Celebrity divorces often grab headlines and capture public attention. The lives of famous personalities, whether actors, musicians, or athletes, are often under the spotlight, including their relationships.
When these high-profile marriages come to an end, it tends to make waves in the media. From discussions about settlements and custody battles to the reasons behind the split, celebrity divorces offer a glimpse into the complexities of relationships in the public eye.
These separations can shed light on common issues faced by couples, showcasing that even with fame and fortune, navigating a marriage can be challenging.
#1: Joe Don Rooney & Tiffany Fallon Rooney
Joe Don Rooney and his estranged wife, Tiffany Fallon Rooney, have been navigating a tough divorce for several years now. Initially, the former Rascal Flatts guitarist filed for divorce in early 2021, citing irreconcilable differences.
However, a few months later, Tiffany responded, claiming Joe’s behavior in the marriage was inappropriate due to drinking and drug use, something Joe disagreed with.
Additionally, Tiffany is seeking ongoing financial support if the band, who retired in 2020, decides to tour again.
Furthermore, both sides have accused each other of infidelity and are actively trying to dismiss the other’s complaints, hoping to shift the responsibility for the legal fees.
Despite this ongoing legal tussle, they’re scheduled to convene for a divorce settlement conference on March 28, 2023.
#2: Scooter Braun & Yael Cohen
Record executive Scooter Braun filed for divorce from Yael Cohen in July 2021, ending their seven-year marriage. The scooter braun divorce was finalized in September 2022.
Interestingly, Taylor Swift’s song “Karma” was perceived by many to be about Braun’s divorce, sparking additional attention once she weighed in with her lyrics.
In the settlement, Braun was directed to pay $20 million to his ex-wife, partly as a spousal-support settlement.
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Additionally, he was obliged to provide $60,000 monthly in child support for their three young children: Jagger Joseph, Levi Magnus, and Hart Violet. Meanwhile, Cohen secured their $30 million Brentwood family home and retained ownership of her 2021 Land Rover Defender, as well as certain pieces of art.
On his side, Braun kept possession of the $65 million mansion in Los Angeles, their private jet, and an extensive collection of over 100 classic artworks by renowned artists like Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Jasper Johns.
#3: Kevin Costner & Cindy Silva
Kevin Costner and his college sweetheart, Cindy Silva, were married for 18 years and raised four children together.
However, their marriage faced challenges due to Costner’s extended periods away filming movies, accompanied by rumors of him being unfaithful.
Consequently, they decided to end their marriage and Kevin Costner divorce happened in 1994.
Kevin Costner divorce announcement surprised fans a lot. Interestingly, Costner and Silva didn’t have a prenuptial agreement, and Silva reportedly received a substantial settlement of $80 million, which was a remarkable sum back then.
Currently, Costner is going through his second divorce from his wife Christine Baumgarten. However, this time, the prenup agreement ensures that she won’t be entitled to receive spousal support.
#4: Amber Heard & Johnny Depp
Amber Heard filed for divorce from Johnny Depp in 2016 after being married for 15 months. She got $7 million in the divorce settlement and gave it all to charity.
But things got messy during the process: they fought in court, with Heard saying Depp abused her, and he said the same about her. The Johnny Depp divorce from JAmber Heard drew a lot of attention.
They spent a lot of time in court in 2020 and 2021 because of a case against a newspaper that called Depp a “wife-beater.” Depp lost the case and the appeal.
The Amber Heard divorce from Johnny Depp was constantly in the public eye during these legal battles.
Then, in 2022, they were back in court for another trial. Depp sued Heard over something she wrote in 2018, where she talked about facing discrimination after talking about abuse without saying his name, hoping it’d help others.
The trial started on April 11, 2022. They both accused each other of hurting them physically, emotionally, and mentally.
On June 1, a jury said Heard had hurt Depp’s reputation and gave him $15 million. But because of a law in Virginia, she only had to pay $10.35 million (the judge made it less).
Heard won one part of her lawsuit and got $2 million. Both of them appealed, but later, Heard said she settled with Depp, who then gave the $1 million he got from her to charity.
The Amber Heard divorce from Johnny Depp remained a prominent news story throughout the legal proceedings.
#5: Dr. Dre & Nicole Young
Producer Andre “Dr. Dre” Young settled his divorce with ex-wife Nicole Young by agreeing to pay her $100 million, according to TMZ’s report on Dec. 28, 2021.
Dr. Dre planned to give her two payments of $50 million as part of their property deal.
