After nearly three decades of marriage, Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli have decided to separate, marking a significant turn in the life of a couple that has weathered both public success and scandal. The announcement, confirmed by Loughlin’s publicist Elizabeth Much to USA TODAY on October 2, 2025, reveals that while the pair is now living apart, no legal divorce proceedings have been initiated. It’s a quiet, relatively understated development for a relationship that has seen its fair share of very public highs and lows.
Loughlin, 61, rose to fame in the late 1980s and early 1990s as Rebecca Donaldson—affectionately known as Aunt Becky—on the beloved family sitcom Full House. Her charm and poise in the role made her a household name and a familiar face in American homes for years. She later reprised the role in Netflix’s revival series Fuller House, and has remained active in the entertainment industry with recent roles in holiday-themed TV movies and guest appearances.
Mossimo Giannulli, 62, made his mark in the fashion world, particularly in the 1990s, with his self-named clothing line “Mossimo,” a brand that once had a strong presence in major American retail chains like Target. Together, the couple appeared to be the embodiment of success—blending Hollywood visibility with fashion industry credibility. They married in 1997 and went on to have two daughters: Isabella Rose, now 27, and Olivia Jade, 26.
Their personal and public lives were dramatically altered by the 2019 college admissions bribery scandal—infamously known as the “Varsity Blues” case—that implicated dozens of wealthy families across the United States. In what became one of the most high-profile elements of the scandal, Loughlin and Giannulli were accused of paying $500,000 to falsely designate their daughters as rowing recruits to gain admission to the University of Southern California, despite neither daughter having participated in the sport.
The case dominated headlines and cast a long shadow over the couple’s reputation. In 2020, both pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges. Loughlin was sentenced to two months in federal prison and served her time at the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin, California, before her release in December of that year. Giannulli, meanwhile, served five months in prison, followed by home confinement, which concluded in April 2021.
The fallout from the scandal was intense—not just legally, but emotionally and reputationally. Loughlin was dropped from several acting projects and distanced by parts of the entertainment industry that had once embraced her. Olivia Jade, a social media influencer with a significant YouTube following, lost brand deals and was heavily criticized online, becoming one of the scandal’s most scrutinized figures. The entire family faced a national reckoning about privilege, fairness, and accountability.
Despite the damage, both Lori and Mossimo made efforts to move forward. Loughlin, after maintaining a low profile for some time, cautiously returned to acting in 2021. She reprised her role as Abigail Stanton in the When Calls the Heart spinoff When Hope Calls, making her reentry into television via the family-friendly, values-oriented programming she had become known for. In 2023, she starred in two feel-good holiday films—Fall Into Winter and A Christmas Blessing—which signaled not only a personal but professional attempt to rebuild and reconnect with audiences.
Then, in a surprising move in 2024, Loughlin appeared as a guest star in the final season of Larry David’s long-running HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm. In the episode, she played a fictionalized version of herself and poked fun at her role in the scandal, drawing attention for her self-deprecating humor and willingness to acknowledge her past mistakes through satire. The appearance marked a moment of cultural re-acceptance in some circles and a clear indication that she was trying to reclaim her public identity on her own terms.
That same year, Loughlin also gave an introspective interview to First For Women in April 2024. While she didn’t explicitly name the college admissions scandal, her comments seemed to reference the experience and what she learned from it. “Stuff happens to everyone,” she said, in a tone that balanced reflection with resilience. “We’ve all been in positions to ask for forgiveness, but to ask for it, you have to learn and know how to give forgiveness, too.” She added, “No one is perfect; we all make mistakes. So I was always told to let stuff go. And I think for your own health, you have to let things go because you can’t hang on to negativity. Life’s too short.”
Her words reflect the emotional journey not just of someone who faced legal consequences, but of a person who had to confront intense public scrutiny, personal shame, and the challenge of moving forward in a world that often demands perfection from public figures.
The decision to separate from Giannulli is not entirely unexpected to some observers, who have speculated that the strain of the scandal, combined with the pressures of rebuilding their lives in the aftermath, may have taken a toll on their marriage. While they remained united publicly throughout the legal proceedings and even appeared to support each other in court, living under the microscope of national media coverage and societal judgment can place immense pressure on any relationship, no matter how strong.
Still, the choice to separate without initiating divorce proceedings suggests a complex and potentially amicable understanding between them. It may reflect a mutual desire for space and individual growth rather than animosity. After all, they share over 28 years of marriage, two adult children, and a long history that spans moments of incredible success and profound hardship. The nature of their separation appears private and respectful, with no reports of conflict or legal disputes.
The evolution of their family life has also mirrored larger societal conversations about wealth, privilege, and accountability in America. The Varsity Blues scandal, in which over 50 people were charged, was about more than just college admissions. It became a flashpoint in national conversations about fairness in education, systemic inequality, and the lengths to which people will go to secure advantage in a competitive society.
Loughlin and Giannulli became the public faces of a much wider problem, not necessarily because their actions were worse than others, but because their celebrity status made the story more relatable—and more dramatic. In a sense, they became symbols of something much bigger than themselves. And once the dust settled, the question became: what do you do after being a symbol of something so controversial?
For Lori Loughlin, the answer seems to have been to slowly return to work, to reflect publicly about her personal growth, and to continue evolving both professionally and personally. Her choices indicate a person intent on moving forward without denying the past, but also without being defined solely by it.
Mossimo Giannulli, on the other hand, has largely remained out of the spotlight since completing his sentence. He has not made the same kind of return to public life that Loughlin has. His focus appears to have been more private, and his relationship with the media has been more distant. This divergence in how each partner has handled post-scandal life may also shed light on their decision to separate. Different ways of coping, healing, and envisioning the future can often lead even longtime couples in different directions.
Their daughters, Olivia Jade and Isabella Rose, have also forged their own paths amid the fallout. Olivia Jade returned to YouTube and appeared as a contestant on Dancing With the Stars in 2021, trying to rebuild her image and online presence. Isabella has maintained a lower profile, choosing to stay largely out of the spotlight. Both have been affected by the scandal, but like their parents, have attempted to move forward with varying levels of visibility.
As of now, the Loughlin-Giannulli separation marks the end of an era for a couple that once seemed to represent a picture-perfect version of success. It is also a reminder that behind even the most curated public images are real human relationships—full of complexities, challenges, and changes that aren’t always easy to navigate. Whether their separation becomes permanent or leads to reconciliation remains to be seen, but it’s clear that both Lori and Mossimo are entering a new phase of their lives.
The way Loughlin has approached the last few years—with cautious vulnerability, public accountability, and a clear desire to learn and grow—may offer a glimpse into how she’ll navigate the future. Her focus on forgiveness and personal healing is something many can relate to, regardless of fame or fortune. And as she continues to rebuild both her career and personal life, she seems committed to doing so with grace and perspective.
Ultimately, this chapter in their story serves as a reminder that even those who have stumbled on a national stage are still people—imperfect, evolving, and capable of change. The separation is not just a celebrity headline; it’s part of a larger human journey involving love, mistakes, accountability, and the search for peace in the aftermath of turmoil.
