The Most Eye-Wateringly Expensive Celebrity Divorce Settlements Ever

While everyone declares eternal love and support while at the altar, it does not always mean that the marriage will last. Divorce is a very real reality, with about half of marriages eventually ending. Celebrities are notorious for not being able to stay in marriages, and even more notorious for just how much money gets thrown around during divorce proceedings. Some celebrity divorce settlements have been absolutely astronomically high. Here are some of the most expensive ones to date.

Reba McEntire & Narvel Blackstock – $47.5 Million

Country star Reba McEntire and her husband Narvel Blackstock shocked fans when they announced their divorce in 2015. Despite the painful separate, the two have remained on good terms. Assuming their assets were divided evenly, the settlement comes out to $47.5 million

Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt – $400 Million

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were a controversial pair at the start, but they grew to become one of Hollywood’s most beloved couples. Their bombshell divorce announcement followed by their difficult proceedings were a media sensation. By 2019, they were officially divorce, with the parents sharing joint custody of their six children.

Kevin Costner & Cindy Silva – $80 Million

Kevin Costner and Cindy Silva were married for 16 years, practically eternity for Hollywood. They have two kids together, but the rumors were that Costner had not been faithful to Silva and eventually he had to pay her $80 million as a settlement. Costner later admitted that he had had a child with socialite Bridget Rooney.

Alec & Jocelyn Wildenstein – $2.5 Billion

Alec Wildenstein is a French billionaire businessman who was married to Jocelyn Wildenstein, who is known for her extensive cosmetic plastic surgery procedures. When the two divorced, she received a $2.5 billion settlement.

Michael & Diandra Douglas – $45 Million

Michael Douglas married Diandra in 1977, but 18 years later, Diandra filed for a divorce. The divorce settlement came out to half of Douglas’ net worth at the time, which came out to about $45 million. They have a son together.

Robert & Sheila Johnson – $400 million

Robert Johnson is the co-founder of the TV station BET. He and his wife of 33 years, Sheila, decided to divorce in 2002. Sheila received a $400 million settlement. Robert had sold BET to Viacom in 2000, a deal that earned him $3 billion.

Bernie & Slavica Ecclestone – $830 Million

Bernie Ecclestone, the once CEO of Formula 1, and former model Slavica Ecclestone married in 1985 but ended up getting divorced in 2009. When the two divorced, Slavica received about $830 million from Bernie, and she ended up on The Sunday Times’ Rich List.

Rupert Murdoch & Anna Maria Torv – $1.2 Billion

Rupert Murdoch was married to Anna Maria Torv for 32 years before they decided to call it quits in 1999. At the time, Murdoch was worht about $8 billion, and Torv made out with a $1.2 billion settlement.

Heidi Klum & Seal – $70 Million

Heidi Klum is a German supermodel that’s also a judge on America’s Got Talent. She was married to singer Seal from 2005 until 2014. In 2012, they announced their divorce and it was finalized two years later. Despite their prenuptial agreement, their messy divorce ended up costing Klum about $70 million.

In 2006, Mel Gibson has quite a year: first he was arrested for a DUI, where he made some seriously offensive comments. His wife Robyn decided leave him after 26 years of marriage. By 2009, the divorce was finalized and she received about half of his net worth, coming out at about $425 million.

Frank & Jamie McCourt – $130 Million

Fox Entertainment Group and Dodgers Stadium owner Frank McCourt and his wife Jamie decided to call it quits in 2011. The final divorce settlement Jamie received came out to $130 million.

Ron Perelman & Ellen Barkin – $20 Million

Banker and investor Ron Perelman has been married several times. He married his fourth wife, Ellen Barkin, in 2000. However, in 2006, the two divorced and Perelman had to pay Barkin yearly alimony of about $2-3 million in addition to a payout that was about $20 million.

Ron Perelman married his fourth wife Ellen Barkin in June 2000. Just 6 years later, the two filed for divorce, and it ended up costing him. Ellen earned about $20 million after selling jewelry given to her by Perelman.

Greg Norman & Laura Andrassy – $103 Million

Golfer Greg Norman and Laura Andrassy were married for 25 years before they got divorced. Norman left Andrassy for tennis player Chris Evert. In the end, his decision ended up costing him $103 million that was awarded to Andrassy in the divorce.

Johnny Carson & Joanna Holland – $20 Million

Late night talk show legend Johnny Carson, who ended up married four times in his life, divorced Joanna Holland while he was at the peak point of his career. Thanks to his $15 million yearly salary, he was able to pay her a $20 million settlement in the divorce.

