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Vanessa Morgan fans know the actress best for playing Toni Topaz on the hit series Riverdale. So, when the star’s romance with Major League Baseball player Michael Kopech went public, fans were definitely interested to see how the couple’s romance would pan out. The actress, 29, and her MLB beau, 25, have definitely had some ups and downs in their romance. Now, we’ve compiled nearly everything you need to know about how the couple’s relationship began, the happiest times of their romance together, and where they stand now.
Relationship Timeline Until Split
Sparks Fly Between Vanessa & Michael
Michael and Vanessa seemingly got together during the summer of 2018. They were first linked in July of that year, with Michael appearing in some of Vanessa’s Instagram Stories, per Us Weekly. Vanessa later confirmed that the two met through social media around June 2018. “If it wasn’t for social media, we would have never known each other,” she previously told E! News.
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Going Steady
By August, it was clear that Vanessa and Michael were comfortable putting their romance front and center. During that month in 2018, Vanessa took to her Instagram account and praised her beau for his hard work as he transitioned to a pitching role with the Chicago White Sox. “To the hardest worker I know,” she wrote in a caption to her post. “No one deserves this more than you. You’re gonna kill it pitching for the Chicago [White Sox] and can’t wait to be there to cheer you on.”
By December of that year, Vanessa and Michael took a vacation together to Planet Hollywood in Costa Rica, sharing some intimate images to her Instagram account featuring the couple cuddling and sharing a few smooches. The two seemingly spent a lot of time together during the winter, and continued to share sweet photos from their romance on social media.
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After the New Year, it was clear that the romance was getting more serious. In April, Vanessa took to Instagram once again and wished Michael a happy 23rd birthday, writing an incredibly touching message that clearly spelled out how much the athlete meant to her. “Happy birthday to my [world],” Vanessa began the caption to her post. “Thanking god you were born on this day 23 years ago. Love doing life with you, love growing with you & I love this spiritual journey we both are on. Thanks for helping me become the best version of myself. Love you, best friend,” she wrote.
Michael Pops The Question
On July 4, 2019, Vanessa posted an engagement announcement on Instagram, featuring the couple in a tropical location, with Vanessa sporting a giant diamond ring. The couple looked positively smitten. In one photo, Michael and Vanessa even shared a smooch. You can see those images below.
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Michael spoke candidly about his proposal in a since-deleted post. “So I’ll start with the obvious: I love you,” he wrote in a heartfelt message to Vanessa, per Just Jared. “I love you intensely, passionately, & also at times, recklessly. I make decisions on the spur of the moment. I’m a very non-traditional type of person and I know I’ve found my match in you when it comes to that especially. Our relationship probably doesn’t make sense to many people for a sh*t ton of reasons, but we’re not doing it for them. We know this is forever. Why would we wait?”
Later on in the message, Michael referred to Vanessa as “undeniably the spark that reignited my fire. You’re deserving of much more than just this moment but this one just felt particularly magical. … I’ll never have enough words to tell you how much I love you, but I promise to always show you.”
Michael & Vanessa Say ‘I Do’
Less than a year after getting engaged, Michael and Vanessa tied the knot in January 2020. The ceremony was quite intimate, with roughly 40 guests in attendance at the Historic Walton House in Homestead, FL, per E! News. Naturally, some cast members from Riverdale were among the guests. Vanessa’s gown was truly stunning, and Michael looked dapper in his suit. At the time, Vanessa couldn’t help but gush about being a newly wed.
“We both knew the first day we met that ‘this is it’ and I’m so excited that today officially starts our forever,” Vanessa told E! News. “Today, I vowed to love my best friend for a lifetime and it was a day spent with those we love in a room filled with endless love. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with him.”
After their wedding, Vanessa shared some photos of their venue, adding a heartfelt caption to the post. “My wedding was a fairytale,” she began the post, which you can see here. “Getting emotional even thinking about it. Had a super intimate 35 person ceremony & wouldn’t have had it any other way.”
The Couple Reflect On Their Romance
Less than a month after their marriage, Michael and Vanessa chatted about their romance on the White Sox Talk podcast. “On our first date, it was just so easy and comfortable and relaxed,” Michael said. “I felt like I had known her for a lifetime. And honestly, I knew right away,” he continued. “We moved pretty quick.”
Vanessa Announces She’s Pregnant With A Baby Boy
On July 24, 2020, Vanessa took to her Instagram account and shared a series of videos and photos announcing that she was pregnant with a baby boy. “Exciting news… I am overjoyed to be welcoming my baby boy into the world this January,” she began the caption to the post. “This little guy has already brought me so much happiness and a feeling of such a greater purpose. I cannot wait to meet you!! On a personal note, I have had the blessing of growing up in the public eye having started my acting career at age 6. While this has been incredible for me, I am very much looking forward to giving this little guy some room to grow up outside of the public eye, until he tells me otherwise,” she went on. You can see the full post below!
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Why Michael & Vanessa Split
The same month that Vanessa shared that she was expecting a baby boy, the Chicago Tribune revealed that Michael had filed for divorce in June 2020, just one month before Vanessa’s announcement. Michael filed on June 19, but the court documents were sealed at the time, per Chicago Tribune. The same day that the news broke, People confirmed that Michael is the father of Vanessa’s son. It’s unclear why Michael made the decision to file for divorce from Vanessa.
By January 31, the Chicago Tribune reported that the divorce was still pending as of December 2020. On January 29, Vanessa and Michael welcomed their baby boy. “The most challenging, beautiful experience of my life. On January 29th, Michael & I Welcomed our beautiful baby boy River into the world. Words cannot describe this kind of love. We are enjoying this time home with him, being present, & giving him all the lovin’ in the world,” Vanessa wrote in a February 4 Instagram post.
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Not long after welcoming her little one, it appeared that Vanessa briefly reunited with Michael. “Baby’s asleep, milk pumped, now mom & dad can relax,” Vanessa reportedly wrote on her Instagram Story on February 6, per Us Weekly. The next day, Vanessa shared a photo of Michael seemingly on a walk with Vanessa in the wilderness, per the outlet.
Family & Fan Reactions To Michael & Vanessa’s Split
Initial reactions from fans on Michael and Vanessa’s split were fairly tepid. When the news broke, one fan took to Twitter and revealed they thought something was wrong. “I sensed there was trouble when she didn’t mention Michael in her pregnancy announcement,” the Twitter user wrote. Vanessa’s Riverdale BFF also shared EXCLUSIVELY with HollywoodLife how she was coping without her “better half” by her side. “My better half! I miss Vanessa!” Madelaine Petsch shared with HL in July 2020, following news of Vanessa’s split and her pregnancy.
“We’re able to do FaceTime and talk on about five different platforms at once. We’re always DMing and texting, it’s just constant, but it’s weird to be apart from her. I’m used to seeing her every day 10 months of the year!” Madelaine shared. Regardless, Vanessa hasn’t been particularly forthcoming when it comes to confirming or elaborating on her current status with Michael, choosing instead to keep her private life to herself.