Teen Mom fans wondering how Jenelle Evans got her start on the hit MTV franchise found their answer during an Instagram Story Q&A on Monday.
While the 26-year-old mom of 3 is a prominent cast member of Teen Mom 2 today, she got her start nearly 10 years ago on the flagship series 16 and Pregnant. She revealed to fans that she watched Farrah Abraham‘s episode and built up the courage to go to an MTV casting call.
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“[Whose] idea was it for you to sign up to be on [Teen Mom]?” one fan asked, to which she replied, “It was my idea. I went to casting calls on MTV’s website after watching Farrah’s episode for the first time. I was 7 months pregnant with Jace.”
Starting in 2009, Evans was featured on 16 and Pregnant as the new mom to son Jace, who her mother, Barbara, ultimately won custody over after Janelle couldn’t get out of her party-going ways. Shortly after 16 and Pregnant premiered, Evans joined the cast of Teen Mom 2, where viewers have seen her raise Jace and two other children: son Kaiser (with ex Nathan Griffith) and daughter Ensley (with husband David Eason). She also helps parent Eason’s daughter.
Evans and Eason solidified themselves as one of the show’s most controversial couples when Eason went on a trans- and homophobic rant via social media earlier this year, resulting in his firing from the show.
In the same Q&A session posted Monday, Evans revealed that she and Eason are finished expanding their family for the time being. “Do you want more kids some day [sic]?” one fan asked. “No, I think I’m finished! Lol,” Evans responded on her Instagram Story.
While Evans has long been a core cast member of Teen Mom 2, she appeared not to care one way or the other about the news of Bristol Palin joining the cast of Teen Mom OG.
“It’s whatever. Not our show, lol,” she wrote diplomatically to a fan who asked her feelings on the new addition.
Palin was announced as the replacement for Abraham in July after Abraham exited the show due to her work in the adult entertainment industry. Abraham’s former co-stars Maci Bookout and Catelynn Lowell admitted they were not aware of Palin’s hiring until after the news was made public.
“We were never called before it was released. A courtesy call an hour before, call us and say, ‘This is who your new cast member is going to be.’ We have been doing this for 10 years,” Bookout told Teen Mom 2 star Kailyn Lowry and her Coffee Convos podcast co-host Lindsie Chrisley soon after the announcement.
But Bookout echoed Evans’ opinion, saying she “doesn’t really care” that Palin is the new addition, adding that “anybody is better than Farrah [Abraham].”
“If someone is presented with the opportunity, you can’t be mad at someone for accepting an opportunity,” Bookout added.
