Fans in mourning over Jenna Dewan and Channing Tatum‘s separation announcement can find solace in adorable video footage from one of their first encounters during Step Up auditions.
The couple famously met on the set of the 2006 dance movie and wed three years later. After almost nine years of marriage, the couple announced they were calling it quits on Monday.
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But before the breakup shook the internet this week, Dewan shared an adorable video to her YouTube channel at the end of January that showed her and Tatum’s original Step Up audition.
“Funny thing just happened. I was just sent the audition tape for Step Up,” Dewan said to the camera in the video, adding that it was in promotion for the premiere of the new YouTube show Step Up High Water. “They just sent me my audition tape and it’s really funny and really cute. And also embarrassing and crazy but of course I want to share it with all of you.”
“Please watch how many times I giggle and I laugh and it’s very cute,” she added.
After showing a few clips of Dewan dancing by herself, the video cut to Tatum and Dewan’s screen test together. They shared a slightly awkward pose with her hands on his shoulders and his hands around his waist.
“We’re, like, posing for our prom,” Dewan said amid a fit of giggles.
The two then started to dance when Dewan showered Tatum with a stream of compliments.
“Oh, come on, you’re pretty good,” she said. “Stop it right now, you said, ‘I don’t know how to dance!’”
“I don’t know how to do the steps, I just kind of make it look like I do,” Tatum protested.
“You’re pretty good!” Dewan repeated.
Toward the end of the audition, a producer asked the two to state their names for the camera.
“Hi, I’m Jenna Dewan,” Dewan said, after which Tatum said, “Channing Tatum.”
In a final sweet moment, the two future co-stars looked at one another and smiled.
“Hi,” Tatum said to Dewan.
“Hi,” she responded.
Step Up fans were saddened by the news of the split, with many taking to social media to air their grievances and watch old dancing scenes between the two parents.
Dewan and Tatum announced Monday that they were separating, but emphasized they were dedicated to caring for their 4-year-old daughter Everly as a team.
The couple opened up about their split in a statement they posted on social media Monday, much to fans’ surprise.
“We have lovingly chosen to separate as a couple,” the couple said in a statement on Twitter. “We fell deeply in love so many years ago and have had a magical journey together. Absolutely nothing has changed about how much we love one another, but love is a beautiful adventure that is taking us on different paths for now.”
“There are no secrets nor salacious events at the root of our decision — just two best-friends realizing it’s time to take some space and help each other live the most joyous, fulfilled lives as possible,” the couple said. “We are still a family and will always be loving dedicated parents to Everly.”
They continued, “We won’t be commenting beyond this, and we thank you all in advance for respecting our family’s privacy.”
Dewan attended the 2018 Vanity Fair Oscars party by herself, sparking rumors of the break-up early last month. However, a few days later, the couple shared photos on Instagram of them having fun with Everly during a face-painting session.
They were last seen together at the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards, where Tatum stopped by to promote the animated film Smallfoot.
In a recent interview with Health magazine, the World of Dance host said she did not like hearing people call her marriage and life “perfect” because it is impossible to be truly perfect.
“When people say you guys have such a perfect life, I want to scream and tell them no one’s perfect. I think there are such things as great fits,” the dancer said.
She continued, “It is a great fit as long as you are growing together, and I think up until this point we’ve really grown together. Even if one starts to grow, the other catches up and vice versa. But I think a couple needs to be conscious and to want to do the work and be willing to look at the parts of you that need work. Both of us have been pretty aware and willing to do that. We’ve always had the same values. But we’re not perfect! Are you kidding? We fight like other couples, we disagree about things, we have days where we don’t really like each other.”
Photo credit: YouTube / Jenna Dewan Tatum
