Brittany Cartwright Claims Jax Taylor Continues to Be “Super, Super Controlling” Despite Their Split: “Things Are a Lot Worse Than People Think”

Season 2 of The Valley premieres this week, and while there have been a lot of changes within the group since last season, Brittany Cartwright wants viewers to know that a lot has stayed the same– including, unfortunately, Jax Taylor’s interest in her personal life. 

In a new interview with Us Weekly, Brittany, who filed for divorce from Jax in August, revealed that Jax “very much is still focused” on what she’s doing and that he continues to question her about who she’s hanging out with, among other things. 

“The constant, like, ‘Who are you with? Are you talking to anybody? Are you this? Are you that?’” Brittany said of Jax’s excessively inquisitive ways. 

While Brittany acknowledged that she and Jax are not only coparenting, but also filming a reality series together, she noted that her ex’s involvement in her personal life is something she finds “weird.” 

“It’s weird that I still feel like he’s controlling things in my life,” she said. “He’s super, super controlling in different ways. I feel like I haven’t spoken on how negative things really have been between us.” 

Although some fans may– and seemingly do– believe that Brittany speaks about her and Jax’s relationship “all the time,” she maintains that she’s only responding to what others are saying about her publicly, insisting that she’s actually “defending myself.” She also claims that viewers are going to see a lot more of her struggle with Jax in Season 2 of ‘The Valley’ than they may be expecting. 

“Things are a lot worse than people think,” she said. “Just the controlling aspect of everything– wanting to know where I’m at, what I’m doing 24/7. You’ll see throughout the season. 

“ … They’re going to be like, ‘Wow. She went through all of this?’” Brittany continued. “And just because [Jax] is trying to be a better person doesn’t mean that it’s actually better.” 

As The Ashley previously told you, Jax was served divorce papers on-camera back in August, shortly after the 45 year-old returned from an in-patient treatment facility where he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and PTSD. 

Jax went on to reveal in March that he has been battling a decades-long cocaine addiction and struggling with “substance abuse issues.” That same month, he revealed that he was more than 80 days sober from both cocaine and alcohol, while also sharing that he had made a second trip to a treatment facility in 2024. Despite Jax vowing to make changes, Brittany said “all the trust is gone” between the two; however, she hinted that Jax may be able to earn it back in the future. 

“It’s gonna take a long time,” she said. “It’s just complicated. Whenever you don’t trust somebody anymore and to get that back, it’s gonna be very hard. I don’t think that he realized how much damage he did to me.” 

Brittany also admitted that there are times when she questions what she was thinking when she chose to stay with Jax for so many years, though she notes that if she had left Jax years ago, she might not have 3-year-old son Cruz, whom she called “the best thing that has ever happened to me in my life.” 

Brittany told the outlet that in addition to her son, she tries to focus on the “positive parts” of her and Jax’s relationship and while she realizes it took her a long time to leave her marriage, she’s proud of herself for ultimately getting to that point. 

“ … I feel so much stronger for that,” she said. “I have set so many boundaries and I’m sticking to my guns and I would’ve never done that [in the past]. 

“When you watch me on Vanderpump Rules … I was so intimidated and weak and manipulated and everything else,” she continued. “That’s not going to happen to me anymore.” 

Brittany said viewers are “going to see a big change” in her personality in the upcoming season, though she assures fans that this change will only be seen in the way she treats Jax. 

“ … I’m still the same Brittany, I’m still loving, I love all my friends, they’re amazing,” she said. “I hope people still find me sweet and the Kentucky girl that I am, but [also that] I am a lot stronger and I’m putting my foot down in many ways [with Jax] and I’m never going to change that.”  

Season 2 of ‘The Valley’ premieres Tuesday, April 15 on Bravo.