Olivia Plath Opens Up About Her Marriage Struggles and Divorce

Olivia Plath, known for her role on the reality series Welcome to Plathville, recently shared her candid reflections on her marriage to Ethan Plath during an appearance on the October 14, 2023, episode of the “Lovett or Leave It” podcast. She revealed that doubts about her relationship surfaced early on, yet she remained married for an additional four years due to familial pressures and her own fears.

In her discussion, Olivia recounted a pivotal moment from her first year of marriage when she confided in her father about her feelings. “I remember year one of being married, saying to my dad, ‘I think I might want to get divorced,’” she stated. The couple married in October 2018 when Olivia was just 20 years old. Her father, a fundamentalist Christian, expressed his disapproval of divorce, telling her, “If you get divorced it’s going to break God’s heart and it will break my heart.” This response led Olivia to suppress her feelings, prompting her to stay in the marriage longer than she might have otherwise considered.

Olivia described feeling overwhelmed by family dynamics and Ethan’s difficulties in setting boundaries with his relatives. “I look back now and I really could’ve just cut out four years worth of circular conversations that got us nowhere,” she reflected. “But I just didn’t want to give up.”

The couple’s separation became public in October 2023, with Olivia noting that the process mirrored the challenges depicted on their reality show. Despite her struggles, she had initially hoped to prove that young marriages could succeed. “What I always went back to was, ‘It doesn’t have to be a mistake,’” she explained, acknowledging the stigma surrounding divorce in her religious community.

Tensions with Ethan’s family, particularly with his mother, Kim Plath, also played a significant role in their relationship. Olivia previously described feeling controlled during their courtship and highlighted a particularly unsettling incident when Kim suggested trading engagement rings. This, she felt, marked a moment of realization about the control dynamics in their relationship.

Ethan and Olivia filed for divorce in February 2024, with official documents indicating their date of separation as February 25, 2023. Their relationship’s ups and downs were chronicled in seasons six and seven of Welcome to Plathville, showcasing their struggles to navigate life apart. In the season finale, which aired in September 2023, Olivia and Ethan were still working through the details of their divorce.

Despite the challenges she faced, Olivia expressed a positive outlook on her experience with the reality show. “The show really just picked me up and set me down in the middle of mainstream society,” she noted, appreciating how it reflected her own growth. “Looking back, I think it was a really good experience for me. I learned a lot.”

Currently, Olivia resides in Washington, D.C., with her new boyfriend, Brendan, while Ethan made headlines in January 2024 for his relationship with Teegan Nichols. As both navigate new chapters in their lives, Olivia’s journey serves as a poignant reminder of the complexities of love, family, and personal growth.