Hollywood stars John Stamos and Jerry O'Connell have officially buried the hatchet after a years-long feud stemming from Stamos' revealing memoir about his marriage to Rebecca Romijn. The reconciliation took place at comedian Howie Mandel's 70th birthday party over the weekend, marking a significant moment in the ongoing drama between the actors.
The Reconciliation Selfie That Made Headlines
Jerry O'Connell shared photographic evidence of their renewed friendship on Instagram, posting a cheerful selfie featuring himself, Stamos, and Stamos' wife Caitlin McHugh. The Stand By Me alum wore a Toronto Blue Jays jersey in the photo, while the group appeared genuinely happy to be together.
O'Connell captioned the post with a humorous reference to recent political odd couples, writing: "First @zohrankmamdani and @realdonaldtrump. Then me and @johnstamos." He added warm praise for Stamos and McHugh, calling them "Gorgeous fam and gorgeous people."
Howie Mandel quickly took credit for facilitating the reconciliation, commenting on the post: "I bring people together. You're welcome."
Origins of the Celebrity Feud
The conflict between the actors began when Stamos released his 2023 memoir If You Would Have Told Me, which contained candid details about his divorce from Romijn. The couple had been married from 1998 until their separation in 2005, and Stamos described the split as both "painful" and "public" in his writing.
Stamos revealed to People magazine that the divorce had "shattered" him emotionally. "In my mind back then, she was the devil and I just hated her," he admitted during his book promotion. "I couldn't believe how much I hated her, and it ruined my life."
The Full House star later gained perspective, acknowledging that he played "some part" in the marriage's dissolution and that Romijn "wasn't the devil."
O'Connell's Initial Reaction to the Memoir
Jerry O'Connell, who married Romijn in 2007 after meeting her in 2004, expressed strong disapproval of Stamos' book when it was released. During an appearance on Andy Cohen's SiriusXM radio show, O'Connell stated he had "no interest" in reading the memoir after learning about its contents.
The situation became particularly awkward for the couple's 14-year-old twin daughters, who discovered the public drama during breakfast. O'Connell recounted the moment: "Hey mom, your ex has a book out and called you the devil. What are your thoughts?"
Stamos had written about feeling "emasculated" during his marriage to Romijn as her career "outgrew" his, and he had suggested infidelity played a role in their separation.
Romijn's Response to the Memoir Controversy
Rebecca Romijn, known for her role in the X-Men franchise, expressed surprise and disappointment about her ex-husband's revelations in a January 2024 interview with Entertainment Tonight.
"I was very surprised by all of that, incredibly shocked actually," Romijn stated. She made it clear she didn't want to contribute to the book's publicity, adding: "I don't really want to help him sell his books based on those headlines. So that's all I really want to say about it."
Stamos had previously acknowledged that he and Romijn haven't seen each other since their final divorce attorney meeting, though he recognized that she had tried to make their marriage work before their separation.
Moving Forward After the Reconciliation
The friendly encounter at Howie Mandel's birthday party suggests all parties are ready to move past the public drama. Stamos married Caitlin McHugh in February 2018, and they have a seven-year-old son named Billy. O'Connell and Romijn have been married since 2007 and are raising their twin daughters together.
The reconciliation demonstrates that even the most public Hollywood feuds can find resolution, especially when mutual friends like Mandel facilitate peaceful encounters. Fans of both actors have expressed relief and happiness at seeing the conflict resolved after years of tension.
