The 10 Unforgettable Celebrity Divorces We Can't Stop Talking About
Hollywood marriages are complicated; the divorces are harder.
If there’s one thing we know, it’s that Hollywood isn’t just the land where dreams live; it’s also the place where celebrity divorces thrive.
Over the years, we’ve all watched celebrities criss-cross their super powers and become some of the world’s most influential power couples. But simultaneously, we’ve all witnessed those superstars hit hard times when their forever love becomes something more akin to a seasonal fling. Their heartbreak is real, but so too are the finances and consequences that come with saying “I don’t” (anymore). From Kim K and Ye’s stressful split to Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s years-long drama, we’ve seen it all. And now, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s marriage and subsequent divorce is getting messier by the minute. California’s community property laws are straightforward, but the two can’t seem to find an amicable way to divvy up their hundreds of millions of dollars in assets. Sounds like quite the headache.
But if you think this one’s bad, trust us when we say there have been worse. So, we’re here to help you remember some of the biggest celebrity divorces over the years that are living rent-free in our heads.
Bey says “if you like it, put a ring on it,” but based on what we’ve learned from these cases, it pays to think twice before locking it down.
However, before we get to the main list, it's worth going over some honorable mentions. There are a lot of high-profile celebrity divorces that didn't make the cut. Otherwise, you'd be scrolling for days, and ain't nobody got time for that. So, let's rapid fire these:
Tom Cruise v. Nicole Kidman: They were Hollywood’s biggest stars and the quintessential ’90s “it” couple; unfortunately, we live in the 2020s now and both have since gone their separate ways.
Jennifer Aniston v. Brad Pitt: These two were one of America’s favorite couples in Tinseltown, but they didn’t last long. After five years, they called it quits, but Aniston always said she hopes they can be friends.
Cindy Crawford v. Richard Gere: This couple kept their separation cute and quiet, just like their wedding day. Three years dating; four years married; 19 years apart in age. You can do the math.
Reese Witherspoon v. Ryan Phillipe: They may have met on the set of Cruel Intentions, but they never had any towards each other—not even after the divorce.
Now, on with the list!
1.Jennifer Lopez v. Ben Affleck
Case No.: Not Available
Court: Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles
Married: 2 years
Year Legally Separated: 2024
Year Legally Divorced: Pending
Who Filed: Jennifer Affleck (née Lopez)
Reasoning: Irreconcilable differences
The Facts: This coupling has a decades-old tale that will not be as old as time.
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck met while filming Columbia Pictures’ rom-com Gigli in 2002. The film may have flopped, but their relationship flourished until she ended things in 2004—just before marrying Marc Anthony. Fast-forward 19 years, and the couple Hollywood nicknamed “Beniffer” reconnected in 2021. They went IG official during that same summer, and J.Lo’s diamond was shining bright by April 2022. In July 2022, they said, “I do,” and the rest was history—albeit temporary.
For two years, the rekindled couple hit red carpets, got coordinating tattoos, appeared at awards shows, and supported each other as they embarked on a catalog of new films, including The Accountant 2 and Marry Me. But rumors swirled of a possible split as Lopez was repeatedly seen looking stressed and not sporting her wedding ring in April. Neither initially addressed the whispers, but the couple listed their 12-bedroom, 38,000-square-foot Beverly Hills home for sale at a cool $68 million in July. The home was purchased for just over $60.8 million.
The award-winning actress officially pulled the plug in August and filed for divorce in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles. She fully dropped her maiden name when marrying Ben, but now she wants it back—a typical request for the actress as she has always reverted back to her old name after a divorce.
While the two don’t share any children, they do share a handful of properties, vested financial interests, and general community property, and all because they didn’t have a prenup. Both Lopez and Affleck have top lawyers, and both are sticking to their guns.
There’s a thin line between love and hate, but it looks like they’ve finally reached their limit.
2.Jennifer Lopez v. Marc Anthony
Case No.: BD562379
Court: Los Angeles Superior Court
Married: 2004
Year Legally Separated: 2011
Year Legally Divorced: 2014
Who Filed: Marc Anthony (Legally Muñiz)
Reasoning: Irreconcilable differences
The Facts: According to Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony predicted she was going to be his wife when they met while Anthony was performing in The Capeman on Broadway in 1998. Six years later, his predictions came true, five months after she ended things with Ben Affleck (the first time).
While the two later welcomed their twins, Max and Emme, into the world in 2008, Lopez told W Magazine in 2023 that she “knew very quickly that it wasn’t the right thing.” Her feelings didn’t go ignored.
