Nicole Shanahan is opening up about the aftermath of her divorce and accusations of an affair with Elon Musk. In an exclusive interview with People, she addresses the affair allegations for the first and only time. She details how she is now finding her footing again after the storm has finally begun to settle down.
Nicole and Sergey Brin, Google cofounder, split in 2021. He filed for divorce in June 2022 after less than three years of marriage. But allegations of the affair came at the end of their separation, though many media platforms have used that as the reason Sergey filed for divorce.
“It wasn't a right fit,” Nicole shared of her marriage. “I can only speak for myself obviously, but I think what happened was I looked inside the marriage and I couldn't see myself.” She continued on to share that she learned Wall Street Journal apparently had more than two sources confirming she'd had an affair with Elon. "That was their narrative and I was really alarmed."
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“My career has been based on academic and intellectual credibility, and I was being shamed internationally for being a cheater,” Nicole shared. “To be known because of a sexual act is one of the most humiliating things … it was utterly debilitating.”
But after a 17-month-long legal process, Nicole is legally divorced from Sergey and moving on. “It’s been a long journey,” she said. “Today is a turning point of letting go. I’m happy I’ve arrived at a point where I can reflect on my story.”
The 33-year-old denies that she ever had an affair with the founder of Tesla. She explained that the two of them had conversations about helping her daughter with autism treatment. “It was a conversation that was very meaningful about life and how people show up for one another. To be painted with such a massive scarlet letter for it just seems so unfair.”
“I remember feeling like everything I had ever worked for was under siege by a press cycle that had no idea what was going on in my life and who I was," Nicole shared of the WSJ story. She continued with saying that the conversations between her and Elon were common in their circle.
Sergey and Elon were very good friends, so he and Nicole shared the same circle of people. Though she didn't consider herself and Elon to be super close, she shared they had a friendship. “Is it as close as my girlfriends? No. My girlfriends that I’ve known for 10, 15 years that we’re like sisters to each other? No, it’s not that relationship — but I would call it a collegial environment."
As of now, Nicole is focused on moving forward and taking care of her daughter. She and Sergey have been able to form a healthy co-parenting partnership. "I didn’t want this to impact my daughter," she stated. “When she’s an adult reading this piece, I want her to know that she is so inspiring and so amazing, and I am so proud to be her mother every single day.”
