Nick Cannon Reveals How Often He Still Speaks to Ex-Wife Mariah Carey

Not every celebrity breakup ends in bitterness, and one former power couple continues to prove it. In a new interview, the "Wild 'N Out" host reflected on his bond with his ex-wife and the parenting approach he takes with his children.

Nick Cannon is opening up about where things stand with ex-wife Mariah Carey. Nearly a decade after their divorce, the pair, who co-parent 15-year-old twins Moroccan and Monroe, have managed to stay on friendly terms.

"We were able to, kind of, move on and be amicable and be the best parents we can," Cannon, 45, told Us Weekly ahead of his upcoming "Wild 'N Out" Tour. "And, like, to this day, man, we talk almost every day or every other day or, you know, just specifically just about the kids."

He continued, "She knows how to hold on to her privacy in a way that you know. You feel like you know her, you feel like you understand, but she keeps all the things that are meaningful to her to herself."

Cannon and Carey, 57, were married from 2008 to 2016, and during that time they welcomed their only two children together. Cannon is also a father to 10 younger children from later relationships.

Tragically, one of his sons, Zen, died of brain cancer at just 5 months old in December 2021.

"I learned so much," Cannon added. "I always say Mariah Carey was my greatest friend and my greatest teacher all at the same time. I mean, showed me aspects of the world that I had never seen before and probably would never see again."

Cannon emphasized that their divorce was neither "messy" nor "difficult," and said that he has since carried some key lessons with him from the marriage.

"What I learned the most from her is how to hold on to the things that are true and to create your own spaces and not let outside energy infiltrate, like, I've never seen somebody just really just operate on their own frequency, and it's always so positive and optimistic," Cannon said.

He continued, "[With] all that she's been through in her life, I think that keeps her going. I mean, her faith and in her ability to just block out negative energy. I've never seen anybody else do that."

While co-parenting the twins with Carey, Cannon also works to divide his time equally among his other children. "We gotta operate as a unit, but it's definitely departmentalized. Every mother parents differently, but when it comes to me, I'm non confrontational, which isn't always a good thing," he acknowledged.

"I'm cool, and I don't take anything seriously, so it's one of those things, like, I'm either cracking a joke or just being like, 'All right, it is what it is.' I think it allows me to keep the stress down."

Cannon has also seen early signs that Monroe and Moroccan may be drawn to the same spotlight as their famous parents. According to the proud dad, Monroe has her sights set on studying theater at either Pepperdine or NYU.

While he stressed that she is free to pursue whatever path she chooses, he said he has encouraged her to fall in love with the craft first, explaining that the goal should be to become a great actress rather than simply chase movie stardom.

The doting dad added that he urges all of his children to focus on the arts and sharpen their skills, believing the possibilities are endless once they do.

He encouraged them to take part in as many school plays and recitals as they like, nurture their talents, and be ready when the time comes to share them with the world. Above all, he said, the experience should be fun, describing it as a hobby rather than a job.