Carmen Electra is looking back on two of the most talked-about romances of her life and getting surprisingly candid about both.
During a recent appearance on the “Legally Goff” podcast, the former “Baywatch” star opened up about why her whirlwind marriage to Dennis Rodman ultimately came to an end, while also reflecting on her emotional relationship with the late Prince years after his passing.
Electra, 54, admitted that life with Rodman quickly became overwhelming because of the nonstop partying and drinking that surrounded his lifestyle.
“It was just too hard to continue to keep up with him and his friends,” she said. “It was constant drinking.”
The pair first met at a nightclub before diving into a fast-moving romance that became tabloid gold in the late ’90s. Rodman and Electra married in Las Vegas in November 1998 at the Little Chapel of the Flowers, though the marriage quickly unraveled after Rodman filed for an annulment just nine days later. While the two briefly reconciled, Electra officially filed for divorce in April 1999.
Looking back, Electra described the relationship as passionate but chaotic. She recalled Rodman being “so loving” one moment before becoming completely unpredictable the next.
“When it was good, it was amazing,” Electra previously said during a 2014 appearance on “Where Are They Now?” “And when it was bad, it was the worst.”
Carmen Electra Says She ‘Didn’t Recognize’ Herself
Electra explained that the relationship eventually started taking a physical and emotional toll on her. She remembered looking at herself in the mirror and realizing she barely recognized the person staring back.
“I had bags under my eyes. My face was puffy. I’m in my 20s!” she said on the podcast. “I thought, ‘It’s got to stop. It has to stop.’”
According to Electra, a self-help book recommended by a friend helped push her toward finally walking away from the marriage.
“I just thought, ‘I’ve got to get away from him because what good is going to come out of this?’” she explained.
Despite everything, Electra made it clear the relationship was real and deeply emotional. “It was real love,” she said. “It wasn’t a made-up story. It wasn’t a publicity stunt.”
Electra also revealed that Rodman repeatedly attempted to reconnect with her after their split, sometimes showing up at her home unexpectedly. She claimed she eventually felt forced to create distance by moving and changing her phone number.
“I had to move and change my number,” she admitted.
Per Us Weekly, Rodman has publicly discussed his struggles with alcohol over the years and has entered treatment programs multiple times.
The Actress Also Reflected on Her Relationship With Prince
Elsewhere in the podcast interview, Electra reflected on her romance with Prince and revealed one of the final conversations she had with the music icon has stayed with her for years.
According to People, Electra said Prince once told her she would become “a Marilyn Monroe type,” which confused her at the time because she was not focused on acting and had not yet posed for Playboy.
“Honestly, I feel like he was almost psychic in a way,” she said. “He just knew things.”
Electra and Prince dated in the early 1990s after he discovered her at a nightclub and helped launch her entertainment career. Born Tara Leigh Patrick, Electra said Prince was also the person responsible for creating her now-famous stage name after deciding she looked more like a “Carmen” than a Tara.
Earlier this year, Electra also paid tribute to Prince on Instagram while marking the 10th anniversary of his passing. In the emotional post, she described their romance as “fast and furious” and admitted the pair deeply hurt each other during the relationship.
“U were my everything,” she wrote.
Prince passed away in April 2016 at the age of 57.
