Jessica Simpson was at one point, just a regular girl from Dallas, Texas with an incredible voice and big dreams of becoming a singer. Not only did she make those dreams happen, but she also added reality TV star and fashion designer to her resume. But more importantly, this year Simpson rang in 10 years of marriage with her longtime love and second husband, Eric Johnson.
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Simpson's 1999 debut album Sweet Kisses had a number three hit with "I Wanna Love You Forever" and her subsequent albums, Irresistible and In This Skin, also earned her a few more top 40 hits. As for her personal life, her singing career introduced her to her first husband and fellow performer, Nick Lachey, of the boy band 98 Degrees.
Fans loved Lachey and Simpson, which is probably why MTV gave them their own reality show: Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica. The show ran for three seasons, but sadly, Nick and Jessica's relationship fell apart. That same year, she had made her big film debut in The Dukes of Hazzard as Daisy Duke. Simpson ended up having to pay Lachey a whopping $12 million in their divorce settlement.
Over the next few years, Simpson went through a few relationships with famous men, including singer John Mayer and Dallas Cowboys player Tony Romo. But in 2010, she met future husband Eric Johnson and everything started to fall into place.
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Johnson had previously been a tight end in the NFL, mostly playing for the San Francisco 49ers, but he had retired a few years prior to meeting Simpson. In Simpson's memoir Open Book, she explains that a mutual friend invited Johnson to a party she was throwing. She had started shifting most of her focus to running her fashion line and Johnson was attending the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, studying business. Another thing they had in common? Johnson was in the process of ending his marriage to first wife, stylist Keri D'Angelo.
The couple was engaged just months later in 2010. It seems they immediately knew that they had found something special. In her memoir, she writes that the timing was pretty much perfect. "We both were ready for the real deal." Johnson dropped out of school and moved to Los Angeles to be with Jessica full time.
The couple welcomed two children before tying the knot in 2014, daughter Maxwell Drew, and son Ace Knute. Both participated in their parents' ceremony at the San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito, California.
"I saw my gorgeous wife coming towards me and she was crying," Johnson told People. "I think my heart was exploding a little bit."
Their wedding was massive and earned the two kiddos a standing ovation. But Simpson told People that the focus for her was really each other and their children.
"It's all about family for us," she said. "It's so surreal. This has been something we've wanted ever since we met."
In 2017, Simpson was struggling with addiction issues and wanted to give up drinking alcohol. Her husband was not only supportive and by her side through everything, but he quit too!
"Eric gave up drinking the second I did," Simpson told People. "He said, 'I'll do it with you, babe.' It was like no biggie and he hasn't gone back or looked back. It's just the way he is. He's a very selfless and loving person who is the most incredible father on the planet."
In 2019, the happy couple welcomed another baby girl, Birdie Mae. For the most part, Johnson is pretty behind the scenes despite being married to a pop culture icon. But he's regularly seen in the selfies that his wife shares on Instagram as well as their three adorable children.
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