Valerie Bertinelli has opened up about her ill-fated marriage to late rocker Eddie Van Halen.
The “One Day at a Time” star, 64, sat down to watch her son Wolfgang Van Halen’s latest episode of “Behind the Music” on Paramount+, where he detailed his father’s life and career.
“It was not easy,” Bertinelli said in a video shared on Instagram of watching her son’s episode. “I’d stopped it many times because it was just too brutal to watch for many reasons.”
“One, seeing Wolfie’s pain. Two, seeing what a better job I could have done as a parent even though he turned out magnificently. I made a lot of mistakes,” she said.
“And three, seeing what I had turned of Ed’s and my relationship — into some sort of fantasy, soulmate recreation of history,” the “Hot In Cleveland” alum added.
Bertinelli, then 21, and Van Halen, then 26, tied the knot in 1981 and were married for more than 20 years before separating in 2001 and ultimately divorcing in 2007.
The pair welcomed son Wolfgang, 33, during their union.
In October 2020, the legendary rocker died from cancer at the age of 65.
Bertinelli said the pair’s relationship “rapidly declined” due to his drug and alcohol use, as well as infidelity.
“Nothing that makes you feel loved and wanted and cared for. Nothing that would scream soulmate, that’s for sure,” she said.
“But after Ed died, I was more than willing to put myself in the grieving widow category for a man that I hadn’t lived with for 20 years,” she went on, becoming visibly upset.
Still, Bertinelli is thankful for the pair’s good times, hardships, and everything in between because it gave her their son.
“What we had together was this beautiful son that we both unconditionally loved,” she shared.
“That’s what I got out of that marriage was Wolfie, the best thing that ever happened to me. Not a soulmate.”
Wolfgang, for his part, opened up about his experience, detailing his relationship with his late father, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest rock guitarists of all time.
“I had the honor of being asked to tell my story on Behind The Music,” Wolfgang wrote in a post on X Thursday.
“It was difficult, but also incredibly cathartic being able to reflect on my experiences, the incredible people I’m blessed to have in my life and most importantly, my bond with my father. I don’t normally talk so openly about things, so this was new for me.”
