Alix Earle and Alex Cooper Had No Single Trigger for Ongoing Rift

Alix Earle and Alex Cooper's drama may be playing out loud now ... but TMZ has learned there's no single explosive moment behind the tension .... just a slow burn that's boiling over again.

Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ ... the friction dates back to when Earle teamed up with Cooper to launch her "Hot Mess" podcast under The Unwell Network. At first, things were solid, but over time, their dynamic shifted, and the two stopped seeing eye to eye.

We're told as Earle's Unwell contract was coming to a close in February 2025, that's when the relationship really started to unravel. Our sources say Cooper and her network were not offering Earle what she felt she was worth. Our sources say it wasn't just one issue, but a combination of both business and personal disagreements that made it difficult for them to move forward together.

Other sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ ... Earle's massive fan base didn't necessarily translate into a strong podcast audience ... ultimately putting The Unwell Network in a tough position when it came to renewing contracts.

Still, our sources stress that there wasn't any major blowup or headline-making betrayal ... just a gradual disconnect that never got addressed head-on.

After her Unwell exit, Earle responded to a fan asking about her relationship with Cooper, quipping, "How much time do you have?"

A couple months later, Cooper posted a recap from an Unwell live show set to Britney Spears' "Circus," the same song Alix had recently used during her "Dancing with the Stars" run, captioning it ... "How much time do you have? Cause we could go all night😉."

Cooper hopped on TikTok Monday calling Earle out by name, saying she's fed up with what she described as "passive-aggressive" behavior and urging her to "get specific" about their issues.

She also dismissed the idea Alix has been staying quiet for legal reasons, adding, "I know what happened and so do you," and accused her of using "fake drama" as a distraction.

Alix later reposted Alex's video and captioned it ... "Okay on it!!"