At the time of the split, Dr. Dre had a net worth of $820 million. As part of the settlement, he agreed to give up more than a fifth of his fortune and about half of his ready money, as Rolling Stone mentioned.
An attorney representing Dr. Dre didn’t respond right away to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Young filed for divorce from Dr. Dre in June 2020 after being married for 24 years. They have two grown-up children together: a son named Truice and a daughter named Truly.
#6: Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum & Princess Haya bint al-Hussein
As per CNN’s report in December 2021, the wealthy ruler of Dubai was instructed to give an enormous $728 million to his ex-wife, finally concluding a lengthy divorce struggle marked by claims of affairs and threats.
CNN mentioned that this sum would “take care of Princess Haya’s safety expenses for her lifetime, along with continuing expenses for their two children — Al Jalila Bint Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Sheikh Zayed Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
#7: Bill & Melinda Gates Divorce
After 27 years together, the charitable couple surprised everyone with news of their divorce on May 3, 2021. The court papers revealed they had a private agreement about living separately, but they didn’t have a prenup.
This made sorting out their money and things a bit complicated since they shared so much in their work lives.
They owned quite a few properties, like a massive 66,000-square foot mansion by the water in Medina, Washington, valued at $130.88 million, and another house in Del Mar, California, worth $43 million.
Individually, Bill is estimated by Forbes to be worth $130.5 billion. Even though he stepped away as Microsoft’s chairman in 2014, he still owns 1.34 percent of the company and has shares in other businesses. Plus, he has fancy planes and cars. Together, they run their own foundation, valued at more than $40 billion.
They said in a statement that, despite the Melinda Gates divorce, they would keep working together for their foundation’s mission to help people worldwide live healthy and productive lives.
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#8: Phil Collins & Orianne Bates
Collins and Bates (then Cevey) separated in 2006 after seven years of marriage, settling for $46.68 million, which was a record in British legal history then. They have two grown sons. Surprisingly, they reunited in 2016 but ended things bitterly in late 2020.
The trouble started when Collins found out his ex-wife, while still living in their $40 million Miami home, got married to Thomas Bates.
He then asked her to leave the house. Bates argued against leaving, claiming that Collins didn’t keep clean and smelled bad, which his lawyers denied, calling her claims irrelevant and just a way to blackmail him.
Eventually, Bates and her new husband left the Miami house in mid-January 2021.
However, she auctioned off Collins’ belongings, hoping to get half the money when the house sold. But in April 2022, a judge dismissed her claims, finally putting an end to their lengthy legal fight.
#9: Shannon & David Beador Divorce
The Real Housewives of Orange County stars seemed to be on a positive path when David organized a surprise birthday and vow renewal ceremony for Shannon, marking their 16 years together.
This heartfelt event held extra significance because of the effort the couple had made to mend their relationship after David’s affair.
Unfortunately, despite the effort, their marriage couldn’t endure, and Davir Beador divorce took place in December 2017.
In the legal paperwork obtained by The Blast, it was revealed that David agreed to pay Shannon $1.4 million to even out their shared property.
The former couple, parents to Sophie and twins Stella and Adeline, decided on joint legal and physical custody of their daughters. Additionally, David was providing Shannon with $10,000 each month for both spousal and child support.
#10: Jeff & Mackenzie Bezos Divorce
When Amazon’s CEO, Jeff Bezos, became the world’s wealthiest person in June 2018, his divorce in 2019 from his wife of 25 years came at a steep cost.
In Washington, where Bezos lives, the law considers all assets and debts made during a marriage to be equally owned by both spouses, unless there’s a prenup stating otherwise.
However, the former couple settled their terms privately. They announced in April 2019 that they had finalized their divorce, with Mackenzie receiving about $36 billion.
This substantial sum made her one of the richest women globally. Notably, by June 2020, she had already donated $1.7 billion to charity and continued to support nonprofits nationwide with significant contributions.
#11: Michael & Juanita Jordan
The famous basketball player separated from his wife, Juanita, after being married for 17 years in 2006.
Before that, they had thought about ending their marriage before—Juanita had filed for divorce in 2002. In the end, she got one of the largest divorce settlements in history, receiving $168 million.
#12: Paul McCartney & Heather Mills
Though not as costly as Jordan’s divorce, the breakup between the Beatles star and his ex-wife Mills remains one of the priciest celebrity separations.
McCartney paid nearly $50 million, later admitting that his marriage to Mills was his biggest regret of the decade.
