EXCLUSIVE: Chrissy Metz lays bare the truth about her 'mature' breakup with Bradley Collins and why the romance simply 'ran its course' - as she hints at plans to write MUSIC about the split

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Chrissy Metz has opened up about her split from Bradley Collins, saying their relationship had 'run its course' after three years —  but they are still 'close friends.'

The 43-year-old This is Us star met the songwriter on the dating app Bumble and made their relationship Instagram official in 2020. They issued a joint statement announcing their breakup earlier this month. 

The former couple still plans on collaborating creatively on upcoming projects, and Metz hinted that she is considering writing music about the 'mature' way their relationship ended. 

'I always say that once you love somebody, you don't really stop loving them. You might love them in a different capacity. And that's sort of how our relationship has evolved,' she told DailyMail.com. 

Chrissy Metz, 43, opened up about her breakup with Bradley Collins in an interview with Dailymail.com, saying three-year relationship had simply 'run its course' 

The This is Us star met the songwriter on the dating app Bumble and made their relationship Instagram official in 2020

'We were friends first and we had a romantic relationship, and we get to be friends again, which is so important to me in my life, in the way that I want to walk through the world.'

Metz noted that it's human nature to want to 'hear about the drama' when a couple breaks up, but she thinks it's important to acknowledge that sometimes relationships just don't work out — and that's okay. 

'I'm so grateful that Bradley and I could say, "I love you. I love you so much. I want to continue to work with you. But I think the romantic relationship has run its course,"' she said. 

'It sounds very mature. That is a very mature thing to say, and difficult because when you love somebody, you're like, "Wait, well, then what didn't work?"' she continued. 'Sometimes people are in your life for a reason, a season, a lifetime, and that just is what it is.'

When Metz and Collins announced their breakup on Instagram on October 6, they shared that they had ended their 'romantic relationship amicably' after three and a half years together but would remain friends and collaborators. 

'While we continue to love each other very much, we believe this is the best path for us both,' they wrote. 'We still have books to write, songs, to sing, and a special friendship to keep us in each other's lives forever.'

Together, Metz and Collins co-wrote the children's book When I Talk to God, I Talk About You and the accompanying album Prayed for This Day, which is eligible to be nominated for Best Children’s Album at the 2024 Grammy Awards.

'Bradley and I just wrote our second book; we put in our third draft, and I mean, it would be kind of cool to have an album to also be a companion to that book,' she told DailyMail.com. 'So, we'll see.'

The former couple issued a joint statement announcing their split earlier this month, saying they will remain friends and collaborators 

'I'm so grateful that Bradley and I could say, "I love you. I love you so much. I want to continue to work with you. But I think the romantic relationship has run its course,"' she said

Metz and Collins co-wrote the children's book When I Talk to God, I Talk About You and the accompanying album Prayed for This Day. She shared that they just finished their second book 

Even though Metz and Collins are no longer romantically involved, she still considers him to be one of the most important people in her life.  

'It's okay to still be in each other's lives and respect each other and create together... He's one of my closest friends,' she said. 

Metz explained that it's important to her to remain friendly with all of her former flames, no matter how their relationship ended. 

In her 2018 memoir This Is Me: Loving the Person You Are Today, she wrote about how she is still friends with her ex-husband, British screenwriter Martyn Eaden, whom she was married to from 2008 to 2015. 

'I really try to treat people the way I want to be treated and try to be honest and as vulnerable as possible, even if it means suffering,' she told DailyMail.com. 

'Because for me... I want to be able to lay my head on the pillow at night and say, "Chrissy, you did everything. You are as vulnerable, open, and honest as you could be."'

Metz suggested that her most recent breakup may be a source of inspiration for her music in the future.   

'I think that that's the whole point of art is staying true to yourself and not being afraid to share whatever truth you're living and being honest, being vulnerable, being transparent if you want, and that's what I want in my life,' she said. 

'I've found so much healing through that. So, I think as I change, it's inevitable that the art would change. Hopefully, it's not compromised in a negative way. Hopefully, it's influenced in a positive way.'

Metz shot to fame with her portrayal of Kate Pearson in the hit NBC series, for which she has received Primetime Emmy Award nominations and two Golden Globe Awards

Metz, who hinted she may write music about her recent breakup, said she is 'always up for working' with her former This is Us co-star and fellow singer Mandy Moore 

Metz (pictured in New York City on October 10) is currently promoting her Grammy-eligible children's album Prayed for This Day, which was released in February

Metz referred to how country star Kacey Musgraves wrote Golden Hour, a 'beautiful album' about her relationship with Ruston Kelly, followed by her divorce album Star-Crossed. 

'I'm sure I'll be writing some songs [about] things that I've recently gone through. I always like to write from a true place,' she said. 'Hopefully, it's just in a way that's either good for me, cathartic for me, or for somebody else. Nothing is ever just one thing. We're very complicated creatures.'

She also shared that she is 'always up for working' with her former This is Us co-star and fellow singer Mandy Moore, who played her mother on the show. 

'That would be amazing,' she said. 'I've loved her before she was even my mom.' 

Metz shot to fame with her portrayal of Kate Pearson in the hit NBC series, for which she has received Primetime Emmy Award nominations and two Golden Globe Awards. 

She is currently promoting her Grammy-eligible children's album Prayed for This Day, which was released in February. 

The singer co-wrote the lullabies that are meant to 'bolster kids' self-esteem and confidence' with Collins, Phil Barton, Liz Rose, and Jen Wayne. 

When asked how she felt about her potential Grammy nomination, she said it's 'really exciting' to 'just be in the conversation.'  

'Music is my first love,' the actress explained. 'I didn't think that a children's album would be my first full-length album, but the universe has other plans.'