{"id":50068,"date":"2026-04-01T17:33:27","date_gmt":"2026-04-01T21:33:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/?p=50068"},"modified":"2026-04-01T17:34:35","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T21:34:35","slug":"thomas-rhett-says-fame-led-to-double-life-that-nearly-destroyed-his-marriage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2026\/04\/thomas-rhett-says-fame-led-to-double-life-that-nearly-destroyed-his-marriage.html","title":{"rendered":"Thomas Rhett Says Fame Led to a \u201cDouble Life\u201d That Nearly Destroyed His Marriage"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Debby Wong \/ Shutterstock.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Country star Thomas Rhett is getting candid about a difficult season in his life \u2014 one that nearly cost him his marriage \u2014 and how his faith ultimately helped turn things around.<\/p>\n

Appearing alongside his wife, Lauren Akins, on Sadie Robertson Huff\u2019s \u201cWHOA That\u2019s Good\u201d podcast, Rhett admitted that early success in his career led him down a path he now regrets.<\/p>\n

\u201cI look through my life and I think about all the things that have kind of twisted me or made me like not the best person to be around,\u201d Rhett said. He pointed to a deep struggle with affirmation, explaining that at the height of his fame, he was receiving more praise than ever \u2014 and it changed him. \u201cI really liked it,\u201d he admitted.<\/p>\n

But behind the scenes, things weren\u2019t nearly as strong as they appeared.<\/p>\n

\u201cI look back at our life during that time, and I\u2019m not \u2014 I don\u2019t think I stewarded it very well, to be honest with you,\u201d he said. Rhett shared that he was chasing success \u201cat all costs,\u201d even as his marriage began to suffer.<\/p>\n

At one point, he described himself as \u201cthe most spiritually unhealthy human being.\u201d While he appeared grounded in faith publicly, he said the reality was very different. \u201cPublicly, I kept up a fa\u00e7ade of spirituality, but internally I was dying.\u201d<\/p>\n

That disconnect took a toll. Rhett revealed that in his mid-20s, he was essentially \u201cliving a double life,\u201d especially during a hectic season when he was constantly traveling between the U.S. and Uganda while Akins was pregnant.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m playing a show in Arizona, and then I\u2019m traveling back to Uganda, and then I\u2019m going to New York,\u201d he said. \u201cLike I can never actually settle anywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite the strain, the couple held tightly to one commitment they made early on: \u201cFrom day one, divorce is not an option.\u201d Still, Rhett acknowledged how fragile even strong relationships can be. \u201cThe more you actually think about it, anything is actually an option if you let it become that.\u201d<\/p>\n

A major turning point came in 2020, when the pace of life slowed and Rhett was forced to confront who he really was \u2014 without the stage, the spotlight, or the applause.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was the first time it had ever been taken away from me,\u201d he said. In that quiet, he began rediscovering his identity and deepening his faith. \u201cJesus has chiseled on my heart more in the last five years than I can remember.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of the biggest lessons he learned was about where true joy comes from. \u201cIf I look at myself as the pure sole source of her happiness, I\u2019m going to always let her down,\u201d Rhett said. Instead, he came to understand that \u201ctrue joy comes from the Lord.\u201d<\/p>\n

Today, Rhett says their marriage is stronger \u2014 not because everything is perfect, but because it\u2019s rooted in something deeper. \u201cI\u2019m not perfect\u2026 but I would say\u2026 I\u2019m living my most true self now,\u201d he shared.<\/p>\n

Akins, who has often preferred life out of the spotlight, reflected on their journey with gratitude. Despite their differences, she said Rhett has always supported her, even in uncomfortable moments. \u201cHe\u2019s going to hold my hand and get me out on the other side,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Looking back, she\u2019s overwhelmed by how far they\u2019ve come. \u201cEvery dream I ever dreamed as a little girl\u2026 has already happened and come true,\u201d Akins said through tears. \u201cI feel so unbelievably grateful even through all the tears and the hard moments.\u201d<\/p>\n

