Lori Loughlin's 'Full House' Co-Star Goes Off On Her Estranged Husband, Calls The Actress A 'Saint'

By Favour Adegoke on October 20, 2025 at 8:45 PM EDT

Lori Loughlin at the 31st Movieguide Awards Gala
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John Stamos is defending his longtime friend and “Full House” costar, Lori Loughlin, amid her separation from Mossimo Giannulli.

The actor branded her “a saint” while placing all the blame for the 2019 college admissions scandal on Loughlin's estranged husband. Stamos claimed the actress was unaware of the scheme and undeserving of the fallout, including her brief prison term.

John Stamos has also expressed heartbreak over her current situation, describing Lori Loughlin as a devoted wife and mother.

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John Stamos Stands By Lori Loughlin As He Lambasts Her Estranged Husband, Mossimo Giannulli

John Stamos at Los Angeles Premiere of Warner Bros. "Wonka"
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Stamos is standing firmly by his former co-star, Loughlin, as she navigates her divorce.

Speaking on the “Good Guys” podcast on Monday, October 20, the 62-year-old actor reflected on their decades-long friendship, saying, “40 years I’ve known her. You can see through people after a few years. This woman’s a saint. I’m just heartbroken for her right now.”

While Stamos had nothing but kind words for the “On Call” actress, he didn’t extend the same courtesy to Giannulli, 62, whom he accused of being the real source of turmoil in her life, including during the 2019 college admissions scandal.

“He’s a terrible narcissist,” Stamos claimed, per Us Weekly, suggesting that Loughlin “put up with a lot over the years [with] this guy.”

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He added, “I really tried to be there for her during this time and also with the college scandal. … I’m not going to debate whether she had much to do with it or not. I know she didn’t.”

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John Stamos Claims 'Saint' Lori Loughlin Was Blindsided By The College Scandal

Lori Loughlin attends "An Unforgettable Evening" Benefiting The Women's Cancer Research Fund
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Stamos went on to accuse Giannulli of being the one who put Loughlin in trouble, recalling the moment he found out the couple was being investigated for allegedly paying to secure their daughters, Olivia Jade and Bella, admission into the University of Southern California as members of the rowing team back in 2019.

“She’s not a liar. She’s a saint,” Stamos insisted. He said that when he reached out to Loughlin the day the news broke, she seemed blindsided, telling him, “Mossimo handles all that stuff.”

According to Stamos, Loughlin appeared completely unaware of what was unfolding before both she and Giannulli were arrested for their alleged roles in the scheme.

In 2020, the couple ultimately pleaded guilty to wire and mail fraud charges after first maintaining their innocence.

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Loughlin served a two-month prison sentence, while Giannulli completed five months. Both were also placed on supervised release for two years, fulfilled their community service requirements, and together paid $400,000 in fines.

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John Stamos Says Lori Loughlin Was ‘Dragged Through’ College Scandal

John Stamos in front of an American flag
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Stamos didn’t hold back when discussing how Loughlin handled her brief prison sentence and how her estranged husband allegedly caused their college scandal nightmare.

“She goes to f-cing prison for this -sshole for three months, right?” Stamos said candidly on the podcast. “And he goes for whatever. And in typical Lori fashion, I said, ‘How was it?’ She goes, ‘You know, I met a lot of nice ladies in there. We have a book club.”

He continued, “She didn’t deserve to be dragged through that. … I know for a fact it was all him. … I don’t think Olivia wanted to go to college. I can’t speak for her, but it seems like she was doing great with her YouTube and [makeup].”

John Stamos Claims His 'Full House' Co-Star Is 'Devastated' Over Her Divorce

Lori Loughlin attends the 30th Annual MovieGuide Awards
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When the topic shifted to Loughlin and Giannulli’s recent separation, Stamos once again defended his longtime friend.

"All of a sudden they’re split up and I know she's just devastated,” he said. “For a girl who, you know, has lived her life really well, [is] a good person, a good mother, a good wife. I know all this for a fact."

The actor further stated that Loughlin's entire life had blown up due to the college scandal, noting that the divorce had worsened things for the actress.

Stamos continued, "To be thrown into, now, this separation and exploding, blowing up her family this way. And I just hate to see her go through this.”

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Lori Loughlin And Giannulli Mossimo's Marriage

Lori Loughlin Meets Up With a Mystery Man at an Orthopedic Clinic
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Giannulli and Loughlin's separation news came after 27 years of marriage. The couple quietly eloped in November 1997, just before Thanksgiving.

Loughlin later told Entertainment Tonight in a 2018 interview that their wedding was spontaneous.

“We talked about doing a wedding,” she recalled, “but then we said, ‘Let’s get up and let's go do it.”

Their first daughter, Bella, was born in September 1998, followed by Olivia Jade a year later.

Reflecting on their relationship after two decades of marriage, Loughlin described Giannulli to ET in another chat as her “person,” noting that “it’s about communication, it’s listening, it’s picking and choosing your battles. It’s being flexible, it’s all of that.”

Before their separation, the couple listed their luxurious Hidden Hills, California, estate for $16.5 million. The sprawling 11,800-square-foot home was officially placed on the market in February.

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