortune, and success. 

Dewan Tatum, along with Channing Tatum and friends Reid Carolin, Adam Martingano, and Brett Rodriguez, founded 33andOut Productions and went on to produce Earth Made of Glass – a chilling, educational documentary about post-genocide Rwanda. According to a Yahoo! report, as of March 2018, 33andOut Productions had four films in development in addition to their hit YouTube series Step Up: High Water. This girl is way more than a pretty face.

Some people just have that inexplicable thing, right? Jenna Dewan Tatum is one of those people who's all at once beautiful, talented, whip smart, hilarious, and down-to-earth. It's impossible not to like her, and if her high school history is any indication, the girl was just born that way. 

The insanely talented dancer has some undeniable athletic chops — along with movie star looks — so it should come as no surprise that Dewan Tatum was on her high school's varsity cheerleading team. In a January 2018 Instagram post, Dewan Tatum posted an old-school cool photo from her days as a Grapevine High School cheerleader, something the star finds kind of cringe-worthy now. 

"It's embarrassing enough to say I was a Texas cheerleader," Dewan Tatum told People in 2012, "but to say I was a Texas cheerleader prom queen is so cliché!" Whoa — cheerleader and prom queen?  Talk about popular. 

As a mom herself, Jenna Dewan Tatum knows how tough a mom's job can be — especially when she's doing it all on her own. 

As a kid, Dewan Tatum grew up watching her mother, Nancy Smith, doing whatever she had to do to make ends meet as a single parent after her husband suddenly left the family.

Though her father's absence was "shocking and unplanned," Dewan Tatum told Health that her mom wasted no time feeling sorry for herself. "She was like, 'Okay, we're going to move. I'm going to get a job.'" According to the dancer and actress, her mother had to move the family more than once, leaving behind beloved animals and homes during the process. But her children were her top priority through it all — something Dewan Tatum admires and hopes to emulate. 

"She had a real sense of survival, and she passed that down to me," says Dewan Tatum. Looks like the apple doesn't fall far from the tree!

In May 2013, Jenna Dewan Tatum welcomed her first child with Channing Tatum — a baby girl named Everly. The new parents were super protective of their newborn, preventing the paparazzi from publishing precious baby photos by releasing little Everly's first picture themselves in a since-deleted Facebook post (via People). 

Since then, Dewan Tatum has proven herself to be a natural at this whole mom thing — perhaps taking a page from her own mother's book. And if Dewan Tatum's Instagram is any indication, Everly Tatum has the coolest mom around. 

A March 2018 post on Dewan Tatum's Instagram features four-year-old Everly at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Hollywood, gently waving her wand around as her mom giggles behind the camera. "Practicing her magic," Dewan Tatum aptly captioned the photo. And who could forget the time Everly got to tag along to her mom's Janet Jackson rehearsal? What a lucky little kid! 

The world was stunned when Jenna Dewan Tatum and Channing Tatum announced their separation on April 2, 2018 after nine years togetherness. In a joint statement released on their respective Instagram accounts, the couple wrote, "We have lovingly chosen to separate as a couple," adding, "love is a beautiful adventure that is taking us on different paths for now," and that there are "no secrets nor salacious events" behind the split. 

It's easy to believe the Tatums when they say that "absolutely nothing has changed" about how much they love one another. The two have always been honest with the media and their fans about their relationship and their mutual love for each other. 

In a 2017 piece for Cosmopolitan, Channing Tatum wrote about his wife, "That radical authenticity of hers was what made me fall head over heels in love." And while Tatum admitted he didn't even know it was something he wanted, he continued, "Now I know it's what I was always craving." 

Hopefully these two will find peace as they move on, continuing to keep that authenticity at the heart of everything they do.

Those curls! That perfect, dewy skin! Those eyebrows! It's definitely no secret that Jenna Dewan Tatum is total beauty goals. However, while pretty much every celeb you can think of has a talented team of makeup and hair stylists following their every move, Dewan Tatum seems to have a pretty firm grip on this whole beauty regimen thing. And guess what? She wants to share it with you!

