Celebrity couples who split after decades together
CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO – NOVEMBER 14: Actor Ewan McGregor (R) and Eve Mavrakis attend The 4th Annual Los Cabos International Film Festival closing night gala on November 14, 2015 in Cabo San Lucas, M (Image: Getty Images)
Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness’ shock announcement
Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness announced their separation in September 2023 after 27 years of marriage. They married in April 1996 and share two adopted children, Oscar and Ava. In a joint statement, they said they were ‘shifting’ to pursue individual growth.
Meryl Streep and Don Gummer kept it private
Meryl Streep and sculptor Don Gummer separated in 2017, with the separation publicly confirmed in October 2023. They married in 1978 and have four children, Henry, Mamie, Grace and Louisa. A spokesperson said they had been living separate lives for years.
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver’s long legal end
Maria Shriver filed for divorce from Arnold Schwarzenegger in July 2011 after 25 years of marriage. They married in April 1986, and their divorce was finalised in December 2021. Schwarzenegger later confirmed he fathered a child with the family’s housekeeper during the marriage.
Bill and Melinda French Gates ended 27 years
Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates announced their divorce in May 2021 after 27 years of marriage. They married in January 1994, and their divorce was finalised in August 2021. They share three children, Jennifer, Rory and Phoebe.
Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie Scott’s rapid split
Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie Scott announced their divorce in January 2019 after 25 years of marriage. They married in 1993, and their divorce was finalised in April 2019. Scott received a stake in Amazon as part of the settlement and later became a major philanthropic donor.
Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin’s headline-making phrasing
Gwyneth Paltrow and Coldplay’s Chris Martin announced their separation in March 2014 after more than 10 years of marriage. They married in December 2003, and their divorce was finalised in 2016. They share two children, Apple and Moses.
Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman’s sudden split
Tom Cruise filed for divorce from Nicole Kidman in February 2001 after about 10 years of marriage. They married in December 1990 and adopted two children together, Isabella and Connor. They also co-starred in Stanley Kubrick’s film Eyes Wide Shut (1999).
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s split became a saga
Angelina Jolie filed for divorce from Brad Pitt in September 2016 after two years of marriage and more than a decade together. They married in August 2014 and have six children, Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Knox and Vivienne. They co-starred in Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005).
Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner’s marriage ended
Christine Baumgartner filed for divorce from Kevin Costner in May 2023 after 18 years of marriage. They married in September 2004 and share three children, Cayden, Hayes and Grace. Their divorce was finalised in February 2024.
Sofía Vergara and Joe Manganiello asked for privacy
Sofía Vergara and Joe Manganiello announced their divorce in July 2023 after seven years of marriage. They married in November 2015, and their divorce was finalised in April 2024. They released a joint statement asking for privacy as they navigated the split.
Paul McCartney and Heather Mills under tabloid glare
Paul McCartney and Heather Mills divorced in 2008 after nearly six years of marriage. They married in June 2002 and have one child together, Beatrice (born 2003). Their divorce settlement was widely reported in the UK press at the time.
Madonna and Guy Ritchie’s marriage ended in 2008
Madonna and filmmaker Guy Ritchie divorced in 2008 after about seven years of marriage. They married in December 2000, share a son, Rocco (born 2000), and adopted a son, David Banda, during their marriage. Ritchie directed Madonna in the film Swept Away (2002).
