If you’re a Kylie Jenner fan—or simply a millennial who uses social media—you probably recall the moment the internet blew up thanks to Tristan Thompson and Jordyn Woods’s infamous kiss. It happened back in February 2019, at an after-party at the NBA star’s house when he was still dating Khloé Kardashian (following his other infamous cheating scandal, during Khloé’s pregnancy with daughter True. At the time, Woods was best friends with Jenner. After the incident, Kardashian broke up with Thompson and publicly blasted Woods on social media for breaking up her family—and Jenner, understandably, chose to stand by her sister and distance herself from her longtime friend, whom she lived with at the time.
In a new cover story interview for Elle’s November issue, the Khy founder got candid about the falling-out, and how despite the pain it caused her at the time, she feels it was for the best.
“I was heartbroken” when it happened, Jenner told the magazine. “We’ve always tried to talk through things, so it’s never been a full cold-turkey cutoff; it was needed distance.”
She added that before the drama, she and Woods relied on each other for everything, so when they stopped talking, Jenner had to figure out who she was on her own. “Anytime something happened, good or bad, and I needed to call someone, it would always be her,” Jenner said. “To lose that person felt really lonely, but I had to go through that. I learned so much, gained so much independence, and was there for myself. It helped me grow up a little bit, because we were so attached at the hip. I think that in order for us both to grow, she needed to spread her wings and do what she needed to do as well.”
They may not be as close as they once were, but Jenner and Woods have since reconciled, and in recent months, they’ve even shared TikTok videos together, along with Jenner’s other best friend Anastasia “Stassie” Karanikolaou.
Kardashian has also mended ties with Woods. Earlier this year on The Kardashians, Khloé admitted she is tired of the narrative that they are all still fighting. “They’re always pinning the girls against one another and there’s actually no beef. I hate that you have to choose Team Jordyn or Team Kylie,” she said, adding that even when she was at her angriest, she “never had an issue” with Jenner and Woods staying friends.
“People don’t really understand how pure Khloé’s heart is. Her energy was always the same: You need to do what makes you happy,” Jenner said on the show.
