Maci Bookout says she’s continuing to support— and talk to— her legally-challenged baby daddy Ryan Edwards, even though he’s currently in jail.
The Teen Mom: The Next Chapter star and her husband Taylor McKinney recently spoke to TooFab about how she’s kept her newly repaired relationship with Ryan going, despite all of his recent legal issues. (As of press time, Ryan is currently in jail in Tennessee, but will likely move to a local rehab center later this week.)
“Obviously with all the crap that went down, and him being in jail now, we’re still in a good place,” Maci told the site during a video interview.
“And, actually, we speak to each other very consistently and often,” Maci added. “But it’s obviously just different now because it’s not in-person and he’s not out here in the real world. We’re still going in a good direction.”
As The Ashley told you, Maci and Ryan had been filming for ‘Next Chapter’ Season 1B together right up until Ryan was put in jail in April. (You can read about his assorted arrests and legal issues here and here to learn more about why he is in jail.)
Maci said that, after reconnecting with Ryan during the Teen Mom Family Reunion Season 2 reunion show last year, the once-very-estranged exes began to work on getting along.
“I think time definitely helped but us being able to genuinely have a conversation and make commitments to each other as far as what our role is to make a better relationship, and really start a relationship because we haven’t had one in so long,” Maci said, adding that all co-parenting of Bentley had previously been through Ryan’s parents, Jen and Larry Edwards.
In an interview with Us Weekly, Maci praised Ryan for continuing to bond with Bentley, despite the fact that Ryan’s been behind bars for the last few months.
“I think as crazy as it is, because he is in jail right now, he shows up and communicates with Bentley, I think, more consistently now than he ever has, which is mind-blowing,” she told the magazine.
“Although Ryan made really bad decisions and is paying the consequences for them, I’m glad to see that that hasn’t stopped him from showing up or, like, calling and communicating because in the past that would’ve halted everything,” Maci added.
Maci stated that she has been honest with Bentley about Ryan’s recent issues.
“With Bentley being older and unfortunately this not being the first time that something has happened [with Ryan], Bentley and I have always had an extremely close relationship, but also a very open and honest relationship,” she said. “So for us I think just being straightforward and, ‘Here’s what’s going on,’ and then really just making sure that Bentley knows that we’re there for him and if needs anything or has questions or wants to talk about how to deal with something, just being there to support him through it.”
Taylor stated that he was not initially thrilled with the idea of Bentley and Ryan (and Maci and Ryan) reconnecting. (As The Ashley has previously reported, Ryan and Taylor have had a very tumultuous relationship, with Taylor and Maci taking out a restraining order against Ryan, after Ryan threatened to shoot Taylor in the head in March 2018. In 2021, Taylor almost got into a physical fight with Ryan’s dad Larry while filming the ‘Teen Mom OG’ Season 9 Reunion.)
“You’ll see it evolve,” Taylor said of his feelings about Ryan coming back into the picture. “In my opinion there’s a fine line between trying to protect Bentley and not get in the way of him having a relationship with his father, trying to find that balance and I don’t know, it’s tough.”
Maci also confirmed that she has been attending Al-Anon (an organization for people who have been impacted by others’ addictions).
“That’s a game changer,” Maci said. “It’s way different than what I expected it to be, it is nothing like that. It’s very healing and it’s so much more about yourself, rather than the addict. It’s such a safe space to kind of look yourself in the mirror and work on yourself. I think that it just overall kind of helps every relationship you have after that.”
While Maci was not at Ryan’s most-recent court hearing last week, she did attend his hearing in June. She told The Ashley at the time that, “As Bentley’s mom it was important for me to show up for not only Ryan, but Bentley as well.”
Maci talked to Us Weekly about how Ryan’s faring while in the slammer.
“[Ryan had] rough patches just dealing with mental health [issues]… it’s a crazy world on the inside,” Maci said.
“At the same time, it’s like, yeah, but don’t do stupid s**t,” she said.
Despite Bentley’s renewed relationship with Ryan— as well as Maci’s— the ‘Teen Mom’ star said she’s always worried that things with Ryan will head south.
“Yes, I will always be afraid that there’s that chance that it’s gonna be a disaster,” she said. “But I think at the same time I’m just, like, I know what I can do and what I can’t do and … that’s all I can do, and I’m confident in that.”
The new season of ‘Teen Mom: The Next Chapter’ premieres Wednesday, July 19 on MTV.
You can watch Maci and Taylor’s full interview with Too Fab below!
(Photos: MTV)
28 Responses
Y’all wouldn’t believe how many dummies are on IG praising her for this mess. Toxic is toxic idc what relation they are.
Maci’s desperation for a storyline continues. I have always thought she was a sly pick me who uses her perceived respectability to absolutely exploit Bentley for cash but even she must know that this really is the lowest bar.
I agree that Maci is doing this for a storyline but I also agree that she is still hung up on Ryan. I remember in the early days of the show when Maci said that there was nothing Ryan could ever do that would make her happy. Her anger has always been about him breaking their engagement, imo.(Not to say that Ryan is a good dad because he clearly is a terrible father and person.)I also remember her flirting with Ryan on her special after breaking up with Kyle before she started dating Taylor. I think that is why there was such a huge rift between Maci and Mackenzie.
She never got over Ryan. She always seemed so stuck on him and has seemed so unhappy with her relationship with Taylor. Bentley can have a relationship with Ryan without it seeming like she has one with Ryan.
Careful, all the die-hard Maci fans will downvote you for that lol
Can’t help wondering during Maci’s reconnection with Ryan, if he ever offered “any” sort of an apology for threatening to put a bullet in her husband’s head.
I wish Maci and Ryan’s efforts for co-parenting Bentley in a peaceful manner all the very best.
But I remain “Team Tyler” all the way for who Bentley’s real dad has always been.
I got downvoted for saying a while back that Maci still has the hots for Rhine & never really got over him, are y’all finally seeing what I’m seeing? Who tf in their right mind would push and encourage any relationship between themselves or their child with a person like Rhine?! Maci better wake the hell up bc I’m guessing Taylor is only gonna put up with her shit for so long.
It’s absolutely crazy to me that she and Bentley are reconnecting with him especially now after everything that has happened. I don’t think I could ever forgive someone threatening to shot my husband. There’s got to be an ulterior motive behind it. My guess is that she needs a storyline and wants to give it one last big shot before Bentley turns 18 in a few years so she can say she tried. She has to know that it will likely fail again. Bentley seems like a good kid but if I were Maci I would be terrified that Ryan would try to use his son to buy drugs for him and land him in trouble. Don’t get me wrong I do hope that Ryan is on a path to a better life but I feel like the chances of that are pretty low unfortunately, but I do hope he surprises everyone.
I think they’re getting along now because Mackenzie is out of the picture. Ryan is obviously responsible for all his bad decisions, but I think when it came to his ongoing rift with Maci, Mack was the one stirring the pot to keep Ryan constantly mad at her.
Goddamnit Maci, listen to your husband. (Who I in the past used to think he was a prick as he made her pregnant with Irish twins but he really stepped up) He is has every right to be cautious. And Bentley is old enough to decide whether he wants a relationship with his father or not. Why are you praising Rhine out of a sudden? Don’t you realize what he did?! Or you just don’t care for the sake of a storyline? If I were you, I would have another order of protection against him…if he did it to Mack, he could do it to you too!
Irish twins is offensive
Either he’s “the prick who raped her” or “they both plan things poorly”. Presumably Maci was involved in the experience.
Other than that, yeah, listen to the dude who is saying maybe not giving Ryan chances because it’s never a good idea.
Poor Taylor.
Maci doesn’t appreciate Taylor.
Watching reruns.. you can see Chelsea truly appreciates Cole and takes what he says into account and is clearly so grateful he has become the father figure in her daughters life.
If it wasn’t for Taylor, Bentley would have no father figure…
She should show more gratefulness and appreciation and RESPECT. And pushing this unhealthy relationship upon her innocent son while Taylor has to just sit back and watch as Ryan is hailed a hero, for her storyline, is as low as you can get.
There’s no need for maci and Ryan to reconnect like they did years ago, as she said. That’s inappropriate and until Ryan’s actions show he’s changed, it’s pointless. She’s setting up Bentley for more disappointment and putting her husband in an uncomfortable situation.
Ryan has no reason to be in Bentleys life right now.. seriously? He’s a freakin mess and has found jailhouse Jesus. He would have to prove his sobriety and stability for more than a 2 minute stint in jail before being in my sons life esp after the track record he has.
That’s garbage.
Poor Bentley and Taylor.
I feel so bad for Taylor. I think despite all the years of abuse, Maci still loves Ryan. And Taylor is just beginning to find out.
Well there’s a low bar if I ever saw one.
It’s crazy that he’s finally got time for his son./s
Now that his wife won’t talk to him, their kids don’t talk to him, he’s stuck in a cell for 8 hours a day. And he’s forced to get up at like 5. And has all this free time.
It’s crazy that now that he’s bored and lonely, he can rely on his child for the emotional support he needs. Really working towards that parent of the year award.
I am glad that Maci is going to Al Alon. I hope Jen and Larry also start going.
…… It’s easy to “show up” when you have nothing else to do. Let’s throw him a parade for making phone calls? Nah.
You would think the Best Dad of the year would go to the guy working three jobs but still finds the time to coach his son little league time and help with his hw.
But no it’s going to the guy who has ignored his son most of his life. Mocked him when he’s sad. Done drugs around him. And threatened to k!ll his stepfather.
All because once in jail he finally found the time to call a couple of times.
BRAVO!!!
So much for upholding the 12-step tradition of anonymity. Maci must be thrilled to finally have a storyline.
I think she’s doing it for the sake of her storyline. Ryan going to jail for almost unaliving Mackenzie and then himself is the most interesting thing that has happened in her life in the last decade
Ryan serves as a storyline to keep her spot on the show but also so she doesn’t have to talk much about Taylor, beer and Bentley/ parenting.
Would Maci still drink Bud?
Sacrifice your morals for a storyline. Shame! Bentley deserves better. So disappointed.
Wow. Such great progress in like 2 months. Smh.
This guy just got the wool pulled over everyone’s eyes, don’t he?
I really want to know who got custody of the dog?
You know that Rhine will in the divorce not even fight for any custody of his kids. But would give up the entire house for that dog.
She is an idiot. I get wanting a father in Bentley’s life (despite the fact that Taylor has been more of a father than Ryan has ever been) but there is a fine line that she is crossing. Ryan has proven to be volatile, unstable and has shown that he has no desire to actually stay sober. He has threatened to kill people, killed cats and flashed his gun collection online well before his latest huge fuck up. What he did to Mackenzie’s house, trashing it, writing disgusting things on the wall and literally smearing his actual poop everywhere pales in comparison to the destruction of his children’s rooms, toys and belongings. He doesn’t give a damn about any if his children’s well being. Bentley seems like a wonderful kid and he deserves so much more than Ryan.