Elon Musk’s First Wife Reveals Details About Their Divorce in BBC Documentary
In a recent BBC documentary titled “The Elon Musk Show,” the first wife of Tesla Inc. and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk shared intimate details about their marriage and subsequent divorce. Justine Musk, who found out about her husband’s filing for divorce from their therapist, opened up about the challenges they faced as a couple and shed light on the complexities of their relationship.
Justine Musk recalled the moment she discovered that Elon Musk was ending their marriage. “We were seeing a marital therapist and he got tired of the stress and uncertainty of it,” she said. “The next day, I went into my therapist’s office, and he had left a message for her to tell me that he was filing for divorce. So that was how I found out. One of the more memorable moments of my life.”
Born Jennifer Wilson in 1972 in Peterborough, Ontario, Justine Musk met Elon Musk when she was 18 at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. Their relationship began with a unique first date involving a melting ice cream cone and continued even after Elon Musk transferred to the University of Pennsylvania. After spending a year teaching English in Japan and returning to Canada, Justine Musk rekindled her relationship with Elon Musk, leading to their marriage in January 2000.
Their life together, as depicted in Walter Isaacson’s biography and Justine’s writings in a Marie Claire column, was complex and tumultuous. The couple faced immense grief with the loss of their first child, Nevada, to sudden infant death syndrome in 2002. Subsequently, they had twins and triplets through in vitro fertilization. Justine Musk, a fantasy author, described the challenges of their marriage, including her husband’s demanding nature and their intense arguments.
Despite their luxurious lifestyle, Justine Musk felt a growing void in their relationship. She expressed a desire for more equality and partnership, describing herself as feeling like a “trophy wife.” During arguments, she revealed that Elon Musk would sometimes tell her he would fire her if she were his employee and use derogatory names to belittle her.
“I met him when he didn’t have much at all,” Justine Musk said. “The accumulation of wealth and fame changed the dynamic. I didn’t want to be a sideline player in the multimillion-dollar spectacle of my husband’s life. I wanted equality. I wanted partnership. I wanted to love and be loved, the way we had before he made all his millions.”
Their marriage ultimately ended in 2008, with Justine Musk expressing relief and readiness to embrace a new chapter in her life. Elon Musk’s second marriage to actor Talulah Riley occurred just six weeks after initiating divorce proceedings with Justine Musk. Despite the turbulent times, Justine Musk expressed respect for her former husband’s visionary persona and reflected on the impact of their relationship on her life.
These insights into the personal life of one of the world’s most prominent tech figures reveal the complex interplay between immense success and personal challenges. They provide a glimpse into the human aspect behind a public persona, reminding us that even those at the pinnacle of achievement face their own struggles and difficulties in their personal lives.
