Where is Jenna Marbles now? Why she quit YouTube (and stayed gone)
Jenna Marbles, real name Jenna Mourey, was one of YouTube’s most beloved early creators, known for her quirky humor and unapologetic authenticity. But in 2020, at the height of her fame and with over 20 million subscribers, she walked away from the platform after addressing past controversial videos in a heartfelt apology.
Unlike many creators who make similar exits, Marbles stayed true to her word—disappearing almost entirely from the public eye. While she’s avoided a formal return, fans still track every glimpse of her life offline, from her marriage to longtime partner Julien Solomita to rare public sightings.
Why did Jenna Marbles stop posting on YouTube?
On June 25, 2020, Marbles released what became her last video on YouTube titled “A Message”, during which she made the ultimate decision to quit her YouTube channel for an extended period. She apologized for the offensive videos that she made a decade before, and how she never meant to harm anyone in any way.
"I'm being requested that I address things that I've done in my past. I also get a lot of Tweets from people that are saying, like, 'we love you, you unproblematic queen.' Which, always makes me uncomfortable because I'm a person," she said.
"[For] those of you who are familiar with how long I've been on the internet know that that's not true. That I've definitely done things in the past that weren't great, and I'm not completely unproblematic. And I've tried my best to grow up and to be a better person."
She also touched upon the fact that continuing to make content for people who felt offended by her didn’t sit right, and therefore she would rather choose living in private than choosing likes and money over dignity.
"The first two things that I would like to address is the fact that there are people that were offended that I did blackface as Nicki Minaj in 2011 and I'll show you the clip. It's incredibly cringey and embarrassing," said Mourey. "It's private, it has been private for quite some time, but it looks like this."
"And I do just want to tell you that it was not my intention to do blackface. This is the end of the end of the video where I took my wig off. I don't know how else to say this, but it doesn't matter because all that matters is that people were offended and it hurt them and for that I am so unbelievably sorry. This isn't okay, and it hasn't existed on the internet for a long time because it's not okay."
"And I haven't done anything remotely like that because I heard people say, 'this is blackface, and I don't like that.' I just would never would want to put that into the world. So this has been private for a long time. But I do want to tell you how unbelievably sorry I am if I've ever offended you by posting this video or by doing this impression. That was never my intention, it's not okay, it's shameful, it's awful. I wish it wasn't part of my past."
Many people, including those who weren’t dedicated fans of Marbles, complimented her for the bravery and honesty that she displayed in the video. Outside of other YouTubers who released similar apology videos, what sets Marbles’ video different is that she was genuinely sincere and compassionate in what she stood for and took note of how affected some people were by her old content.
Normally, if a content creator posts an apology video, it’ll often be criticized due to lack of awareness and dismay that the person may have. Others believe that they upload the video as a means to protect their reputation.
In Marbles’ case, she is one of the few content creators to stand true to her apology and wanted to take time away from living on the internet. Given her authenticity and drive that Marbles had for her fans, her apology video remains one of the most critically acclaimed among the general public.
So, where is Jenna Marbles now?
As of 2025, Marbles hasn’t made any public statement about her return to YouTube. However, she has experienced major life changes since her departure. In November 2022, Marbles married her longtime boyfriend Julian, which Julian spoke about on his YouTube channel. The couple experienced a home break-in from an unknown person in early 2023, with Julian stating that he, Jenna, and their dogs were safe.
Earlier this year, Marbles was photographed by paparazzi in Los Angeles, where she was seen walking with her husband and their dogs. Supporters of Marbles took to social media on how heinous and selfish the act was for the paparazzi to take advantage of Marbles’ privacy. Following this, Marbles still hasn’t made any official return to the Internet world.
Despite this, it seems that Marbles is living her best life. In a video uploaded by Solomita titled “update on my life” in June of this year, he discusses his life with Jenna, as well as the couple adopting rescue dogs and her need for privacy.
Known for her creativity and authenticity, Marbles’ legacy is one that will be forever cherished, yet heartfelt, by all of her fans.
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