#13: Amy Irving & Steven Spielberg
Amy Irving and Steven Spielberg, once a celebrated Hollywood couple, finalized their divorce in 1989, marking one of the most talked-about splits in the entertainment industry.
The couple, who had been married for four years and shared a son, Max, reached a significant financial settlement, reportedly worth $100 million. This settlement was particularly notable as it was one of the largest in Hollywood history at the time.
The divorce garnered widespread media attention, not only due to Spielberg’s status as a renowned filmmaker but also because it highlighted the complexities of marital agreements in high-profile divorces.
Irving’s successful challenge to their prenuptial agreement, which was reputedly written on a napkin, played a key role in the settlement, setting a precedent in divorce cases involving substantial assets.
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#14: Mel Gibson & Robyn Moore
Mel Gibson, the renowned Hollywood actor and director, and his wife Robyn Moore, finalized their divorce in 2011 after a lengthy separation that began in 2006.
This high-profile split was notable not only for its duration but also for the substantial financial implications, as there was reportedly no prenuptial agreement in place.
The settlement, estimated at around $425 million, is considered one of the largest in Hollywood history. The couple, who were married for over 26 years, have seven children together.
Their divorce was seen as a significant event in the entertainment industry, reflecting both the personal and financial complexities often involved in celebrity marriages and separations.
#15: Guy Ritchie & Madonna
Their separation in 2008 was quite intense. Reports suggested that Madonna paid Ritchie a sum ranging between $76 million to $92 million.
But the drama between the two didn’t end there. More recently, they found themselves entangled in a custody battle over their son, Rocco.
#16: Kim Basinger & Alec Baldwin
Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin, both well-known actors, went through a difficult divorce that was completed in 2002. They got married in 1993, but after several years, their relationship started to have problems, leading them to separate in 2000.
Their divorce got a lot of attention from the media, especially because they had a tough time agreeing on how to take care of their daughter, Ireland.
In the end, they decided on sharing custody of their daughter, but the exact details of their agreement were kept private. This divorce was not just a personal challenge for them but also showed the difficulties of handling family issues while being in the public eye.
#17: Denise Richards & Charlie Sheen
In 2006, there was another rocky celebrity split involving Sheen and Richards. Richards made serious claims in court papers, accusing Charlie of being abusive, having relationships with prostitutes while they were married, and trying to stop their daughters from getting regular vaccinations.
Emails that came out showed Sheen calling Richards a “sad jobless pig.” They declared their decision to divorce only three years after getting married.
#18: Ivana & Donald Trump
The divorce between the former president and his first wife, the late Ivana, was not only costly but also full of drama.
Trump had an affair with his future second wife, Marla Maples, which made it into many headlines. There was a well-known incident where Maples confronted Ivana in Aspen.
As per Ivana’s interview with Barbara Walters, Maples reportedly said, “I’m Marla, and I love your husband. Do you?” Ivana, in response, supposedly called Maples a hurtful name and asked her to leave her husband alone.
Following these events, the divorce happened, with an estimated settlement of $25 million.
#19: Melissa Mathison & Harrison Ford Divorce
The Harrison Ford divorce and screenwriter Melissa Mathison, finalized in 2004, was one of the most notable in Hollywood, especially given Ford’s status as a leading actor.
The couple, who married in 1983, separated in 2000 and their split was relatively amicable.
However, it gained significant attention due to the substantial financial settlement involved. Mathison reportedly received a portion of Ford’s future earnings from movies he made during their marriage, including earnings from the Indiana Jones and Star Wars franchises.
This aspect of the settlement was particularly noteworthy and reflected Mathison’s contribution to their joint financial estate during their marriage. The “Harrison Ford divorce” thus stands out not only for its high-profile nature but also for the unique and precedent-setting financial agreement.
#20: Prince Charles and Princess Diana Divorce
Their relationship was perceived as a fairy tale globally, but the truth for Charles and Diana was quite different. Both had been unfaithful during their marriage, leading to their separation in 1992.
Although there were discussions about patching things up, Diana’s famous Panorama interview in 1995 seemed to seal the fate of their marriage. The royal couple eventually got divorced in 1996, merely a year before Diana tragically passed away.
Final Verdict
Celebrity divorces give us a peek into how famous people handle their breakups, money, and being in the public eye. These splits, with their big money settlements and emotional ups and downs, show us that even rich and famous folks face tough times in their relationships.
They remind us that behind all the fame, famous people are just like everyone else with their own feelings and struggles.
In the end, these divorces teach us about the delicate balance between love, money, and dealing with the public, leaving a strong impression on how we view these relationships.