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Ricky Martin candidly opens up about divorce and parenting four kids as a single dad: 'I went through so much'

The Palm Royale star shares children Renn, Lucia, Valentino, and Matteo with his ex-husband

Ahad Sanwari
Ahad Sanwari - New York
Senior WriterNew York
May 28, 2024
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Ricky Martin is everywhere, coming off the success of the Apple TV+ series Palm Royale, which concluded its run earlier this month, and his Trilogy Tour last year with Enrique Iglesias and Pitbull.

However, the singer and actor, 52, isn't planning on hitting the brakes anytime soon, opening up about his whirlwind of a year in a new interview with The Los Angeles Times.

He explained that after playing several complex roles, his next goal was to get his hooks on an antagonistic part and flex his acting chops. "I want to touch on something as important as mental health." 

Ricky continued: "I've always told my agent, 'Let's find that script where I have to shave my eyebrows, and I have to change physically in order for me to be comfortable with a character' — and we're working on it. If you see paparazzi pictures of me with no eyebrows, you know what's going on."

The "Livin' La Vida Loca" hitmaker revealed that he was working on a yet-unannounced project coming next year, which he described as "very powerful," although hasn't yet found the time to work on new music yet.

ricky martin jwan yosef 2019© Getty Images
Last year, Ricky and Jwan announced they were getting divorced

He opened up a bit more about some of the more difficult parts of the past year, including family trouble also stemming from his divorce from ex-husband Jwan Yosef, plus navigating parenting as a single dad. Ricky is a dad to 15-year-old twins Valentino and Matteo, plus son Renn Martin-Yosef, four, and daughter Lucia Martin-Yosef, five.

MORE: Ricky Martin's twin sons, 15, look so grown up in new family vacation photo

"I went through so much last year," he said. "I went through a divorce, I changed managers, I went through family issues. Right now, I'm in such a great place, and I just want to keep it simple and have fun with my kids, enjoy me being single and all that good stuff."

Ricky Martin and his four children captured during a family trip to Disneyland© Instagram
They share four children, Valentino, Matteo, Lucia, and Renn

"I guess it's now all about the input in order for me to be able to go into the studio and work on the output."

MORE: Ricky Martin reveals emotional reason he came out as gay after being warned it would 'end' his career

Ricky and Jwan announced their split last July, sharing a joint statement with People which read: "We have decided to end our marriage with love, respect and dignity for our children and honoring what we have experienced as a couple all these wonderful years."

ricky martin jwan yosef 2017© Getty Images
"I'm in such a great place, and I just want to keep it simple and have fun with my kids, enjoy me being single and all that good stuff."

"Our greatest desire now is to continue having a healthy family dynamic and a relationship centered on peace and friendship to continue the joint upbringing of our children, preserving the respect and love we have for each other."

MORE: Ricky Martin reveals how his four children with 'no filter' are his harshest critics

The pair first connected on Instagram in 2015 and began dating soon after meeting in person, and were married for six years. They became fathers to Renn and Lucia during their marriage.

Ricky Martin with his sons and friends on a vacation to Tokyo, Japan© Instagram
The singer and actor has devoted much of his recent time to his children

While his personal life seems to be on the mend, as far as his onscreen career is concerned, the star told the LA Times that he didn't consider himself to be typecast in any way, and was pleased to take on all kinds of roles. "I'm happy to go wherever the wind takes me, but I'm also very happy to play heterosexual parts. I don't have a problem with that."

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