Will Arnett Dismisses Rumors of a Romance with Ex-Wife Amy Poehler
Will Arnett has dismissed speculation regarding his current connection with his former wife, Amy Poehler, nearly a decade after their divorce was finalized.
“People assume they understand. Throughout the years, I’ve noticed so many opinions people have,” Arnett, 55, shared with Rolling Stone in an interview released on Tuesday, December 23. “It’s quite amusing to me how much is fabricated and they have absolutely no idea. It’s like, ‘You think you know what my life is like?’”
He continued, “Look, yes, it’s a part of celebrity culture that we all participate in. And frankly, being a celebrity has been beneficial to me.”
Arnett and Poehler, 54, were married from 2003 to 2012 and are the parents of two sons: Archie, 17, and Abel, 15. (The Arrested Development actor was previously married to actress Penelope Ann Miller from 1994 to 1995, and shares a son with ex-girlfriend Alessandra Brawn.)
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In April, Arnett was taken by surprise when his “Smartless” podcast cohosts, Sean Hayes and Jason Bateman, featured Poehler as a guest.
“That was a really enjoyable episode,” he stated.
Arnett playfully noted that the only “concerning” aspect of Poehler appearing on “Smartless” was that it required their two sons to keep a secret from him. (The concept of “Smartless” involves one host revealing a surprise guest to their two cohosts.)
“That’s the part that worried me,” he confessed. “They withheld the truth. My 15-year-old said, ‘Dad, I’m really sorry. I knew and I just didn’t want to…’ I replied, ‘It’s fine, son.’”
Arnett revealed that Poehler recently sent him a text message when they were both nominated for Golden Globe Awards. (“Smartless” and “Good Hang with Amy Poehler” were both contenders in the Best Podcast category.)
“Amy texted Sean and me this morning saying, ‘We’re all nominated for Golden Globes, let’s celebrate.’ And then she added, ‘I don’t have Bateman’s number, that’s probably a good thing.’ That was the message,” he revealed.
During the April “Smartless” episode, Poehler explained that Arnett genuinely had “absolutely” no idea she would be appearing as a surprise on the podcast because they’d exchanged messages “about something completely different” just hours before.
“Our youngest saw my schedule on the kitchen table and said, ‘You’re doing ‘Smartless’? Does Dad know?’ And I said, ‘No, don’t mention it,’” Poehler recalled.
Arnett encountered Poehler in 2000 after initially seeing her perform with his influential sketch comedy group, the Upright Citizens Brigade, four years earlier. They exchanged vows in 2003 in a private ceremony in Los Angeles while Poehler was taking a break from Saturday Night Live.
Us Weekly reported in September 2012 that Arnett and Poehler had decided to end their marriage after nine years, with a source telling Us at the time that the split was “remarkably amicable.” They finalized their divorce in 2016.
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The former couple’s relationship has seemingly evolved considerably since their 2012 separation. In a 2022 interview with The Guardian, Arnett admitted it was “almost unbearable” to work alongside Poehler in Arrested Development shortly after their separation.
“[It was] simply dreadful, dreadful, dreadful,” he remembered. “I was driving to the set one day and I stopped by the side of the road and cried for an hour.”
Arnett has since moved on to a five-year relationship with socialite Brawn, which concluded in 2024. He is currently dating model Carolyn Murphy.
Poehler dated fellow comedian Nick Kroll for two years following her split from Arnett, according to People. The Parks and Recreation actress made a rare public appearance with her current partner, Pineapple Street Studios executive editor Joel Lovell, at the West Hollywood hotspot Sushi Park in November. (Poehler and Lovell have reportedly been together since 2024.)
