Jerry O’Connell reveals how he teased ex Giuliana Rancic after their breakup

Jerry O’Connell recalled joking with ex Giuliana Rancic at the gym years after her memoir detailed their breakup

Jerry O’Connell has opened up about his post-breakup interactions with former girlfriend Giuliana Rancic, revealing he deliberately made their chance encounters at the gym awkward years after their split.

Speaking on Kelly Ripa’s Let’s Talk Off Camera podcast, the actor said he would intentionally approach Rancic whenever they crossed paths at an Equinox gym. Instead of avoiding the situation, O’Connell said he would jokingly pretend to flirt with his ex in an exaggerated manner, telling her he missed her and asking whether she still had the same phone number.

 

 

 

 

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According to O’Connell, the playful act was designed to annoy Rancic, who would reportedly tell him to leave her alone. He admitted that the more irritated she became, the more he leaned into the joke.

The former couple dated between 2003 and 2004 before ending their relationship. Their breakup later became a topic of public discussion after Rancic’s 2015 memoir, Going Off Script, in which she claimed O’Connell ended the relationship over an intercom. She recalled him saying, “Nope, sorry, homegirl. Things change, but you take care, OK.”

Reflecting on the claim, O’Connell said he could not remember the exact words he used during the breakup but acknowledged he could not rule out having made the comment. He suggested the quote made for a memorable story in the memoir, while also admitting he had been “a terrible boyfriend” during their relationship.

The actor also shared another anecdote from their romance, recalling a time when Rancic unexpectedly arrived at his condominium while another woman was inside. He said he refused to let her in because he wanted to avoid a confrontation.

O’Connell’s comments revisit one of Hollywood’s more talked-about celebrity breakups more than two decades later.