Over the years, we’ve witnessed stars come together in powerful love alliances only to fall apart in dramas that keep us on the edge of our seats. From the stormy split between Kim Kardashian and Kanye West to the legal soap opera between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, the emotional and financial ups and downs of these couples have been unmatched.
Now, the saga of Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck only adds fuel to the fire with their battle to divide their multimillion-dollar fortunes. California law is clear in terms of community property, but finding an agreement between these two stars seems more like a maze than an amicable solution.
If you think this is intense, brace yourself: history is full of celebrity divorces that have left a mark on our collective memory. Here are the most memorable cases that remain the topic of conversation, even after all this time.
Jennifer López and Ben Affleck
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck met on the set of the failed romantic comedy Gigli in 2002. As the film tanked at the box office, their romance blossomed. However, before Affleck could say “I do,” J.Lo broke up with him in 2004 to marry Marc Anthony. Fast forward 19 years and the Hollywood couple, known as “Beniffer,” reconnected in 2021. In the summer of that same year, they made their comeback official on Instagram, and J.Lo’s stunning ring sparkled in April 2022. In July 2022, they said “I do,” and the rest was history… albeit briefly.
For a couple of years, the revived Beniffers conquered red carpets, got matching tattoos and appeared at awards shows together, while launching into a series of new film projects, including The Accountant 2 and Marry Me. But split rumors began to circulate when Lopez was spotted looking stressed and without her wedding ring in April. Although the two kept quiet at first, in July they decided to put their 12-bedroom, 38,000-square-foot Beverly Hills mansion up for sale for an exorbitant $68 million. The house eventually sold for just over $60.8 million.
The award-winning actress took matters into her own hands in August, officially filing for divorce in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles. After marrying Ben, she dropped her maiden name, but now wants it back — a move that seems to be her modus operandi after each split. Although they have no children together, they do share a number of properties, financial interests and community assets, and all because they did not have a prenuptial agreement. With both of them relying on the best lawyers, the battle for their assets promises to be epic. It seems that love, like movies, everything has an end.
Kim K and Ye
Kim Kardashian filed for divorce after a series of bizarre and highly questionable events that spanned years. At the time of the filing, the couple had a combined fortune of $2.1 billion — West with $1.3 billion and Kardashian with $780 million. But with property, businesses, investments and child custody at stake, it wasn’t a matter of signing some papers and moving on without a fair amount of drama.
While dealing with the back-and-forth of the divorce, the reality star filed a motion to have the court declare her legally single, even though the divorce hadn’t yet been finalized. California courts have the power to declare someone legally single in the midst of a complicated divorce process involving custody, property or other specific conditions under California Code.
Why ask to be declared legally single instead of simply rushing the dissolution of the marriage? Well, divorces take time and most people just want to get on with their lives. This declaration grants the freedom to remarry, change his name and file taxes as “single.”
The judge granted Kardashian’s request, and she was free to do whatever she wanted. A year later, the couple reached an agreement: shared custody, no spousal support for either of them, split expenses for the children’s safety and education, and Ye paying $200,000 a month. Although the end of their love story was a disaster, Kardashian made it clear that she will always support her ex. “I will always be Kanye’s biggest fan… He is the father of my children. Kanye will always be family.”
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt
“Brangelina” was the dream couple who dominated headlines for a decade before making their marriage official in 2014. They seemed like the perfect match to fans who followed their every move, but once Pitt put the ring on it, things started to go awry. Sources say much of their troubles stemmed from irreconcilable differences in raising their children. Pitt dreamed of a traditional, structured environment, while Jolie preferred something more free and autonomous.
The final straw came in 2016, when Jolie filed for divorce, citing not only the difference in their parenting styles, but also an alleged incident in which Pitt allegedly strangled and beat one of their children during a private flight from their French winery, Château Miraval, to Los Angeles. Although Pitt was cleared of any abusive behavior, that did little to heal the family wounds.
