First comes love, then comes marriage, and sometimes things don’t work out the way anybody wants them to do.
With more and more marriages ending in divorce, it is only natural for the elite to get in on the action. After all, they are human! Still, these cases are a media frenzy and for a good reason. Owing to the superstar status of the parties involved, divorce cases in Hollywood sell news quickly, but that is not the only reason. As pop singers, sport’s hall of famers, actors, directors, and other famous people, also gross in the most amounts of cash, making their divorces a truly expensive experience.
In light of this, we take a look at the most expensive divorce cases, which are certainly going to leave you shocked!
4. Michael and Diandra Douglas
In the spring of 1977, Michael Douglas tied the knot with the much younger Austrian diplomat Diandra Lukas. Due to strain from work, and long times apart, the strain of Michael’s career took its toll on the Douglas’ marriage, and in 1995 Diandra filed for divorce. If you are Michael Douglas, filing for divorce in California can be tricky business, especially if you draw some staggering media attention. Not just that, but the names involved means money is set to be gained/lost. By the end of the case, Diandra was awarded $45 million dollars by the State of California as part of the settlement, making it one of the most expensive in Hollywood’s history. Luckily for Michael his career was nowhere at its end, and he quickly bounced back.
3. Madonna and Guy Ritchie
After her first marriage with Sean Penn ended in 1985, it took the “Queen of Pop” eleven years to get back in the isle. In 1999 she met the British director Guy Ritchie, and in the following year the pop diva and the rising director got hitched at Skibo Castle in Scotland. Eight years of marriage followed, and while both their careers grew to new heights, the British media reported that divorce was on the horizon. In October 2008, Madonna agreed on a settlement which gave Ritchie an estimated amount of $75 million dollars – the same amount of revenue Madonna gained during her 2000 Drowned World Tour, the year they got married.
2. Steven Spielberg and Amy Irving
When you are as legendary as one of the best directors of all time, Steven Spielberg it is not at least surprising to make it to this list. In 1976 Spielberg was introduced to Amy Irving (by no less than Brian De Palma), and they began a three-year long relationship. It ended due to Irving’s desire to make it alone as an actress, but it was renewed in 1984. During the following year, they married, but after a roller-coaster history together, it took just four years for their divorce. Although Spielberg and Irving’s day will always be remembered for its outstanding wedding videography, after the settlement, Steven had to pay an amount of $100 million dollars to Irving, making it the third most expensive celebrity divorce ever.
1. Michael and Juanita Jordan
When you are Michael Jordan, the best NBA player of all time, and among the highest grossing players in sport, you would think there is not much more awards you could win. But by the end of 2006, he and his wife Juanita filed for divorce and were given a verdict of marriage dissolution in December of the same year. As part of the settlement of this celebrity divorce, Juanita received $168 million dollars, which made it the most expensive celebrity divorce in history. Luckily for Jordan, he could add that sort of title to his trophy cabinet without it even bruising his ego, or his income.
This staggering divorce completes our list. And even though no one is for divorce, sometimes it’s inevitable. But when you are a part of Hollywood’s high society, divorce settlement costs are also inevitable.