Quinta Brunson opens up about the public scrutiny she received after her divorce went public: ‘I hate all of it’

Quinta Brunson filed for divorce from her ex-husband Kevin Jay Anik on March 19 after three years of marriage.

Quinta Brunson isn’t a fan of one major element of being a public figure: the lack of privacy. 

The 35-year-old actress and writer opened up about the downside of stardom as Bustle’s June 30 cover star, where she appeared in a close-cropped Betty Boop-esque bob with finger waves and stunning ensembles.

The topic arose as the “Abbott Elementary” star described what it was like to go through her divorce amid so much public scrutiny.

“Even if you don’t give a lot, people want whatever they can get, and will take whatever they can get,” she explained. “I remember seeing people be like, ‘She announced her divorce.’ I didn’t announce anything. I think people have this idea that people in the public eye want the public to know their every move. None of us do. I promise you.”

“No one wants [everyone] to know when you buy a house, when you move, when a major change happens in your personal life — it’s just that that’s public record information,” she continued. “I hate all of it.”

After three years of marriage, Brunson filed for divorce from her ex-husband, Kevin Jay Anik, on March 19, citing “irreconcilable differences” in the filing. The former couple, who originally got married in October 2021, had a postnuptial agreement that governed the disposition of their property and stipulated that each party be responsible for their own attorney’s fees, People magazine reported. 

From the time their marriage was announced to the time it ended, there was online discourse about it. Beyond that, Brunson has had to endure many thoughts and opinions about the authenticity of her character on “Abbott Elementary,” Janine. 

“Those are invisible voices that aren’t in your home with you, that aren’t in your personal life, that aren’t your friends,” she explained. “I love my fans, I love the people who watch ‘Abbott.’ So you want to hear them, and you want to listen to them, but when it comes to matters of your personal life and decisions you make, you do have to tune it out.”

“It’s a transitional time,” she acknowledged. “I think it’s true for me and my personal life, and it’s how I feel about myself, my career, and the world. I feel very serious about focusing on watering my own gardens, taking care of myself and the people around me who I actually interact with day-to-day.”

The actress also told the outlet, in the spirit of transition and keeping things private, she may be done adding to the fodder via podcasts.

“Every time I do a podcast, something bad happens,” she quipped.