Emmy Rossum reveals why she secretly married Justin Siegel for 6 months

Emmy Rossum once secretly married Justin Siegel after a few months of dating, and the news of their marriage was only revealed when he filed for divorce mere six months after tying the knot. Here’s what really happened.

Appearing on the latest episode of Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy podcast on Wednesday, July 8, the Shameless star recalled the pair began dating in 2008, when she was signed to Interscope Records where Justin worked as a music producer.

Just months into their relationship, Siegel gave her an unexpected ultimatum: “Either break up or get married.”

Rossum explained that the conversation happened as she prepared to leave for Mexico to film Dragon Ball Evolution. “I remember the day that I was going away to make the movie, he said something to me like, ‘I don't know if the relationship is gonna survive the distance. So, like, maybe we should break up or get married,’” she recalled, admitting that her “21-year-old brain” thought “divorce doesn’t seem that complicated.”

Rossum revealed Siegel “literally printed out a marriage contract online,” found an officiant on the internet, and she threw on “a white turtleneck” from her closet for the secret ceremony.

The marriage, however, quickly unravelled. Rossum said she knew deep down it “wasn't right” and kept it hidden from loved ones, until the news of the divorce came out in 2009.

Rossum, now 39, has since found lasting love with filmmaker Sam Esmail, whom she met while developing Comet in 2013. The pair recently welcomed two children together.