Adnan Khashoggi & Soraya Khashoggi – $874 Million

Saudi Arabian billionaire businessman Adnan Khashoggi was married to his wife Soraya from 1961 until they divorced in 1974. Soraya was a 20 year old Englishwoman named Sandra Daly when they met. She converted to Islam, and they had five children together. Soraya ended up with a $874 million settlement, and Adnan went on to get married two more times in his life.

Colin Firth & Livia Giuggioli – Approx. $12.5 Million

Colin Firth was married to Livia Giuggioli from 1997 until 2019. Giuggioli admitted that she had been having an affair with Italian journalist Marco Brancaccia, who is a childhood friend of hers. Their divorce settlement came out to $12.5 million, which was about half of Firth’s fortune at the time.

Kelsey & Camille Grammer – $30 Million

Kelysey Grammer was married to third wife Camille from 1997 until they divorced in 2011. They have two children together, and Camille ended up with a $30 million settlement. She is mainly known for being on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

John & Beverly Charman -$54 Million

Businessman and CEO of Endurance Specialty Insurance, Ltd. John Charman married his childhood sweetheart Beverly. At the time, he was completely broke, but he worked his way up to becoming one of London’s wealthiest men. Beverly left her job to be a stay at home mom and homemaker. She ended up receiving a $54 million settlement when they divorced after 28 years of marriage.

Samathur Li-kan & Florence Tsang-Chiu-wing -$157 Million

Samanthur Li-kan became one of Hong Kong’s richest men after becoming a successful real estate mogul. The billionaire ended up divorcing Tsang Chiu-wing in 2008 after she refused to have an abortion. He was ordered by a Hong Kong judge to pay her about $157 million.

Roman & Irina Malandina – $300 Million

Russian billionaire Roman Malandina married Irina in 1991, but the two decided to divorce in 2007. At the time, his net worth was at about $8 billion, and she was awarded $300 million in the settlement. This amount included lavish homes in Moscow and London in addition to a large sum of money.

Jesse Williams & Aryn Drake-Lee – Approx. $4 Million

Jesse Williams is best known for his role on hit TV show Grey’s Anatomy. He was married to real estate broker Aryn Drake-Lee before the two decided to divorce. They had an amicable divorce, and it is estimated that Drake-Lee was given about $4 million in the settlement.

Ted Dansen & Casey Coates – $30 Million

Ted Dansen and Casey Caotes met in 1976 and the two were married by 1977. They ended up getting a divorce in 1993, as Dansen’s affair with Whoopi Goldberg contributed to the end of their marriage. It was known at the time to be one of Hollywood’s costliest settlements, as Dansen had to pay $30 million total.

Harrison Ford & Melissa Mathison – $118 Million

Harrison Ford and Melissa Mathison were one of Hollywood’s golden couples for about 17 years. In 2001, they announced that they were divorcing, shocking fans. They did not have a prenuptial agreement, and so Mathison was awarded about $118 million in a settlement. The two have two children together.

Johnny Depp & Amber Heard – $6.8 Million

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard have had one of the messiest Hollywood divorces of all time, with their abuse allegations and trials against one another being highly publicized. Heard was given $6.8 million in the settlement, which she pledged to donate to charity, although she did not end up donating the money.

Rupert Murdoch & Wendi Deng – $1.8 Million

Just 17 days after his divorce from his previous wife, CEO of News Corporation Rupert Murdoch ended up marrying Wendi Deng. However, Murdoch and Deng ended up divorcing as well, and Deng made out with a $1.8 million settlement.

James Cameron & Linda Hamilton – $50 Million

Director James Cameron has directed some of the most successful films of all time, including Titanic and Avatar. While Titanic was being filmed, Cameron was having an affair, and just two days after won an Oscar for the movie, he and Linda Hamilton announced their divorce. She ended up leaving with a $50 million settlement.

Alec Baldwin & Kim Basinger – Approx. $3 Million

Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger were married from 1993 until 2002, when they went through a very tough divorce. She blocked his visitation rights, which meant he couldn’t see their daughter Ireland. Once the divorce was finally finalized, she got a settlement of $3 million.

Steve & Elaine Wynn – $741 million

Real estate developer and art collector Steve Wynn married Elaine Pascal in 1963, getting a divorce in 1986. The two decided to get married once again in 1991, but ultimately couldn’t make it work a second time either, and they divorced again in 2010. Elaine received a $741 million settlement.

Paul McCartney & Heather Mills – $48.6 Million

Paul McCartney is a musical legend. He married his first wife Linda in 1969, but she sadly passed away in 1998. He married his second wife Heather Mills in 2002 in a lavish wedding in Ireland, which itself cost $3.2 million. They ended up getting a divorce in 2008, and their bitter divorce ended with a $48.6 million settlement he paid to Mills.

