Nick Lachey Says He Met Jessica Simpson on Hawaii Flight After 20 Years

Nick Lachey said he unexpectedly ran into his ex-wife, Jessica Simpson, on a flight to Hawaii in April, marking their first in-person meeting in about two decades since their 2006 divorce. Lachey, appearing on Watch What Happens Live!, described the encounter as surprisingly comfortable, saying it was “strangely OK,” and he characterized the interaction as “very very cordial, very respectful.”

According to Lachey’s account, they were not seated together but were in the same vicinity during the flight. He said he was traveling with his wife, Vanessa Lachey, and their children, Camden, 13, Brooklyn, 11, and Phoenix, 9. He added that Simpson was seated next to her mother, while her children were reportedly in another part of the plane. Lachey said he was not certain about the status of Simpson’s children’s father, Eric Johnson, noting they have reportedly been separated since 2025.

The reunion drew attention partly because Simpson and Lachey became widely known through their MTV reality series Newlyweds Nick and Jessica, which followed their married life after they tied the knot in 2002. Their split in 2006 turned their relationship into a lasting reference point for fans of early...