Their story is a reminder that even in seasons of struggle, growth is possible \u2014 and with faith at the center, restoration can follow.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Country star Thomas Rhett is getting candid about a difficult season in his life \u2014 one that nearly cost him his marriage \u2014 and how his faith ultimately helped turn things around. Appearing alongside his wife, Lauren Akins, on Sadie Robertson Huff\u2019s \u201cWHOA That\u2019s Good\u201d podcast, Rhett admitted that early success in his career led…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":462,"featured_media":50086,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-50068","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-television"],"yoast_head":"\nThomas Rhett Says Fame Led to a \u201cDouble Life\u201d That Nearly Destroyed His Marriage<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Thomas Rhett admits fame led him to a \u201cdouble life\u201d that nearly cost his marriage, sharing how faith helped restore his relationship.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2026\/04\/thomas-rhett-says-fame-led-to-double-life-that-nearly-destroyed-his-marriage.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Thomas Rhett Says Fame Led to a \u201cDouble Life\u201d That Nearly Destroyed His Marriage\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Thomas Rhett admits fame led him to a \u201cdouble life\u201d that nearly cost his marriage, sharing how faith helped restore his relationship.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2026\/04\/thomas-rhett-says-fame-led-to-double-life-that-nearly-destroyed-his-marriage.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Idol Chatter\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-04-01T21:33:27+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-01T21:34:35+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/87\/2026\/04\/Thomas-Rhett_credit-Debby-Wong-Shutterstock.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"900\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Beliefnet Contributors\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Thomas Rhett Says Fame Led to a \u201cDouble Life\u201d That Nearly Destroyed His Marriage","description":"Thomas Rhett admits fame led him to a \u201cdouble life\u201d that nearly cost his marriage, sharing how faith helped restore his relationship.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2026\/04\/thomas-rhett-says-fame-led-to-double-life-that-nearly-destroyed-his-marriage.html","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Thomas Rhett Says Fame Led to a \u201cDouble Life\u201d That Nearly Destroyed His Marriage","og_description":"Thomas Rhett admits fame led him to a \u201cdouble life\u201d that nearly cost his marriage, sharing how faith helped restore his relationship.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2026\/04\/thomas-rhett-says-fame-led-to-double-life-that-nearly-destroyed-his-marriage.html","og_site_name":"Idol Chatter","article_published_time":"2026-04-01T21:33:27+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-04-01T21:34:35+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":900,"url":"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/87\/2026\/04\/Thomas-Rhett_credit-Debby-Wong-Shutterstock.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Beliefnet Contributors","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2026\/04\/thomas-rhett-says-fame-led-to-double-life-that-nearly-destroyed-his-marriage.html","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2026\/04\/thomas-rhett-says-fame-led-to-double-life-that-nearly-destroyed-his-marriage.html","name":"Thomas Rhett Says Fame Led to a \u201cDouble Life\u201d That Nearly Destroyed His Marriage","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2026\/04\/thomas-rhett-says-fame-led-to-double-life-that-nearly-destroyed-his-marriage.html#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2026\/04\/thomas-rhett-says-fame-led-to-double-life-that-nearly-destroyed-his-marriage.html#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/87\/2026\/04\/Thomas-Rhett_credit-Debby-Wong-Shutterstock.jpg","datePublished":"2026-04-01T21:33:27+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-01T21:34:35+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/#\/schema\/person\/aea408b5be59bf6e05556b03859b6b79"},"description":"Thomas Rhett admits fame led him to a \u201cdouble life\u201d that nearly cost his marriage, sharing how faith helped restore his relationship.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2026\/04\/thomas-rhett-says-fame-led-to-double-life-that-nearly-destroyed-his-marriage.html#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2026\/04\/thomas-rhett-says-fame-led-to-double-life-that-nearly-destroyed-his-marriage.html"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2026\/04\/thomas-rhett-says-fame-led-to-double-life-that-nearly-destroyed-his-marriage.html#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/87\/2026\/04\/Thomas-Rhett_credit-Debby-Wong-Shutterstock.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/87\/2026\/04\/Thomas-Rhett_credit-Debby-Wong-Shutterstock.jpg","width":1200,"height":900,"caption":"Debby Wong \/ Shutterstock.com"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2026\/04\/thomas-rhett-says-fame-led-to-double-life-that-nearly-destroyed-his-marriage.html#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Thomas Rhett Says Fame Led to a \u201cDouble Life\u201d That Nearly Destroyed His Marriage"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/","name":"Idol Chatter","description":"Beliefnet Entertainment blog, TV blog, Movie blog, Religion in entertainment blog","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/#\/schema\/person\/aea408b5be59bf6e05556b03859b6b79","name":"Beliefnet Staff","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/6f7\/6f77b66a3e683e8aeba5be93e4ae3e04x96.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/6f7\/6f77b66a3e683e8aeba5be93e4ae3e04x96.jpg","caption":"Beliefnet Staff"},"url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/author\/skirk"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50068","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/462"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50068"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50068\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":50092,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50068\/revisions\/50092"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/50086"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50068"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50068"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50068"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}