Vladimir Potanin & Natalia Potanina – $7 Billion

Vladimir Potanin, a Russian billionaire, was married to his wife Natalia for 30 years. In 2013, they got divorced, and following a lengthy and complicated divorce, Natalia ended up walking away with a $7 billion settlement.

Michael Polsky & Maya Polsky – $184 Million

Michael Polsky is a businessman who is best known for his work with SKyGen. He was married to his wife until they got a divorce in 2003. The settlement ended up costing Michael about $184 million.

Charles Fipke & Marlene Fipke – $200 Million

Charles Fipke’s fortune came when he discovered diamonds located in the Northwest Territories of Canada. He and his ex-wife Marlene got divorced, and she ended up receiving a $200 million settlement, becoming one of Canada’s costliest divorce settlements of all time.

Gwen Stefani & Gavin Rossdale – $25 Million

It seemed like Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale would be one of the rare successes of Hollywood marriages, as they managed to survive an affair Rossdale was involved with. However, following 20 years together, 13 of which they were married for, they got a divorce. The settlement ended up being $25 million. Stefani is now married to country star Blake Shelton.

Steven Spielberg & Amy Irving – $100 Million

Iconic film director Steven Spielberg married Amy Irving in 1985, but just 3 years later, they decided to get a divorce. Irving received a $100 million settlement, which is one of the most expensive in history. However, Spielberg seems to be okay, considering his net worth is about $4 billion.

Hilary Duff & Mike Comrie – $2.5 Million

Hilary Duff is best known to everyone as Lizzie McGuire from the hit Disney Channel TV show of the same name. In 2010, she married former NHL player Mike Comrie. They had a son together, but in 2016, they got divorced. The settlement came out to $2.5 million. Duff has since married musician Matthew Koma, with whom she shares two daughters.

Demi Moore & Bruce Willis – $90 Million

Demi Moore and Bruce Willis were another staple Hollywood couple before they decided to get divorced in 2000 following 11 years of marriage. Regarding the divorce, Willis said that he “had failed as a father and husband.” Demi received a $90 million settlement and later married Ashton Kutcher in 2005, though they also got divorced, in 2013.

Arnold Schwarzenegger & Maria Shriver – $375 Million

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver had been married for 25 years when she found out that he had engaged in an affair with their housekeeper, who ended up having Arnold’s secret child. Shriver and Schwarzenegger did not have a prenuptial agreement, and she ended up walking away with $375 million.

Harold Hamm & Sue Ann Arnall – $974.8 Million

Billionaire Harold Hamm amassed a huge fortune by being involved in the gas and oil industries. Following 24 years of marriage, he and Sue Ann Arnall decided to get a divorce in 2012. Arnall ended up with a staggering $974.8 million settlement.

Teddy Landau & Michelle Branch – Approx. $300,000

Grammy award singer and songwriter Michelle Branch married her bassist Teddy Landau in 2004. They separated in 2014, and their divorce was finalized in 2015, with their settlement coming to about $300,000.

Allen And Tawanna Iverson – $32 Million

Allen Iverson is a basketball star who was married to his wife Tawanna for 24 years. Iverson was about $150 million in debt and in divorce court was noted to say: “I don’t even have money for a cheeseburger!” By 2013, the two were divorced and Tawanna walked away with $32 million as promised in their prenuptial agreement.

Madonna & Guy Ritchie – $92 Million

Madonna and Guy Ritchie were married for only 7 years before they decided to get a divorce. However, since they did not have a prenup when they got married, Ritchie received a massive payout as a divorce settlement, which came out to about $92 million.

Dmitry & Elena Rybolovlev – $4.5 Billion

Dmitry and Elana Rybolovlev were married for 26 years before they called it quits and decided to get a divorce. It was a long and difficult divorce that stretched over 6 years, but in the end, Elena ended up walking away with about $4.5 billion.

Lionel Richie & Diane Richie – $25 Million

Singer Lionel Richie married his second wife Diane Richie, but the two were married for just seven years before calling it quits. They had a long and arduous divorce battle, but in the end, Diana ended up receiving $20 million as well as their $5 million mansion.

Jeff Bezos And MacKenzie Bezos – $35 Billion

Jeff Bezos founded Amazon and has since become one of the wealthiest people on the planet. He married his wife MacKenzie in 1993, but in 2019, the two announced that they were getting a divorce. MacKenzie received an astounding $35 billion in the settlement, as well as a 4% stake in Amazon.

Garth Brooks & Sandy Mahl – $125 Million

Country singer Garth Brooks was married to his college sweetheart Sandy Mahl, but following 15 years of marriage, the two ended up getting a divorce. Mahl received about $125 million in the divorce settlement.

