High-Profile Divorce - Chicago Illinois Family Law Blog
A Divorce with No Name
What do former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Fox News television host Bill O’Reilly, actor Richard Gere, reality television star Bethenny Frankel, and a slew of millionaire celebrities all have in common?
They were each personally involved in what is called an anonymous divorce.
Is Marriage Any Easier after 20 Years? Actress Jane Seymour and Husband James Keach Confirm Separation, Negotiate Terms of Divorce
Actress Jane Seymour’s representative has told USA TODAY in a prepared statement that she and her husband of 20 years have been separated for several months and are negotiating the terms of their divorce.
According to the statement, the couple will continue to be devoted, loving parents to their children and will continue as business associates. Both intend to remain dedicated to the charitable causes they have supported.
Married in 1993, Seymour and Keach are the parents of twin sons, Kristopher and John, age 17.
Rhea Perlman and Danny DeVito Separating, Headed towards Divorce
Celebrity divorces always draw media attention, but even more so when it involves a couple that has been together as long as Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman have. According to The Huffington Post, “gray divorce” is on the rise and celebrities are no exception.
Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman, 67- and 64-years-old respectively, had been married for 30 years before they decided to go their separate ways. They officially announced their separation in October and while DeVito’s “wandering eye” has been claimed as the reason for the split, a representative for DeVito claims that that is false.
Russell Crowe and Danielle Spencer Separate after Nine Years of Marriage
Actor Russell Crowe and his wife, Australian singer Danielle Spencer, have separated after nine years of marriage, according to The Huffington Post. The couple, who had first met 22 years ago on the set of The Crossing, had married in April 2003 in South Wales and have two sons, Tennyson and Charles.
Crowe’s busy work schedule, which has kept him away from his family for the better part of this year, is reportedly one of the reasons for the couple’s split. He has six movies coming out in the next 12 months, including the biblical epic Noah, which he is currently working on. The split is reportedly amicable and the pair remain focused on raising their two sons, who live with their mother in Sydney.
Family Lawyer Eunice Ward Provides Commentary on Fox News Chicago about Holmes-Cruise Divorce
What do you usually get when two celebrities divorce? A long, hostile court battle complete with media frenzy. But that was not the case when Katie Holmes filed for divorce from Tom Cruise. Within a matter of weeks, the divorce was finalized. So what did they do that other celebrity couples aren’t doing? Experienced Illinois divorce attorney, Eunice Ward, has the answer.
Attorney Eunice Ward appeared on Fox News Chicago recently to provide insightful commentary on why this celebrity divorce was so different. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes were both aware of what a divorce war could do to their lives and the life of their daughter, Suri, but more importantly, Katie Holmes was serious and prepared. She made the decision to divorce and took every step necessary to show her husband that she was not only serious about getting a divorce, but determined exactly what she wants in terms of a divorce settlement. Fortunately, Cruise does not appear to have presented any challenge to Holmes’ requests, which made the process that much smoother.
Learning from Celebrities’ Divorce Mistakes
Celebrity marriages and divorces are in a class all their own. Not only do celebrity marriages and splits occur at a much higher frequency, but they are also much more extravagant. Much more money and much more media attention make celebrity divorces very different from those experienced by average people. But that does not mean we can’t learn a thing or two from the mistakes celebrities make. When considering marriage, or divorce, avoiding these celebrity mistakes can make things move much more smoothly in your relationship.
Jada Pinkett Smith Denies Ongoing Rumors of Marital Strife
Rumors that Will Smith and wife Jada Pinkett Smith were calling it quits have been circulating since the beginning of 2012. Celebrity couples often find themselves the subjects of constant media attention, but that doesn’t mean that the media always sees what is actually going on. In January, TMZ had reported that Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith were separated and living apart due to marital troubles spurred on by differing opinions on how to manage their kids’ careers. According to a recent People magazine article, however, this does not seem to have ever been the case.
In the article, Jada Pinkett Smith spoke out against the rumors of marital discord and impending divorce, claiming them to be “ridiculous.” She has no idea why the rumors started or why they won’t go away. At least one celebrity couple is placed under the marital microscope every year, and this year it seems to be the Smiths. Jada Pinkett Smith says the rumors are completely untrue. She and her husband travel a lot for work and so, naturally, end up spending quite a bit of time apart, but their commitment to each other has not changed and they have always lived together. The rumor that they were now living apart was just that, a rumor. The Smiths are fine and working on new projects with their kids.
Newt Gingrich Tries to Appease Public Concerns about Unsavory Marital Past
Since he began his campaign for the Republican Presidential Nominee seat, Newt Gingrich has faced much criticism for his marital past, but this criticism is not solely because he has been married and divorced multiple times and had affairs during those marriages. It is because he presents himself to be of strong moral character, when, in fact, his actions hint at something different. How can a man convince the American people of the importance of family values and the sanctity of marriage when his own values, based on his own actions, appear to be inconsistent with his public proclamations?
As the race continues, Gingrich is reminding voters that he has sought God’s forgiveness for the sins he has committed in his life, according the The Huffington Post. Whether or not voters believe he has wholeheartedly sought redemption for the wrongs he committed is uncertain. Gingrich’s second ex-wife recently went public with details of his actions during their marriage, including having an affair with the woman who is now his current wife, seeking an open marriage arrangement to continue the affair (which he continued anyway), and divorcing her when she became ill.
Will Smith and Wife Jada Pinkett Smith Calling it Quits?
Celebrity marriages have to overcome many obstacles to succeed, the most obvious of which is the constant gauntlet of media attention and rumors. For many couples, the stress of it all takes its toll on the marriage. When celebrity marriages add celebrity children to the mix, it can create even more stress, as has reportedly occurred in Will and Jada Pinkett Smith’s relationship, according to an article in TMZ.
Separation rumors began circling around the celebrity couple in the summer of 2011 due to tension in the marriage. This tension was allegedly the result of conflicting opinions about how to handle their children’s careers/fame. Their two children, Jaden and Willow Smith, are already household names as the result of successful acting and music careers. Reportedly, Will Smith was all for pushing their kids into all-out stardom while his wife wanted things to move more gradually. The couple, who denied separation/divorce rumors supposedly moved past this rough patch and was back to normal by the end of 2011.
Mel Gibson Now Officially Divorced from Robyn Moore
In 2009, Robyn Gibson filed for divorce from her actor husband Mel Gibson, and as of December 23, their divorce is final, according to TMZ. Robyn Gibson, who has gone back to her maiden name, Robyn Moore, filed for divorce soon after the discovery that Mel Gibson’s then-girlfriend, Oksana Grigorieva was pregnant.
According to The Huffington Post, Gibson and Moore separated in 2008 after 28 years of marriage. They have seven children together. Overall, the couple’s divorce had been relatively amicable, and Moore even defended Gibson when Grigorieva accused him of abuse during their contentious custody battle, which only came to a close in April of this year.
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