Anthony filed for divorce from Lopez in 2011. Both filed for and were granted joint legal and physical custody of the twins, and per their agreement, the kids’ primary place of residence remains with Lopez while Anthony has them for seven days per month, with a nanny present.
Both paid their own attorneys fees and costs, and Jennifer Muñiz changed her name back to Lopez after the divorce. You can consider this one of Hollywood’s more amicable partings, despite their irreconcilable differences.
3.Kim Kardashian v. Kanye West
Case No.: 21STFL01626
Year Married: 2014
Year Legally Separated: 2021
Year Legally Divorced: 2022
Who Filed: Kim Kardashian
Reasoning: Irreconcilable differences
The Facts: There’s a lot to unpack when it comes to Kim Kardashian and Ye, so we’ll cut to the chase.
Kim K filed for divorce after a series of bizarre and highly-questionable events took place over several years. At the time of filing, the couple had combined assets worth $2.1 billion—West worth $1.3 billion and Kardashian worth $780 million. But with multiple properties, business ventures, investments, and child custody on the line, simply signing some papers and moving on wasn’t possible without a fight.
While working through the back-and-forth of the divorce, the reality star filed a motion asking the court to change her status to legally single—even though she was not officially divorced. California courts have the authority to deem a person legally single amid complicated divorce proceedings involving custody, property issues, or other specified conditions under California Code.
If you’re wondering why someone would request that the court declare them legally single instead of simply pushing the court to dissolve the marriage is because divorces take time, and most people just want to get on with their lives. The status change gives individuals the freedom to remarry, change their name, and file taxes as “single.”
The judge granted Kardashian’s request, and she was free to be outside as she pleased. The couple reached a settlement a year later, agreeing to joint custody; no spousal support being required from either side; split expenses for their kids’ private security and private school, including college; and Ye paying $200,000 per month in child support.
Although the end of their love story wasn’t pretty, Kardashian made it clear that she will always be on her ex-husband’s side. “I will forever be Kanye’s biggest fan…He’s the father of my kids. Kanye will always be family.”
4.Kim Kardashian v. Kris Humphries
Case No.: BD554004
Court: Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles
Year Married: 2011
Year Legally Separated: 2011
Year Legally Divorced: 2013
Who Filed: Kim Kardashian
Reasoning: Irreconcilable differences
The Facts: Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries were introduced to one another in New York by Humphries’ then New Jersey Nets teammate, Jordan Farmar, in 2010. They dated for a few months, then the former NBA player popped the question in May 2011. The couple married in August, and E! aired the $10 million wedding in October, dubbing the episode Kim’s Fairytale Wedding. Unfortunately, the fairytale was short-lived.
Kardashian filed for divorce exactly 72 days after tying the knot to her now-second husband. Why? Because they got a harsh reality in the importance of communication and realized they never addressed the important issues, like where they were going to live. Upon Kim K’s filing,
Humphries was seeking $7 million, an annulment, and attorney fees. However, nothing was in his favor as he received no money, the marriage was dissolved, and he had to pay his own attorney fees.
During a Keeping Up With The Kardashians reunion special, Kim told cameras she should have followed her gut, trusted her cold feet, and not marry Humphries.
“I felt pressure, I thought I was going to let everyone down,” Kardashian said while filming Part One of the reality show’s “Final Curtain” reunion episode. “The show paid us, obviously, a fee to film the show. I took my entire fee and probably Kris’ [fee] because I wanted a bigger wedding than what they were going to pay for. So I used all of our production money on the wedding.”
Audiences speculated that the wedding was simply for show ratings, but the socialite and businesswoman has always remained adamant that was far from the truth.
Next to Britney Spears and Jason Alexander’s 55-hour wedding, this dreams-and-nightmares saga will always be one of Hollywood’s shortest marriages.
5.Nick Cannon v. Mariah Carey
Case No.: Not Available
Court: Not Available
Year Married: 2008
Year Legally Separated: 2014
Year Legally Divorced: 2016
Who Filed: Nick Cannon
Reasoning: Irreconcilable differences (reportedly)
The Facts: If Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon were going for shock and awe when announcing their nuptials, just know the wedding gave exactly what it was supposed to give—because it was a surprise to us all.
Cannon and Carey imprinted on each other (Twilight style) when the Wild ‘N Out founder starred opposite the singer in the video for her 2008 single, “Bye, Bye.” Then, just like that, they were married in a secret wedding rumored to take place on the island of Eleuthera in the Caribbean.
They made a life together with twins Moroccan and Monroe, but Cannon filed for divorce six years after lacing her with a multimillion-dollar diamond. Carey kept the children in the couple’s Manhattan apartment while the Drumline actor moved into a hotel. But the two were feeling all the emotions of this separation, no matter how good they made things look on the outside.
