13 Going on 30 star Christa B. Allen is opening up about a new phase of her life.
In a TikTok posted Aug. 28, Allen, 33, is twirling on the grass in a dress and boots. Over it, she played part of Chappell Roan's "Subway," with the repeated lyrics, "She got away."
Allen wrote over the footage, "How it feels rebuilding your life after being in love with a charismatic wealthy cult leader who burned it to the ground."
She expanded on the video in the caption, writing, "Let me be very clear: nobody can burn down your life unless you give them access to it. That's the part I've had to own."
"So I've sat with the hardest questions: why did I trust him? Why did I hand over my power? Why did I silence my own inner knowing?" she continued. "The truth is, he was selling fairytales and from luxurious penthouses and private jets, I foolishly bought in."
The actress continued, "What I learned is that even if you spend every waking moment with someone -- studying, eating, traveling, working, building, dreaming -- you still may not KNOW them. Especially when you're dealing with someone who lies as easily as they breathe."
"That realization shattered me, but it also forced me to rebuild from the ground up. And fire is also cleansing," she said.
Allen said she would share "the full story" in the future, and added, "for now I'm walking forward with feet on solid ground and a heart that knows its strength ❤️🔥" Allen did not identify her ex.
She seemingly alluded to that ex in a TikTok posted on Aug. 19. She wrote in it, "When the 'spiritual' guy you were dating forced you to quit your job because he promised to take care of you... then left you with zero income while cheating and sleeping around with countless women while lying about it all..."
She added, "But then you remember -- he knows the laws of the universe, and the universe don't miss."
Allen's first film role was in 2004's 13 Going on 30 as 13-year-old Jenna Rink, the counterpart to Jennifer Garner's 30-year-old version of the character. When an embarrassed teenage Jenna wishes to be "30, flirty and thriving," she wakes up as Garner's fabulous, magazine editor version. The movie also stars Mark Ruffalo and Judy Greer.
"13 Going on 30, in my view, will forever live on as both a rom-com classic and a cinematic love letter to the power of manifestation," Allen told PEOPLE in 2024, when the film turned 20.
She told PEOPLE working with Garner was a highlight of the experience. "She treated me with such kindness and care, always," she remembered. "I am grateful to have had such a wonderful experience with her so early on in my career as she has since remained a great example of a person with true character and integrity in Hollywood. The persona you see in Jennifer's press is consistent with who she is in life, and I find that so refreshing."
Garner also asked Allen to play a younger version of her character in the 2009 film Ghosts of Girlfriends Past.