Editing Ashlee Simpson (section)

===2007–2011: ''Bittersweet World'', motherhood, marriage and return to Broadway===
[[File:Ashlee Simpson 2008.jpg|thumb|upright|Simpson at a [[Grammy]] party in 2008]]
[[File:Ashlee Simpson-Wentz at CW Upfront 2009 2.jpg|thumb|upright|Simpson in 2009]]

Following her appearance as Roxie Hart, Simpson confirmed that she had begun working on her third studio album, initially slated for release in late 2007.<ref>James Montgomery, [https://web.archive.org/web/20071221052245/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1576807/20071219/simpson_ashlee.jhtml "Ashlee Simpson shows Christmas Gifts For Fans (New Album Title) And Pete Wentz (Shh!)"], MTV News, December 19, 2007.</ref> Geffen Records chairman [[Ron Fair]] said in December 2006 that working on Simpson's next album would be "very tricky" because of press scrutiny and "prejudices", but that Geffen would work with her to overcome that, "because she deserves to be heard and she deserves a shot."<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20061214013137/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1547396/20061206/stefani_gwen.jhtml "For The Record: Quick News On Gwen, Good Charlotte, Christina, Katharine McPhee, Ashlee, Rihanna & More"], MTV News, December 6, 2006.</ref> Hoping to transition to a new sound, Simpson enlisted producers [[Timbaland]] and [[The Neptunes]] to provide "beat-oriented" songs for the project.<ref>James Montgomery, [https://web.archive.org/web/20080420041234/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1585681/20080416/simpson_ashlee.jhtml "Ashlee Simpson Ready To Unleash Pete Wentz-Free ''Bittersweet World''"], MTV News, April 17, 2008.</ref> Simpson released the album's lead single, "[[Outta My Head (Ay Ya Ya)]]", in December 2007. The song featured elements of [[synthpop]] and was heavily influenced by the pop-music scene of the 1980s.<ref name=Chron>Joey Guerra, [http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/features/5718319.html ''Bittersweet World'' review], ''Houston Chronicle'', April 21, 2008.</ref> The single failed to chart on the Hot 100 chart in the United States, though it had moderate success in international territories. ''[[Bittersweet World]]'', Simpson's third studio album, was released on April 19, 2008. The album saw a decline for Simpson, debuting at number 4 on the ''Billboard'' 200 with first-week sales of 47,000 copies.<ref name=Mariah>Katie Hasty, [http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1045704/mariah-carey-remains-atop-billboard-200 "Mariah Carey Remains Atop Billboard 200"], Billboard.com, April 30, 2008.</ref> Simpson launched a collection of [[top (clothing)|tops]] in partnership with the clothing retailer [[Wet Seal]] on April 22, 2008, the same day ''Bittersweet World'' was released in the United States.<ref>[http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20080327005305&newsLang=en "Ashlee Simpson Designs for Wet Seal to Premiere April 22nd"], Wet Seal press release (Business Wire), March 27, 2008.</ref> The album went on to sell 126,000 copies within the first year of its release, making it her lowest-selling album to date.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.reuters.com/world-wrap/2009/04/08/jessica-simpsons-country-foray-is-over/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304111851/http://blogs.reuters.com/world-wrap/2009/04/08/jessica-simpsons-country-foray-is-over/|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 4, 2016|title=Jessica Simpson's country foray is over|work=Reuters}}</ref> The release served as Simpson's final album through Geffen Records.

In February 2008, Simpson began wearing a diamond ring. She later explained that it was a [[Pre-engagement ring|promise ring]] from Wentz.<ref>[https://people.com/celebrity/ashlee-simpson-not-engaged-yet/ Ashlee Simpson Not Engaged Yet!"]. ''People''. February 28, 2008.</ref> In April 2008, Simpson and Wentz confirmed their engagement,<ref name=Engaged>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080411102406/http://www.eonline.com/news/article/index.jsp?uuid=04c4a285-048f-484c-a07f-5f1f7e728746 "Ashlee and Pete Fall into Engagement"], E! Online, April 9, 2008.</ref> and they wed on May 17, 2008, at Simpson's parents' residence in [[Encino, California]], with her father officiating the ceremony.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://people.com/celebrity/ashlee-simpson-and-pete-wentz-get-married/|title=Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz Get Married! |access-date=May 18, 2008|date=May 17, 2008|work=[[People (magazine)|People Magazine]]|first=Ulrica|last=Wihlborg|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080601040756/http://www.people.com/people/article/0%2C%2C20200954%2C00.html |archive-date=June 1, 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref> She changed her surname from Simpson to Wentz, and during the marriage was known professionally as Ashlee Simpson-Wentz.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1588218/20080528/simpson_ashlee.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080923125929/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1588218/20080528/simpson_ashlee.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 23, 2008|author=James Montgomery|title=Ashlee Simpson Plans To Change Name To Ashlee Simpson-Wentz|date=May 28, 2008|publisher=MTV News|access-date=June 30, 2009}}</ref> It was during this time that Simpson released the song "[[Little Miss Obsessive]]" as the second single from ''Bittersweet World''.<ref name="auto">[http://ashleesimpsonmusic.com/news/default.aspx/nid/12628 ""Little Miss Obsessive" Single Out Today!"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080417084656/http://www.ashleesimpsonmusic.com/news/default.aspx/nid/12628 |date=April 17, 2008 }}, AshleeSimpsonMusic.com, March 11, 2008. Retrieved April 23, 2008.</ref> The song did not receive a European release and hit a peak of 96 on the Hot 100 chart in the United States.<ref name="auto"/> She also began appearing in commercials for Canadian retailer [[Zellers]] to promote their independent clothing line, ''Request'', in mid-2008. Two weeks after her wedding, Simpson announced her pregnancy, thus ending promotion of "Little Miss Obsessive" and the parent album.<ref name=people /> Simpson gave birth to a son on November 20, 2008.<ref name="people.com">{{cite web|url=https://people.com/parents/its-a-boy-for-ashlee-pete/|title=It's a Boy for Ashlee & Pete! |access-date=February 13, 2019|first=Marisa|last=Laudadio|date=November 21, 2008|work=People|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202022408/http://www.people.com/people/article/0%2C%2C20238396%2C00.html |archive-date=December 2, 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:AshleeSimpsonMay10.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Simpson in 2010]]