Neil Diamond & Marcia Murphey – $150 million

Neil Diamond and Marcia Murphey were married for 25 years, and despite having two kids together, the two could not make it work out. Diamond had been unfaithful to Murphey, and after she found out, she divorced him. After she received $150 million in the settlement, Diamond said: “she’s worth every penny.”

Jennifer Lopez married actor and dancer Chris Judd in 2001, but just two years later, the two were officially divorced. He received about $14 million in the settlement. Lopez would go on to get married twice afterwards, first to Mac Anthony, who she divorced in 2014, and most recently, she married Ben Affleck in July 2022.

Prince Charles and Princess Diana seemed to have a literal fairytale marriage, but behind the scenes, it was anything but happy. They two both engaged in affairs and betrayals before finally getting a divorce. Diana received about $22 million after the dust settled.

Craig McCaw & Wendy Petrak – $450 Million

Craig McCaw made $12 billion when he sold his company McCaw Cellular to AT&T. After being married to Wendy Petrak for 21 years, the two divorced, and she ended up receiving $450 million cash in the settlement.

Tiger Woods & Elin Nordegren – $750 Million

Tiger Wood and Elin Nordegren were married for 6 years when she discovered that he had been unfaithful to her on multiple occasions with many different women. Following their 2010 divorce, and a lot of pain and suffering, she received a $750 million settlement.

Kenny Rogers has been married five times throughout his life, so he’s been through the divorce process on multiple occasions. His fourth divorce was his most expensive. His 1993 divorce from Marianne Gordon cost him $60 million in the end.

Kenny Rogers is well acquainted with the divorce process, as he has been married five times total. His fourth divorce was the most expensive one, when he was divorcing Marianne Gordon. The 1993 divorce ended when Kenny had to hand over $60 million to Marianne.

Dr. Phil McGraw & Debbie Higgins – Approx. $1 Million

Dr. Phil married his high school sweetheart Debbie Higgins, but the pair were married for just three years before they decided to get a divorce. However, this was before he became a TV star, and so she received $1 million in a settlement. She has referred to herself as “the secret first wife of Dr. Phil.”

Michael Strahan married Jean Muggli in 1994, and the two got married in 1999. They went through many ups and downs before finally deciding to divorce. Muggli received a $15 million settlement from Strahan in addition to the $18,000 in monthly child support payments.

Michael Jordan and Juanita Vanoy got married in 1989 and went on to have three children together named Jasmine, Jeffrey, and Marcus. In 2002, they first filed for divorce but decided to try to make it work. However, they filed for divorce a second time and by 2006 it was finalized. She recieved a $168 million settlement, which became the biggest celebrity settlement at the time.

Eddie Murphy and Nicole Mitchell met in 1988 and got married in 1993. They have five children together, but despite this, she filed for divorce in 2005. By 2006, the divorce was finalized and she received a $15 million settlement. The two remain on friendly terms.

Rupert Murdoch & Anna Torv – $1.7 Billion

Rupert Murdoch was married to his wife Anna for 32 years before they got divorced in 1999. She received $1.7 billion in assets, including $110 in cash. Only 17 days later, Murdoch married Wendi Deng, who was only 30 years old at the time.

Boris Berezovsky & Galina Besharova – $160 Million

Russian billionaire Boris Berezovsky married his second wife Galina Besharova in 1991. They were married until 2010 when the two got divorced and Besharova ended up walking away with a $160 million settlement.

Donald Trump & Ivanna Zelníčková – $25 Million

Long before he was president, Donald Trump was a New York City elite mainstay, and when he was married to Czech model Ivanna Zelníčková, the two seemed to be everywhere. They have three children together: Donald Jr., Ivanka, and Eric Trump. Following his infamous affair with Marla Maples, he and Ivanna got divorced in 1992, and she received a $25 million settlement.

Mick Jagger & Jerry Hall – $25 Million

Mick Jagger married model Jerry Hall in an unofficial private marriage ceremony in 1990. The two had four children together, but while they were together, he had an affair with model Carla Bruni, who later became the First Lady of France. He had another affair with model Luciana Gimenez, and when Hall found out, she ended her relationship with Jagger. Their marriage was declared void and she received a $25 million settlement.

Slash & Perla Ferrar – $6.6 Million

Slash married Perla Ferrar in October 2001. They had two sons together, Cash Anthony and London Emilio. Slash filed for a divorce in 2010, but they reconciled. He filed for divorce again in 2014. Once the divorce was finalized, Ferrar was given a $6.6 million settlement as well as $39,000 a month in child support.