Carey was three hours late for her 2014 Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting because she was on the phone dealing with lawyers, arguing over property and custody of their twins. Then, Cannon refused to sign the final divorce papers, months after all pending issues were settled.
Regardless, it ended. The actor is now required to put $5,000 per month in a trust for Morocco and Monroe while Carey is not required to pay into the trust fund. As of 2016, per their agreement, Carey pays for Nick’s travel and lodging expenses when he comes to see the kids, and she had to sign over the title to their 2012 Ferrari. The kids are not allowed to call anyone else mom, dad, or any variation of the sort.
Both were allowed to keep their individual earnings because of a solid prenup in place.
Minus the contention, both seem to be co-parenting just fine these days. That said, Cannon swore off marriage after his divorce, but he’s still down to spread his seed—we mean, the love.
6.Khloé Kardashian v. Lamar Odom
Case No.: BD593072
Court: Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles
Year Married: 2009
Year Legally Separated: 2013
Year Legally Divorced: 2016
Who Filed: Khloé Kardashian
Reasoning: Irreconcilable differences
The Facts: This coupling (and subsequent uncoupling) is a unique story.
Khloé Kardashian and Lamar Odom met at a party held for Odom’s former Lakers teammate, Metta World Peace (now Metta Sandiford-Artest). They instantly hit it off and got engaged 30 days after they started dating. Nine days later, the wedding bells chimed and they both said, “I do.”
For the first two years, the two shared an undeniable love for each other, but the latter half of their marriage couldn’t seem to stand the rain. And after months of dismissing the rumors and standing by her man, Koko decided to file for divorce in 2013 after ongoing rumors of infidelity and drug abuse. Odom initially refused to sign any papers, impeding the process, but the two finally came to an agreement on the terms of their divorce in July 2015. However, Kardashian called things off after her estranged hubby was found unconscious at the Love Ranch, a brothel located just outside of Las Vegas.
He was addicted to sex and drugs, but Kardashian supported him through his recovery. The KUWTK star then refiled for divorce in May 2016. The couple officially parted ways in December of that year, though Odom has since continuously stated that he wants his ex back.
The two had a prenup in place, so the separation of assets wasn’t hard, but Khloé did petition to drop “Odom” and revert back to her maiden name.
7.Angelina Jolie v. Brad Pitt
Case No.: BD646058
Court: Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles
Year Married: 2014
Year Legally Separated: 2016
Year Legally Divorced: Pending
Who Filed: Angelina Jolie
Reasoning: Irreconcilable differences
The Facts: “Brangelina” was a high-profile, decade-old couple before they officially tied the knot in 2014. They looked like the perfect couple to those watching their every move, but things seemed to change once Pitt put a ring on it.
Sources have said many of their issues and unhappiness stemmed from not being on the same parenting page. Pitt wanted a traditional, structured environment. Jolie didn’t. Instead, she wanted to allow them to live freely, to discover happiness on their own terms. Jolie ultimately filed for divorce in 2016, not just because of a difference in parenting styles, but because Pitt allegedly choked her and hit one of their children while traveling on a private plane from their French winery, Château Miraval, to Los Angeles. Pitt was cleared of any abusive behavior, but that didn’t bring the family back together.
The Tomb Raider actress moved forward with her divorce petition, but she’s been in it for the long haul because Hollywood divorces are complicated.
Remember, California allows couples to legally separate and be declared single before their divorce is final. In this case, the judge issued a bifurcated judgment, which means the two now legitimately exist as two individuals instead of one couple before the divorce is actually finalized.
The Golden State is one of seven states that recognizes and allows bifurcated divorce judgements, but it’s the only one that governs the concept by statutory code.
Because of this, Pitt and Jolie were declared legally single eight years ago, but as of today, their divorce still isn’t done. Continuing issues include custody of their twins, Knox and Vivienne (who are still minors), finances, and Château Miraval.
And because no one wins when the family feuds, the couple’s first biological child, Shiloh, petitioned to legally drop her father’s last name on her 18th birthday, doubling down on her allegiance to her mother. Vivienne, who’s only 16, recently dismissed her father’s last name and solely listed herself as Vivienne Jolie in her mother’s Broadway show, The Outsiders.
But it’s the couple’s eldest daughter, Zahara, who kicked things off last fall when she opted to introduce herself as Zahara Marley Jolie (no Pitt) when crossing into the Mu Pi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Let’s be real, this split is a lot.
