﻿Bruce Springsteen's songs have marked several generations, and his music turned him into a
legend. For several decades, the "rock star" lifestyle, together with mental health issues
and a troubled past, impacted Springsteen's relationships. After his marriage with
actress Julianne Phillips went up in flames, Bruce realized it was time for a change.
Bruce Springsteen met Julianne Phillips during one of his tours after his agent introduced
them. The musician was immediately attracted to Phillips, and the two quickly bonded over their
love of working out and Rock and Roll. In his autobiography, Born to Run,
he described her as a "tall, blond, educated, talented, beautiful and charming young woman."
At the time, Bruce was said to have a mutual attraction with bandmate Patti Scialfa. However,
this died down as he and Julianne began dating. The romance advanced quickly despite the pair's
11-year age difference, and the musician soon took Phillips to meet his family.
The pair married in 1985, but only after dealing with fans and paparazzi. Bruce and
Julianne wanted a private ceremony in her town in Lake Oswego. But, after a florist tipped a radio
station about the wedding plans, fans and media outlets found out about the venue and the date.
When the press asked the couple about their upcoming nuptials,
Springsteen's management denied knowing anything about it. Sadly, Philip's parents eventually
confirmed there was going to be a wedding. The lovebirds decided to tie the knot two
days earlier than planned. To ensure complete privacy, Bruce and Julianne married at midnight.
Although the singer loved the actress, he had a fear of commitment. Right after the wedding,
Springsteen began suffering anxiety attacks. Sometimes, he would be disturbed by the "dreaded
ticking" late at night in his sleep. Bruce was also dealing with inner anger,
which prevented him from emotionally investing in his marriage and getting close to his wife.
The musician was so unsettled by what was happening inside him that he swung from
hypersexual to non-sexual, all while trying to keep his emotions hidden.
“I was scared, but I did not want to scare the wits out of my young bride,"
The Boss explained in his autobiography. Bruce confessed that he grew up "broken"
because of his relationship with his father, Doug, who was frequently mean to his son and
suffered from alcoholism. Doug had a lot of rage and frequently terrified his family.
The troubled relationship between Springsteen and his father continued until Doug died in
1998. Even before his death, he couldn’t tell his son, "I love you." "You'd hear his
voice breaking up, but he couldn't get out the words," Bruce said about the moment.
Because of his childhood, it was hard for Bruce to have healthy relationships with women. He
described his wild nights as a rock star on the road as "Merry psychosexual carnage."
In his autobiography, the musician admits he hurt a lot of women during his life.
"There was a part of me that was capable of great carelessness and emotional cruelty.
That wanted to wound and hurt and make sure those who loved me paid for it," he wrote.
Bruce and Julianne's marriage not only suffered because of the rock star's internal issues;
the two of them also led very different lives. While Springsteen had become famous worldwide,
Phillips reportedly preferred her privacy. The songwriter found himself drawn to Patti
Scialfa, his bandmate. There had always been a mutual attraction between the two.
Scialfa was also closer to the musician's age. During his three-month "Tunnel Of Love Express
Tour," Springsteen and Scialfa spent a lot of time together, frequently performing
duets onstage. As a result, their professional relationship quickly turned into something more.
Patti had always had a soft spot for Bruce. One of her teachers once said in an interview,
"Patti's been in love with Bruce for as long as I can remember." When the relationship
finally came into the open, it wasn't a big surprise for Scialfa's social circle.
The musician slipped away from his wife emotionally and was often spotted with
Scialfa. The pair was even photographed cuddling on a hotel balcony in Rome!
Since his feelings for Patti were growing, Bruce tried to convince himself that Julianne was using
him. "Nothing could have been further from the truth," he later wrote in his autobiography.
Ultimately, Springsteen came clean about his relationship with Scialfa. In 1988,
Phillips filed for divorce. The singer has since confessed
that he dealt with the split "abysmally" by insisting on keeping things quiet as
they divorced, which did nothing but create more rumours. "I made a tough thing more
heartbreaking than necessary," he explained. With time, Bruce admitted he was "emotionally
stunted" and not ready for a relationship with Phillips. "I placed her in a terribly difficult
position for a young girl and I failed her as a husband and partner," he wrote.
The divorce was finalized in 1989, and the singer had to pay his ex 20 million dollars. Wow!
Meanwhile, Springsteen and Scialfa continued their relationship. "The Boss" has described
his bandmate as "a formidable partner," feeling a very strong attraction to the
musician. "'Patti had a part that carried a charged sexuality; she could seduce and she
could stir you to jealousy," he wrote about her. Springsteen and Scialfa were often surrounded by
paparazzi and were scrutinized by the public, which made their relationship
difficult at times. However, the pair managed to make it work and soon moved in together.
In 1990, the couple had their first child. One year later,
they got married and had a daughter. Their third child was born a couple of years later.
Springsteen has confessed that his children have no interest in his music,
and he doesn't mind because “they don't need a hero, they need a father.” In 2022,
he and Scialfa became grandparents! Bruce and Patti's relationship is still going
strong. The two have been married for more than thirty years. Although the musicians have endured
difficult moments, like Springsteen’s depression, they have always supported each other.
The musician was dealing with mental illness at the time of his 2012 album "Wrecking Ball,"
which included a song about his struggles. Bruce was worried that the disease would
make him become like his father. His paternal family had relatives with mental health issues,
which were undiagnosed or not discussed. "It was simply mysterious, embarrassing, and ordinary."
Springsteen's physical health was suffering too. The singer was underweight and mostly
consumed fast food. At one point, he was so weak that he needed to be escorted off-stage.
Bruce initially tried to combat his depression by becoming healthier and going to the gym. But
despite his new fitness routine, his mental health was still suffering. Springsteen finally realized
that depression was mainly a biochemical issue and that he needed more than an exercise program in
order to control it. He began finding healthier mechanisms and getting psychiatric treatment.
Patti stayed by Bruce's side as he continued going to therapy and learning to deal with
the illness. "She was stable enough and strong enough and she brought a lot of love,
so those were very healing things over a long period of time," Springsteen explained.
The star also said that his relationship with Patti was the only one where his depression was
understood and that she knew how to "handle and live with" the "twisted parts" of his personality
better than some of his other partners. The couple continues working together. Springsteen
explained that they have developed natural boundaries and, depending on the situation,
they take a personal or professional approach. "When she comes on stage with the E Street Band
she's an E Street band member, and when we walk off-stage, we're husband and wife," he said.
It seems like the rock star has learned from his past and, although he regrets
the way he treated Julianne, he has found his forever with Patti. But what happened
to Phillips after their divorce was finalized? The actress found success when she joined the
show "Sisters" in 1991. However, the show ended in 1996 and Julianne quit acting altogether one year
later, partly driven by her desire for privacy. The actress has had a couple of relationships,
like a rumored romance with actor Pierce Brosnan. More recently, Julianne was dragged into some
drama related to the reality TV show "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" when she was
accused of having an affair with Harry Hamlin, one of the husbands featured on the show. However,
his wife Lisa Rinna, denied the affair. Now, Julianne mostly stays out
of the limelight. She has been linked to producer Marc Gurvitz, although little
is known about the alleged romance. It's great to know that Bruce got help
for his issues and is finally happy with a stable family and relationship. We admire
the courage he took to admit he was in the wrong while married to Julianne and are glad
the former actress is finally enjoying the privacy she longed for. Here at Rumour Juice,
we wish Bruce and Julianne all the happiness in the world.