4 Celebrity Divorces That Dragged On Way Too Long
The world has witnessed some of the greatest love stories through celebrity relationships. Recently, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck have been testimony to that. On the flip side, the media has documented the messy details behind doomed romances. In the wake of their shockingly fast split, Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen can relate to that. Though it wasn’t the case for the NFL star and supermodel, some celebrity divorces have dragged on for years.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have endured 1 of the most prolonged celebrity divorces
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have been embroiled in a divorce for so long that many people might not know the two actors are still legally married. After falling in love on the set of Mr. and Mrs. Smith in 2004, Jolie and Pitt finally wed in August 2014. But the marriage would be short-lived.
Citing irreconcilable differences, Jolie filed for divorce in 2016. TMZ reported that Pitt’s alleged substance abuse drove Jolie away. The Girl, Interrupted star also implied Pitt had anger problems.
The sordid details came to light when the FBI opened a child abuse investigation on Pitt in 2016 after an alleged attack on Jolie and one of their sons on a private flight. The BBC stated that the altercation prompted the Lara Croft: Tomb Raider star to take action and file for divorce. On top of that, the media covered Jolie’s allegations that Pitt was behind on child support payments.
Those weren’t the only matters complicating the already complex situation. Judge John W. Ouderkirk oversaw the divorce proceedings, but when things began to go awry, Jolie petitioned to remove him. At first, the appeal was denied, but in 2021, Ouderkirk, who had officiated Pitt and Jolie’s wedding, was removed from the case due to an ethics breach, Us Weekly reported.
Six years after Jolie initiated the divorce, many observers still wonder, is their split official yet? Unfortunately, it isn’t. The custody of their six children and a shared French winery appear to be the issues on which the two stars can’t agree. Coincidentally, the couple tied the knot at that winery.
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver finalized their split 10 years after she filed for divorce
Arnold Schwarzenegger, famous for action movies like The Terminator and Predator, found himself in the headlines for his personal life in 2011.
Schwarzenegger met Maria Shriver in 1977 and finally took their relationship to the next level in 1986. Four children and 25 years of marriage later, everything seemed to be going well for the pair. However, everyone now knows that wasn’t the case.
In 2011, Shriver filed for divorce. Making the circumstances even more intriguing, Schwarzenegger announced days later that he had fathered a secret child more than a decade earlier. His son, then 14, resulted from Schwarzenegger’s undisclosed affair with a member of his family’s household staff.
Despite the shocking revelation, Schwarzenegger and Shriver have maintained an amicable relationship since their split. In 2021, 10 years after they filed the paperwork, Shriver and Schwarzenegger’s divorce was finalized. NBC News reported that a complicated property settlement and a lack of motivation were the main reasons the process took so long.
Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony’s drawn-out divorce wasn’t the stars’ fault
J.Lo may have finally gotten her fairytale ending, but it wasn’t with Marc Anthony. After dating for six months, the “I Need to Know” crooner and “Jenny from the Block” singer tied the knot in an intimate 2004 ceremony in Lopez’s Beverly Hills home.
After several years together and the birth of their twins, the stars called it quits and announced their separation in 2011. The following year, Anthony filed for divorce. But it took until 2014 for Lopez and Anthony’s divorce to be finalized. The Los Angeles Times cited court backlogs as a delay in entering the final judgment.
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner
Like his now-wife, Ben Affleck has endured ups and downs on the roller coaster of love. Of course, his relationship with Daredevil co-star Jennifer Garner was part of the journey.
Garner and Affleck went from dating in 2004 to married in 2005. A decade later, the couple revealed they would go their separate ways. However, it took about three years for them to do that.
According to Insider, the delay could have had something to do with the rumors implying Garner had called off the divorce. The couple’s hesitation seemed to be the primary reason their split took so long. After separating in 2015, they finally filed to end their marriage in April 2017, taking their breakup to the next level. The pair finalized their divorce in 2018.
How to get help: In the U.S., contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration helpline at 1-800-662-4357.
How to get help: In the U.S., call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text START to 88788.
