Valerie Bertinelli Engaged to Boyfriend Tom Vitale

By PopEater Staff Posted May 20th 2010 08:35AM

Three years after officially divorcing rock icon Eddie Van Halen, actress Valerie Bertinelli is preparing to give marriage another try. In an interview with AARP Magazine, the 50-year-old star opened up about her engagement to long-time boyfriend Tom Vitale, who proposed after a romantic night out in Florence.

"We'd talked about getting married," Bertinelli told the magazine, "but I was still shocked. It was sweet when he asked me, because he was so scared. I was like, 'Are you kidding me?'"

Bertinelli and Vitale, a private equity fund manager, began dating around six years ago. Bertinelli and the Van Halen rocker had separated after a quarter-century of marriage before she began seeing Vitale.

"After Ed and I separated, I thought, 'I'll finish raising my son [Wolfgang], and I'll go away, have about 40 cats, and just get nice and fat.' I thought I would be alone for the rest of my life, because I didn't want the responsibility," she said. "Relationships are too hard."

AARP Magazine

But she did find love again, after bonding with Vitale over their shared Italian roots and love for family. "I can't imagine my life -- for the rest of my life, till the day I die -- without him."

The 'One Day at a Time' star revealed she's letting Vitale plan the nuptials, which will happen sometime this fall. For now, she's scouting out wedding dresses and marveling at finding her soul mate later in life.

"Marriage at this age is so much different than when I was first married at 20. I feel incredibly lucky because here I am (at) 50 and I feel like I really am in the prime of my life. I'm doing a little bit of wedding dress shopping, too, thinking, 'Well, I don't have to wear white!'"

Bertinelli and Van Halen tied the knot in 1981, and for many years, the relationship was as good as it appeared to the outside world. But his substance abuse grew with time, and in 2001 she discovered her husband had boarded a plane with their son while carrying a small packet of cocaine in his wallet.

A few years later, they separated and eventually she filed for divorce.

In an interview with Oprah Winfrey last year, Bertinelli acknowledged that both she and Van Halen were to blame for the breakdown of their marriage. "I cheated. He claims to this day that I cheated first, but I don't know. I don't know about the timing," she told Oprah.

On the upside, Valerie and her ex have reconnected since their bitter divorce, and she now considers him a good friend and actually sat in the front row for his 2009 wedding.

Read the full AARP interview, where Valerie talks more about Vitale, aging and losing all that weight.

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FR30253 AP

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©BAUER-GRIFFIN.COM Valerie Bertinelli heads to the finish line of the Boston Marathon. NON-EXCLUSIVE April 19, 2010 Job: 100419M6 Boston, Massachusetts www.bauergriffin.com www.bauergriffinonline.com

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Actress Valerie Bertinelli, flashes a thumbs up after participating in the Boston Marathon Monday, April 19, 2010.(AP Photo/Bizuayehu Tesfaye)

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Jenny Craig spokesperson Valerie Bertinelli attends the Cedars-Sinai Sports Spectacular Women's Luncheon presented by Jenny Craig at Montage Beverly Hills on March 23, 2010 in Beverly Hills, California. Jenny Craig Presents The Cedars-Sinai Sports Spectacular Women's Luncheon and Tory Burch Fashion Show Montage Beverly Hills Beverly Hills, CA United States March 23, 2010 Photo by Charley Gallay/WireImage.com To license this image (59989210), contact WireImage.com

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NEW YORK - MARCH 04: (ITALY OUT, NY DAILY NEWS OUT, NY NEWSDAY OUT) Valerie Bertinelli arrives at her hotel on March 4, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Arnaldo Magnani/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Valerie Bertinelli

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LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 22: Actress Valerie Bertinelli attends a signing for her book "Finding It" at Barnes & Noble Booksellers at The Grove on October 22, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by David Livingston/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Valerie Bertinelli

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Tags: valerie bertinelli, van halen

Comments

(41)

Thursday 20 May

By csi8299

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Damn. I've been in love with her for 35 years, Guess I'll never get my chance. Best wishes Val !

By jeffthrow6892

Yeah, so have I, I had the BIGGEST crush on Val back in the "One Day At A Time" days.......... I wish her all the best!

Friday 21 May

By jeff

Vote down Vote up Report this

31 years for me.

By Rongrant

Don't give up your dream. Remember this is Hollywood, and she'll be back on the 'market' again.
Lots of 'em Hollywood types 'date' for a long time and then when they make it official the whole relationship falls apart.

By Jade

SO much luck and love to you Val. Watched you grow up on T.V. Keep that wonderful smile.You deserve the best.

By j

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

what does she do for a living that makes us care who she marries

By lh3733

Congrats, beautiful girl!

By mannamedjoe

You are one hard nosed jealous witch. What has VB ever done to hurt you?

By Bonbon

Congrats Val!

By Donna

Valerie is a beautiful woman, I always wished I looked like her.
I wish all the very best for her.

By kelly

Congrat's to you Val And Tom. You both look so very happy. You know val today 40-50 is the new 20's you go girl you have never looked better keep on doing what you are doing...Long time fan..XO

By jt

She is so great!

By Kris

Are you kidding me that Valerie Bertinelli is 50 and in AARP Magazine? Is this some kind of a joke? She still looks 14..ok maybe 20.

By Barbara Smith

I just cannot understand how she looks like 25 years old!!!

By MandiP

She's had her ups and downs but she is like your best friend; and your best friend 'hardly' ages! Congrats to a nice lady.

By Praise the Lord

You know, there are few celebs that I even care to know about but this girl-she is like the friend you wished you had if you are a girl and the girl you wished you'd meet if you are a guy! You never see ugly moments in her life-in mags-never hear bad things about her; totally dedicated Mom . She is AMAZING and the reasons are too many to list. I am so happy that she is happy and getting a chance at, basically , a do-over in love and life and career! Inspiring! All the best to her!

By phil

Well said, PTL. I guess Tom met you first, or I would have popped the question. Good Luck Val!

By Wendie

Loved Valerie all my life and she was such an inspiration to so many, myself included. Read her first book and really liked it and was so excited for the second. I had a hard time getting through it however, because I din't realize what a bleeding-heart liberal she was. No longer a fan of hers. I don't appreciate when celebrities endorse politicians so heavily when I am paying to read a book or see a concert. Bummer. Oh well, I am happy that she and Tom are getting married. On a side note, I wonder what she thinks of Obama now.

Saturday 26 June

By cyn1

I agree w/you Wendie. In fact, I almost quit reading her book because I couldn't stand all the Bush bashing. Like most Hollywood liberals, I'm sure she thinks he's doing just great. They do not live in the real world, so out of touch with the real world. I wanted to email her, but that is not an option on her website. I just watch Hot in Cleveland, great show. I'm going to try to get past I feel about her.

By vil

Too cute, she is going to be Valerie Van Halen Vitale, that is alot of V's!!!

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