8.Lisa Bonet v. Lenny Kravitz
Case No.: Not Available
Court: Not Available
Year Married: 1987
Year Legally Separated: 1991
Year Legally Divorced: 1993
Who Filed: Not Available (But rumor says it was Lisa Bonet)
Reasoning: Not Available
The Facts: Unlike most couples in Tinseltown, Lisa Bonet and Lenny Kravitz’s divorce ended amicably, and the proof of love shared between the two is seen through their daughter, Zoë Kravitz.
The two met backstage at a concert in 1985 and found themselves united in holy matrimony after eloping in 1987. A year later, they welcomed their daughter into the world. The couple moved to their own beat and weren’t afraid to express themselves, but four years after walking down the aisle, the two announced their split.
The couple have always kept the details surrounding their separation private, but one thing they couldn’t hide was the fact that a then 4-year-old Zoë ultimately went to live with Kravitz in New York after the divorce. But even through a painful turn of events, the rock star and the Emmy-nominated actress are some of the friendliest exes we’ve ever seen in Hollywood.
In his recent People cover story, Kravitz said he isn’t who he is without Bonet: “The love doesn’t leave you, but it has to find a new way to funnel itself into a new life. We consciously wanted to do that. It took time, believe me, but she is a part of my life that will never leave my heart, my soul or my spirit. I am what I am because of our experience.”
9.Demi Moore v. Ashton Kutcher
Case No.: BD575318
Court: Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles
Year Married: 2005
Year Legally Separated: 2011
Year Legally Divorced: 2013
Who Filed: Ashton Kutcher
Reasoning: Irreconcilable differences
The Facts: After years of what seemed to be marital bliss, Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore were noticeably apart during their sixth wedding anniversary in September 2011. According to TMZ, their lack of love arose from an alleged affair between the That ’70s Show actor and a 22-year-old blonde named Sara Leal in San Diego a year prior. Leal came forward, claiming to have had unprotected sex with the Iowa-born actor, but Moore and Kutcher handled the headlines as a united front.
But because faking the funk can only last so long, Moore announced her decision to separate from Kutcher in November, just two months after their wedding anniversary.
But while Moore was the one to announce the separation in 2011, it was Kutcher that made the move to pull the plug and officially file a petition for divorce in 2012. Moore took three months to respond to the filing, but eventually the estranged couple was able to return to the (legally) single life and finalized their divorce in November 2013, exactly two years after publicly recognizing their split. The reason for the unwanted wait time? Money. According to reports, the couple was fighting over how to divide hundreds of millions of dollars.
Kutcher told the court he wasn’t asking for spousal support but didn’t want the court to deny Moore of any if she requested it, which she did.
When it was all said and done, this one was all about the benjamins, baby.
10.Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard
Case No.: BD641052
Court: Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles
Year Married: 2015
Year Legally Separated: 2016
Year Legally Divorced: 2017
Who Filed: Amber Heard
Reasoning: Irreconcilable differences
The Facts: Amber Heard and Johnny Depp met on the set of The Rum Diary in the late 2000s. The film dropped in 2011, when both individuals were attached to other people, but that didn’t stop them from finding their way to each other over time.
Hollywood’s “bad boy” and the Texas-bred starlet said “I choose you” during a private ceremony on Depp’s secluded Bahamian island in February 2015. Unfortunately, they only chose each other for approximately 455 days (which is over six times longer than Kim K’s marriage to Kris Humphries if you think about it).
Heard filed a restraining order, stemming from a domestic violence complaint, when she filed for divorce in May 2016. The MTV Movie & TV Award-winning actress initially requested $50,000 per month in spousal support in addition to protection for one of the couple’s shared dogs. She also petitioned for court-ordered anger management for Depp, and she did all this within three days of Depp’s mother passing.
Though the judge denied all three requests, the couple reached a settlement just one day before their restraining order trial was set to begin. Heard was awarded $7 million dollars and agreed to drop the domestic abuse charges and restraining order as a result.
The couple made a joint statement to People in 2016 after the details of the settlement were unveiled to the public: “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 intent of physical or emotional harm. Amber wishes the best for Johnny in the future. Amber will be donating financial proceeds from the divorce to a charity.”
“Intensely passionate” is one way to explain their tumultuous love affair. As you know, Depp sued Heard for defamation three years after their divorce. More than 500 million people watched as the former couple bared the details of their most private moments and poor behavior for a jury of 12 peers in 2022. The trial lasted six weeks and ultimately ruled in favor of Depp after a two-and-a-half-day deliberation. Heard was ordered to pay her ex-husband $1 million.
This is definitely a story for their rum diary.
