From Custody Battles To Property Settlements — Celebrity Relationships With The Longest Divorce Periods

Jan 06, 2022 by apost team

Celebrity couples typically gain a lot of attention from the media. Whether it is paparazzi following people on dates or fans gossiping on social media, nothing garners more publicity than a celebrity divorce. While typical divorces take at least six months to finalize, the celebrities on this list were separated and were in the process of divorcing for much longer than that. 

Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck, as well as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver, are just a couple examples of couples that had long divorces. In the case of Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries, the divorce lasted longer than their entire marriage, which was 72 days. Most of these couples have already moved on and some have even been remarried.  

Divorce in the US is defined as the dissolution of marriage and the bonds of matrimony so that both parties are returned to single status. Part of what takes divorces so long to finalize is the issues of spousal support, child custody and child support. Distribution of property is also a factor. For a celebrity with a ton of income and assets, the process becomes even more complicated at times. 

Celebrity divorces are not exactly glamorous and can become quite drawn out. Taking a look at some of the longest and most publicized divorces in recent history can give some insight into the process and perhaps become a cautionary tale for single people looking to rush into marriage. Keep reading to see the list of celebrity couples that decided they were better off divorced.

These two were together for 25 years, marrying in 1986 and officially filing for divorce in 2011. Schwarzenegger admitted to a cheating scandal that resulted in the birth of a child. Despite being separated for so long, the couple’s divorce was not finalized until a decade later in 2021. The divorce took so long due to a “lack of motivation” and a “very complicated property settlement agreement.”

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This couple has been separated since 2012, but in 2020 Frankel revealed on an episode of “Watch What Happens Live” that she and Hoppy were not officially divorced yet. Hoppy’s lawyers said that he was ready to be done with the drawn-out process but Frankel’s lawyers weren’t ready to agree to the settlement. In January 2021, the divorce was finalized shortly before it was announced that Frankel was engaged to businessman Paul Bernon.

After nearly 12 years together, Pitt and Jolie officially separated in 2016. The couple shares six kids, three of which are adopted, and it was the custody agreement that seemed to hold up the divorce proceedings. It wasn’t until 2019 that the couple was restored to single status. In 2020, the custody battle continued but was ultimately settled in 2021.

This divorce went on for eight times as long as the marriage lasted. Kardashian and Humphries were married in 2011 and the relationship ended 72 days later. They were officially divorced in 2013 after disagreements over getting an annulment and accusations of fraud.

These two were married for almost 10 years and share three children together. Garner continued to remain amicable with Affleck and helped him through multiple visits to rehab. In 2016 she shared, “When his sun shines on you, you feel it. But when the sun is shining elsewhere, it’s cold. He can cast quite a shadow.”

This couple wasted no time and decided to get married after just six weeks of dating. Their marriage went on to last for six years, and they share two children together. Carey and Cannon separated in 2014 but were not officially divorced until November of 2016, which ended up being a month after Carey broke off her engagement to Australian billionaire James Packer.

Martin and Paltrow were married in 2003 and announced their “conscious uncoupling” in 2014. After 10 years of marriage, the pair decided to call it quits and their divorce was finalized in 2016. Paltrow said, “We have always conducted our relationship privately, and we hope that as we consciously uncouple and co-parent, we will be able to continue in the same manner.”

This pair was married for ten years before separating in 2011. Their divorce took three years to finalize. Lopez and Anthony cited both personal and professional issues as the reason for their split. No matter the circumstances, they remain amicable and share two children, twins named Max and Emme.

All of these celebrity couples gave love a fighting chance but decided to move forward with their lives in different relationships or as single individuals. 

Are you familiar with any of these celebrity divorces? Have you been through a divorce? Let us know your experiences and feel free to pass this along to your friends and loved ones.