Was Russell Brand Jealous of Katy Perry’s Fame?

Russell Brand and Katy Perry’s marriage feels like it happened a lifetime ago. In many ways, it did. A lot has changed since the end of their short-lived union. Despite their marriage ending more than a decade ago, Brand inexplicably brought up his famous ex just before he was charged with rape by the London Metropolitan Police Department. While Brand didn’t say anything outwardly disparaging, his words left us wondering if he was still a tad jealous of her success.

Russell Brand and Katy Perry’s marriage was short-lived

Russell Brand and Katy Perry’s love story was a quick one. They met, fell in love, and announced their engagement in just a matter of months. Their divorce came just as quickly. Katy Perry and Russell Brand announced their breakup 14 months after they tied the knot. That was in December 2011. Brand told Perry he wanted to split via text just before he filed for divorce, citing “irreconcilable differences.”

In a statement, Brand explained, “Sadly, Katy and I are ending our marriage. I’ll always adore her and I know we’ll remain friends.” Despite the seemingly amicable nature of his statement, the split was tense.

Katy Perry openly mourned the end of the union, making it clear that she was devastated by the split. She spoke about her feelings immediately following the split. She said, “I was so in love with him. I wanted to be his wife forever.”

The Financials: Katy Perry was always, undeniably, the bigger star

Perry and Brand ran in the same Hollywood crowds, but their star power and net worths were far from equal. In 2010, Perry’s star power was reaching meteoric levels. She made $44 million that year and continued to grow her brand, releasing new music and touring.

Russell Brand made far less. His comedy tours, stand-up specials, and movie roles made him a millionaire, too, but to a lesser degree. He had an estimated income of around $10 million in 2010.

At the time of their divorce, Perry was estimated to have a net worth of around $250 million, while Brand’s fortune was considerably smaller, estimated at around $20 million. Perry has an estimated net worth of $350 million today. Brand’s net worth hasn’t changed.

Russell Brand gives off jealous vibes when talking about his ex

While Russell Brand insists he is happy in his new life, some of his thoughts on his previous marriage suggest the union ended due to jealousy on his part. During an episode of Stay Free with Russell Brand, days before charges against him were made public, Brand reflected on his past marriage, insisting Perry wasn’t “messy” but that the marriage ended for “human reasons.” He touched on her fame, too. Fans of the songstress are reading between the lines, suggesting jealousy was the culprit.

Perry confirmed as much back in 2013 during a Vogue interview. Perry said, “I think a lot of times strong men do want an equal, but then they get that equal and they’re like, I can’t handle the equalness. He didn’t like the atmosphere of me being the boss on tour.”

Katy Perry has not commented on the allegations against her famous ex-husband.