Entertainment

Colton Haynes Kinda, Sorta Commented On His Reported Split From Jeff Leatham

by Sophy Ziss
Charley Gallay/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

On Friday, May 4, TMZ announced that Colton Haynes and Jeff Leatham had reportedly split up after just six months of marriage. The speculation escalated when fans realized Haynes had just released the heartbreaking single "Man It Sucks" on May 3 via YouTube. But Colton Haynes' first comments since his reported split from Jeff Leatham point out that the inspiration for the song was not his husband. After all, when a beloved celebrity couple is rumored to have split, it's easy for fans to take sides. When a fanbase is as effusive and vocal as the one from MTV's Teen Wolf, for example, that only intensifies. (Bustle has reached out to Haynes and Leatham for comment, but did not receive a response at the time of publication.)

Haynes' releasing "Man It Sucks" just before the separation news broke made fans wonder if Leatham was the subject of the song, which includes lyrics such as:

And I don’t like when you’re staying out all night and never answer your phone
I follow you around the world just to be left alone
And man it sucks.

In a sincere tweet, though, Haynes insisted that wasn't the case. Early on May 5, the actor wrote the following on Twitter:

Jeff would never cheat. He's an amazing man. Please stop being mean to him. The song I wrote was about a past relationship.

"Man It Sucks" is both sad and specific, and in case you thought you might have been reading too much into it, just go ahead and look at the title of the song again. It seems damning, no? But if Haynes wants his fans to believe "Man It Sucks" isn't about Leatham, then they should probably listen.

Haynes, 29, is a beloved actor to the Tumblr set. He's starred on Teen Wolf and Arrow, and his romance with the 46-year-old celebrity floral designer appeared blissful. Since the couple announced their separation, People reports that Haynes has already removed Leatham's surname from his social media accounts — both went by Haynes-Leatham after tying the knot in 2017 — but Leatham has not changed his name on Instagram. People also reported that Haynes has deleted most of the photos of them together.

Not all evidence of the relationship is gone; there's still a photo of the couple celebrating the anniversary of the day they met not so long ago. Fans speculated that Haynes addressed the split on Instagram, where he posted an all-black image without a caption, and Twitter, where he posted his clarification about the song, but neither Haynes or Leatham have issued an official statement about the rumors.

The couple met on the set of Teen Wolf, where Leatham provided floral design and some creative direction. They went public with their relationship on February 14, 2017. The pair made red carpet appearances together, posted cute Instagrams, and generally enjoyed the life of a low-key celeb couple. In the wake of the split, an "unnamed source" told Us Weekly that they "have been having relationship issues since a couple months after the wedding," but neither Haynes nor Leatham (or representatives for either one) have addressed that comment.

Until Haynes or Leatham make a public statement, fans may not know for sure what happened between the couple. In the meantime, Leatham seems to be working — or taking a break from it, based on the absence of Instagram posts — and Haynes is pivoting from acting to a music career. In the wake of a mysterious breakup, it's a little eye-raising to release a song called "Man It Sucks," even if it is about a different relationship that ended poorly.

While it's difficult to say for sure what happened between Haynes and Leatham, fans should take Haynes' advice to heart and treat Leatham kindly on the Internet. Maybe there will be answers soon — perhaps even in the form of Haynes' next song.