Jolie persisted with her divorce filing, a process that has been drawn out due to the complexities typical of Hollywood divorces. In California, it is possible for couples to legally separate and be declared single before the divorce is finalized. In this case, the judge issued a bifurcated judgment, allowing the two to legally exist as separate individuals before the divorce was officially final. Thus, Pitt and Jolie were declared legally single eight years ago, but the divorce remains unfinished. Disputes continue, encompassing custody of their twins, Knox and Vivienne (who are still minors), finances, and Château Miraval.
Amid this whirlwind, the couple’s first biological daughter, Shiloh, petitioned to legally change her father’s last name on her 18th birthday. Vivienne, 16, has also dropped her father’s last name, appearing only as Vivienne Jolie in her mother’s Broadway show, The Outsiders. But the first to take the initiative was Zahara, who last fall decided to introduce herself as Zahara Marley Jolie (without Pitt) when she joined the Mu Pi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Khloé Kardashian and Lamar Odom
Khloé Kardashian and Lamar Odom met at a party for former Lakers teammate Metta World Peace (now Metta Sandiford-Artest), and the spark was immediate. Within 30 days of meeting each other, they were engaged, and just nine days later, they said “I do” in a quickie wedding.
For the first two years, their love seemed indestructible. But like a gathering storm, the second half of their marriage was overshadowed by rumors and storms. After months of denying gossip and standing by her man, Koko decided to end the romance in 2013, following persistent rumors of infidelity and addiction.
Odom was reluctant to sign any paperwork, slowing down the process. Finally, in July 2015, they reached an agreement. But Kardashian called off the divorce when Odom was found unconscious at the Love Ranch, a brothel near Las Vegas. Addicted to sex and drugs, Odom received Kardashian’s support during his recovery.
In May 2016, the KUWTK star restarted the divorce process and the separation was finalized in December of the same year. Since then, Odom has not stopped expressing his desire to reconcile with his ex. Fortunately, the prenuptial agreement facilitated the separation of assets, but Khloé did not stop there: she officially requested to return to her maiden name. A separation full of drama and addiction, which reminds us that in Hollywood, love can be as volatile as a reality show.
Lisa Bonet and Lenny Kravitz
In the glamorous world of Hollywood, where divorces are often a battleground, Lisa Bonet and Lenny Kravitz broke off their surprisingly friendly relationship. Their shared love lives on through their daughter, Zoë Kravitz, a bond that shines just as brightly as their love stories.
It all began in 1985, when they met backstage at a concert. In 1987, the couple decided to elope and secretly marry. Just a year later, they welcomed their daughter Zoë, marking the beginning of a family that followed its own rhythm and wasn’t afraid to show its authenticity. But four years later, despite their union, they announced their separation.
Although the details of their separation have always been a mystery, one thing was clear: Zoë, at just 4 years old, moved in with Kravitz in New York following the divorce. Despite the painful turn of events, Kravitz and Bonet have proven to be the friendliest exes Hollywood has ever seen.
In a recent People cover, Kravitz spoke about Bonet’s lasting impact on her life: “Love doesn’t go away, it just needs to find a new way to channel itself into a new life. We wanted to do it consciously. It took time, believe me, but she will always be a part of my life. She will never leave my heart, my soul, or my spirit. I am who I am because of our experience.”
The friendship between these two exes remains a lesson in how love and respect can survive even after the relationship has ended.
Jennifer López and Marc Anthony
Jennifer Lopez has long claimed that Marc Anthony predicted her fate ever since they met in 1998, during her performance in The Capeman on Broadway. Six years later, that prophecy came true, just five months after J.Lo broke up with Ben Affleck (the first time).
The couple celebrated the birth of their twins, Max and Emme, in 2008, but in 2023, Lopez confessed to W Magazine that she soon realized that her marriage was not what it was meant to be. Her hunches were not ignored.
In 2011, Anthony filed divorce papers. The two agreed to joint legal and physical custody of the twins, stating that the children would primarily live with Lopez, while Anthony would have seven days of visitation per month, with a nanny at his disposal.
They both covered their own legal fees and costs, and following the divorce, Jennifer Muñiz went back to her maiden name, Lopez. Although the separation was not easy, it can be considered one of the friendliest in Hollywood, despite their irreconcilable differences. A classy separation, worthy of a dream movie, but with a more realistic ending.
Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher
After years of what seemed to be a blissful union, Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore were visibly distant on their sixth wedding anniversary in September 2011. Their apparent heartbreak stemmed from Kutcher’s alleged fling with a 22-year-old blonde named Sara Leal in San Diego the year before. Leal made headlines by claiming to have had unprotected sex with the That ’70s Show actor, but Moore and Kutcher maintained a facade of unity.
But, as is often the case, faking happiness has an expiration date. In November 2011, Moore finally announced her decision to split from Kutcher, just two months after their anniversary.
Even though Moore was the one who struck the first blow in 2011, it was Kutcher who took the initiative to formalize the process by officially filing for divorce in 2012. It took Moore three months to respond, but in the end, the couple managed to pull the plug on their legal lives and finalize their divorce in November 2013, exactly two years after they made their split public. The reason for the delay? Money. Reports indicated that the couple was locked in a battle over how to divide hundreds of millions of dollars.
Kutcher assured the court that he wasn’t asking for spousal support, but that he wouldn’t object if Moore asked for it, which she did. Ultimately, this divorce was all a numbers game, baby.
Johnny Depp and Amber Heard
Amber Heard and Johnny Depp met on the set of The Rum Diary in the late 2000s. Although the film was released in 2011 and they were both engaged to other people at the time, fate had other plans for these two.
The Hollywood “bad boy” and the Texan star said “I do” in a private ceremony on Depp’s secluded island in the Bahamas in February 2015. Sadly, their romance didn’t last as long as Kim K and Kris Humphries’, lasting only about 455 days (which is more than six times the length of Kim K and Kris’ marriage, if you think about it).
In May 2016, Heard filed for divorce and a restraining order following an allegation of domestic violence. The MTV Movie & TV Award-winning actress initially asked for $50,000 a month in spousal support, plus custody of one of the couple’s dogs. She also requested that Depp undergo court-ordered anger management — all this just three days after the death of Depp’s mother.
Although the judge dismissed her requests, the couple reached a settlement just a day before their restraining order trial was set to begin. Heard was awarded $7 million and agreed to drop the domestic abuse allegations and the restraining order.
In a joint statement in 2016, the couple said, “Our relationship was intensely passionate and at times volatile, but always bound by love. Neither party has made false accusations for financial gain. There was never any intention of physical or emotional harm. Amber wishes the best for Johnny in the future. Amber will donate the financial proceeds of the divorce to charity.”
“Intensely passionate” is one way to sum up their turbulent love story. As you know, Depp sued Heard for defamation three years after the divorce. More than 500 million people watched as the former couple unearthed the most intimate and scandalous details in a six-week trial in 2022. After a two-and-a-half-day deliberation, the jury found in Depp’s favor, and Heard was ordered to pay him $1 million.
Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries
Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries were introduced in 2010 in New York by New Jersey Nets teammate Jordan Farmar. After a few months of romance, the former NBA player proposed to Kim in May 2011. The couple tied the knot in August, and not to miss a moment of the drama, E! aired their $10 million wedding in October, with the episode Kim’s Fairytale Wedding doing double duty for the big production. Sadly, the fairytale fell apart sooner than expected.
Kardashian filed for divorce exactly 72 days after the marriage. The reason? The harsh reality of lack of communication and failure to address crucial issues, such as where they would live. Following Kim K’s filing, Humphries demanded $7 million, an annulment, and attorney fees. However, he was left with nothing: he received no money, the marriage dissolved, and he had to cover his own legal expenses.
In a Keeping Up With The Kardashians special, Kim confessed in front of the cameras that she should have trusted her instincts and not married Humphries. “I felt immense pressure, I thought I was going to disappoint everyone,” Kardashian revealed during the first part of the reunion episode “Final Curtain.” “The show paid us a fee to film the show. I used all of my fee, probably Kris’s too, because I wanted a bigger wedding than they were going to pay us. So I spent all of our production money on the wedding.”
Although there was speculation that the wedding was a stunt for the show’s ratings, Kim has been adamant in denying those claims. Along with Britney Spears and Jason Alexander’s fleeting 55-hour wedding, the Kardashian-Humphries saga remains one of the shortest and most flashy marriages in Hollywood. A true dream that turned into a nightmare.
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