In 2009, Simpson returned full-time to television episodes by playing the role of [[Violet Foster]] in ''[[Melrose Place (2009 TV series)|Melrose Place]]'', [[The CW]]'s revamp of the 1990s series ''[[Melrose Place]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3if926640132f1fcca22b5eb8af9113e87|title=Ashlee Simpson moves into 'Melrose Place'|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|work=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=December 2, 2009|date=March 9, 2009| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100108102127/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3if926640132f1fcca22b5eb8af9113e87|archive-date= January 8, 2010 | url-status= dead|first=Nellie|last=Andreeva}}</ref> She was originally signed to the show as a regular, but producers and [[The CW Television Network|CW]] executives decided to write out her character. Simpson left the show after twelve episodes and stated that she had known all along that her character would leave the show once the murder mystery storyline had concluded.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110213043055/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1624515/ashlee-simpson-off-melrose-place.jhtml "Ashlee Simpson Off Of 'Melrose Place'"]. ''MTV''. October 22, 2009.</ref><ref>[https://people.com/tv/ashlee-simpson-wentz-colin-egglesfield-moving-out-of-melrose-place/ "Ashlee Simpson-Wentz & Colin Egglesfield Moving Out of Melrose Place"]. ''People''. October 22, 2009.</ref> Despite this, Ashlee's sister has spoken out against the series, claiming that Simpson brought the show free press.<ref name=people /> After her departure from ''Melrose Place'', Simpson reprised her role in the Broadway musical production of ''Chicago''. She began her Broadway run on November 30, 2009, and performed in New York for eight shows a week until February 7, 2010.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music/2009/11/16/2009-11-16_ashlee_simpsonwentz_headed_for_broadway_will_be_newest_roxie_hart_in_longrunning.html|title=Ashlee Simpson-Wentz headed for Broadway; will be newest Roxie Hart in long-running 'Chicago'|newspaper=[[NY Daily News]]|access-date=December 2, 2009|date=November 16, 2009|first=Robert|last=Dominguez|location=New York|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091117183501/http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music/2009/11/16/2009-11-16_ashlee_simpsonwentz_headed_for_broadway_will_be_newest_roxie_hart_in_longrunning.html|archive-date= November 17, 2009 | url-status= live}}</ref> On February 9, 2011, Simpson filed for divorce from Wentz, citing [[irreconcilable differences]], and asked that her maiden name be restored.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b225117_whoamdashashlee_simpson-wentz_files.html|title=Whoa—Ashlee Simpson-Wentz Files for Divorce!|website=E! Online|date=February 9, 2011 |access-date=February 9, 2011| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110304202209/http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b225117_whoamdashashlee_simpson-wentz_files.html|archive-date= March 4, 2011 | url-status= live}}</ref> The divorce was finalized on November 22, 2011.<ref>[https://people.com/crime/ashlee-simpson-divorce-from-pete-wentz-is-finalized/ "Ashlee Simpson Divorce from Peter Wentz Finalized"]. ''People''. December 7, 2011.</ref><ref>[http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/gossip/2011/12/ashlee-simpson-and-pete-wentz-finalize-divorce.html "Ashlee Simpson and Peter Wentz finalize divorce"]. ''LA Times''. December 2011.</ref> The former couple released a joint statement following the announcement, stating "We remain friends and deeply committed and loving parents to our son Bronx, whose happiness and well-being remains our number one priority."<ref name=people /> Simpson appeared on the second episode of The CW's ''[[America's Next Top Model, Cycle 17]]'' as a guest judge. She created a fashion line aimed at girls aged seven to sixteen in collaboration with her sister's successful brand. Simpson is the co-creative director of the line, which was released in the winter of 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b244876_jessica_ashlee_simpson_new_tween.html|title=Jessica & Ashlee Simpson New Tween Fashion Line: Is It Any Good?|last=Stewart|first=Ella|work=E! Online|date=June 1, 2011}}</ref>