This Is Us star Chrissy Metz and ex-boyfriend Bradley Collins may no longer be romantically involved, but they’re still part of each other’s lives.
“Here’s the thing — we’re still good friends. I love him,” Metz, 43, exclusively told Us Weekly on Wednesday, October 11, while promoting her Grammy-eligible children’s album, Prayed for This Day, which was released in February.
She continued: “I think once you love somebody, you always love somebody, that doesn’t stop. … He’s such a good person and such a good human.”
The exes announced their split via joint Instagram statement on Friday, October 6. “After three and a half years together, we’ve decided to end our romantic relationship amicably,” the statement began. “While we continue to love each other very much, we believe this is the best path for us both.”
Metz told Us that it was important to her that she and Collins, 43, were honest about their breakup.
“We were transparent when we talked about meeting online, and people were sort of invested in that story. And so for me … how I walk through the world is honesty, transparency and vulnerability. And I can’t stop that now,” she said. “We get to decide what we want to say and what we want to share, but I think if we started sharing our information in the beginning, I think it’s also important to share the capacity in which our relationship has evolved, too.”’
Metz cowrote Prayed for This Day with Collins and also shares cowriting credits on some songs with Phil Barton, who also produced the record, and Liz Rose, who is known for her work with Taylor Swift. The album is a companion piece to her and Collins’ bestselling children’s book, When I Talk to God, I Talk About You.
Metz and Collins’ artistic collaborations did not come to an end when they called it quits. “We’re writing our second book together,” the actress told Us of her former partner. “We talk all the time, [we’re] constantly in contact and see each other all the time. And Mabel, my dog, is obsessed with him. … So, it was never a question of, ‘Are we going to be in each other’s lives?’ [It was], ‘In what way?’”
As for the possibility of finding love again with someone new, Metz is completely open to the idea.
“I love love,” she said. “I literally watch strangers’ weddings online and I have all my life. Whether I’m in a relationship or not, I just love it. And I think it’s ultimately why we’re here.”
Metz told Us that love — and specifically unconditional love — is the theme of one of her favorite songs on Prayed for This Day: “No Matter What.”
“I think ultimately even as adults, all we want is to be loved no matter what, no matter the choices we make. … We want to be unconditionally loved by our caretakers, our parents [and] our family. So, that [song] in particular always gets me a little emotional when I listen to it,” she shared. “Because I think ultimately, that’s all we want, full stop, is to be loved.”
Metz will play her music at several upcoming concerts through November and December. Tour dates are available on her website.
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi
