NEW YORK – Maybe she'll be the next Bachelorette. Maybe she'll date George Clooney. Right now, the world is 19-year-old Courtney Stodden's oyster after she announced she and her 53-year-old husband Doug Hutchison are going their separate ways.
“Doug and I decided to separate and end our marriage because of the obvious,” Stodden told FOX411. “Our age gap of 34-years.”
Stodden shot into the spotlight when the then 16-year-old married “Lost” actor 51-year-old Doug Hutchinson in 2011. Three years and several reality shows later, the controversial couple has split despite calling each other “soul mates.”
“I know I was quoted a couple years ago saying that age is just a number but I mean I guess to some people it isn’t just a number,” she said. “Our 34-year age difference definitely played a huge major role in [our split].”
Since their marriage began, Stodden hadn’t spent more than 24 hours away from her hubby and co-manager. That was until she recently got back from competing on Big Brother UK where the busty blond got her first taste of freedom.
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“Right now I’m just looking to have fun and to grow into who I am as a woman and be single and independent and build my own foundation,” she said. “I’m just my taking the time to be me and be single and be 19 and to try and be as much as a normal 19 year old as I possibly can.”
One ongoing issue between the former lovebirds was Courtney’s decision to have a breast augmentation.
Initially, Hutchinson wasn't supportive of his wife’s enhanced chest Stodden told FOX411 in June that "he was against it."
“He wasn’t such a huge fan of me wanting to get my breasts done,” she told us in the Fox411 studios. “I’ve only had my breasts augmented that’s the only surgery I’ve had and he was so against it. We definitely didn’t see eye to eye on that.”
While C-Stod tells us she is looking forward to her newfound freedom, she can’t get away from soon-to-be-ex-husband Hutchinson just yet. The pair is still living together and Hutchinson will continue to co-manage his ex’s career.
“It’s extremely unconventional to live in the same house as your soon-to-be-ex,” Stodden tells us. “It's been working out okay...it’s fairly new so I don’t know what the future has to hold but I hold hope in my heart that we can prevail and remain close.”
The newly single Stodden says she isn’t ready to jump into anything serious let alone “be with another 50-year-old man.”
"If I learned anything from getting married at a young age is take your time a little more,” she said as a warning to other young girls looking to get hitched. “I always tell people to follow their heart. It’s not my place to judge somebody’s life especially their choices in life. All I say is to make sure you're safe, you’re not harming yourself and other people around you.”
When she is ready to start dating again, "The Bachelorette" wouldn’t be a bad place to get her feet wet.
“I mean, I wouldn’t say no to 'The Bachelorette,'” she teased. “That could be something fun for me to experience. I come from a reality background so of course I’m going to explore that here and there so we’ll see what happens.”
So what is the 19-year-old looking for in a man?
“I think I’d look for I love to laugh I mean what girl doesn’t?” she said. “So if a guy can make me laugh that’s really appealing to me.”
Don’t start practicing your best jokes just yet gentlemen; Stodden may have her on eye on one of Hollywood’s hottest men.
When asked if she would date George Clooney, the reality star batted her lashes and answered, “Would I be George Clooney’s girlfriend? No comment.”
Clooney may be out of the luck because the self-described “horror geek” may have her eyes on an even older man. “I love Jack Nicholson! I’m such a horror geek so I’m not really scared of Jack Nicholson.”
For those who holding out for a “Dourtney” reunion, whomever she dates next, Stodden is ready to end her marriage and start a new chapter without Hutchinson.
“You know, never say never,” she said. Something “miraculous” could happen that would lead the two back to each other but for now Stodden is happy to be single.
“I’m just taking one day at a time and I’m grateful that I’m taking time for myself right now.”
Stodden credits her fan base with getting her through the recent split.
“I have a huge wonderful beautiful group of supporters who have really gotten me through this and who’ve supported my decision who continue to infuse me with light and energy and confidence to continue on,” she said. “And to the haters they are my motivators what can I say? So I’m grateful to them too.”
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