These days it’s virtually impossible to turn on the television or pass through the checkout aisle at the local supermarket without seeing some type of celebrity gossip show or magazine reporting on a celebrity marriage – or more often – a celebrity divorce.
While many of these celebrity divorces are not surprising given the intense media spotlight and long hours that couples must spend apart, they are often shrouded in secrecy regarding the terms of any settlement reached – most likely due to confidentiality provisions.
However, as is frequently the case in Hollywood, the reported terms of many divorce settlements are often leaked to the press, creating even more buzz.
Today’s post will take a closer look at some of these reported settlements, focusing on a few examples of so-called “manimony,” meaning cases where famous wives pay out large sums to their considerably less famous former husbands.
Guy Ritchie and Madonna: The couple divorced in 2008 with “the Material Girl” paying her husband, an accomplished film director, somewhere between $76 to $92 million (roughly one fifth of her $500 million fortune).
Tom Arnold and Roseanne Barr: When the comedic couple called it quits back in 1994, the star of TV’s “Roseanne” reportedly shelled out upwards of $50 to her former husband. Interestingly, when an attorney for Barr recommended that she have Arnold sign a prenuptial agreement, she terminated him for making the recommendation.
Chris Judd and Jennifer Lopez: Somewhat ironically, the couple met while filming the music video for Lopez’s song “Love Don’t Cost a Thing (Judd was a backup dancer and choreographer) in 2002. After only eight months of marriage, the couple broke up with Lopez paying Judd an estimated $14 million.
Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson: At the time of the couple’s divorce in 2005, Jessica Simpson was worth an estimated $35 million. This lead many to believe that Lachey – whose net worth was far less – would seek a generous spousal support/alimony award. However, he refused to pursue any type of payment and elected to leave the marriage with nothing.
To learn more about dissolution of marriage or life after divorce, contact an experienced and skilled legal professional.
This post is for informational purposes only and is not to be construed as legal advice.
Stay tuned for more from our Ft. Worth family law blog …
Related Resources:
Manimony: What divorce costs famous women (The San Francisco Chronicle)