That's right — if you've ever found yourself wondering how you, too, could look as fresh-faced and flawless as Dewan Tatum, it's your lucky day. On her YouTube channel (aptly named Jenna Dewan Tatum), the Step Up beauty has a plethora of makeup, skincare, and hair tutorial videos available for consumption. Are you interested in Dewan Tatum's everyday makeup look? There's a video for that. How about her at-home skincare routine? Bam — there's a video for that, too! This gal is spreading the love, one super thorough beauty tutorial at a time. 

Much like she's known for being next-level gorgeous, Jenna Dewan Tatum is also famous for her super fit bod. Obviously, her career in dance has helped in keeping the star toned, but the World of Dance host knows that a body like hers doesn't happen without making fitness and health a top priority. "

In April 2018, Dewan Tatum shared some of her coveted healthy eating and workout secrets with Women's Health. The best part? Her tips are easy enough for anyone to adopt into their routine. After all, Dewan Tatum is a crazy busy celebrity mom, so the woman knows a thing or two about fitting it in where you can get it in. "I love 45-minute power workouts," Dewan Tatum shared. "I get in, do my thing, and then I'm able to go pick up [my daughter] from school." Umm, talk about the coolest, fittest mom in the carpool line! "You have to be fulfilled in order for everyone else to be fulfilled," says the star. That's a philosophy worth living out loud. 

People always warn against having your significant other's name tattooed on your body, and for good reason. Nothing lasts forever — except tattoos. Imagine breaking up with someone only to remember that you're stuck with their name sprawled across your shoulder blades for the rest of your freaking life. If you're feeling sick just thinking about it, you're not alone.

Now, let's take it a step further and imagine having your wedding vows tattooed on your body. When Jenna Dewan and Channing Tatum announced their split in April 2018, the first thought on many fans' minds was, "Wait, what about those tattoos?" 

When the pair wed back in 2009, they commemorated their wedding vows by having part of them permanently tattooed on their bodies. "[The tattoos say] 'Side by side,'" Channing Tatum told People in a 2012 interview. "Mine is [on my ribcage], but hers is on her foot." So, why exactly did the then-couple decide to get matching tattoos? According to Channing, the pair wanted to "do something symbolic." 

Jenna Dewan Tatum made a name for herself in the world of dance long before she married Channing Tatum. No, we're not talking about her sweet hosting gig. The star's moves scored her a music video and tour with the Janet Jackson early on in her career, so the girl definitely has some sick skills. And lucky for the rest of the us, Dewan Tatum has no problem showcasing said skills pretty much wherever she goes. 

Not only does Dewan Tatum frequently bust a move on the late night television circuit — the girl isn't scared to keep it super sexy. In perhaps one of Dewan Tatum's most infamous dance moments, Channing Tatum was the ready and willing recipient of a raunchy little Dewan Tatum number. On a particularly heated episode of Lip Sync Battle, Dewan Tatum gifted her husband (and competitor) with a steamy lap dance set to Ginuwine's "Pony." As you would very well expect, the crowd went bonkers. 

Breaking up is never easy to do — especially when you're an A-list celebrity couple like Jenna Dewan and Channing Tatum. The pair announced their split in April 2018, ending nine years of marriage (basically 100 years of marriage in Hollywood couple years). Even though the couple released a statement to assure fans and media that there were no "secrets nor salacious events at the root" of their decision to part ways, the rumor mill immediately started churning. But if there's one person who has absolutely zero time to deal with speculation, it's Jenna Dewan Tatum. 

Shortly after the couple announced their split, British tabloid The Mirror published a report (via Elle) claiming that Channing Tatum's excessive "drinking and partying ways" was the cause behind the couple's sudden separation announcement. As Dewan Tatum was quick to assure fans, that rumor is completely false. According to that same Elle feature, a representative for Dewan Tatum told Daily Mail, "Happy to clarify that absolutely none of these rumors are true."