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Madonna and Guy Ritchie are the latest power couple to exit the land of wedded bliss. Following months of media speculation, British tabloid The Sun broke the news early Wednesday morning.
Given the fame of both Guy and Madge, their split ensures a media maelstrom, but when it comes to money, the settlement may not be as noteworthy. Though the material girl made $40 million last year, the most expensive celebrity divorces have historically been the provenance of superstar men and their relatively unknown wives.
"The problem is going to be that you can't value their assets that easily," says divorce attorney Raoul Felder. As well, while the couple claims to be friendly, a long arbitration period or settlement negotiations can change the nature of the discussions, says Felder. "It's too early to tell."
Celebrity divorces are big business. Tabloids voraciously cover them. Fans hungrily follow them. Lawyers and business managers protectively orchestrate them. And they certainly are common. This year alone saw the breakups of Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe, Hulk and Linda Hogan and Cynthia and Alex Rodriguez.
Many Hollywood marriages last barely long enough for the ink to dry on the marriage licenses. Singer Kid Rock and Baywatch babe Pam Anderson were wed for just four months. Actress Drew Barrymore's nuptials to comic Tom Green hit the skids after five months. Pop diva Jennifer Lopez and backup dancer Chris Judd managed to make it to only the eight-month mark before calling it quits.
Who did what to whom is far less important in a celebrity divorce than who gives what to whom. Generally, the bigger the star, the greater the payout. For the showbiz legends who landed on our list of the 10 Most Expensive Celebrity Divorces, the spectacular settlements with their exes made Hollywood history.
The list is populated exclusively by superstar men who settled with their ex-wives--a reflection of the historic dominance men have played in the entertainment industry. Though stars like Kirstie Alley and Janet Jackson have ponied up settlements to their ex-husbands, the biggest awards, by far, are paid out by men.
Expensive as these divorces are, the husbands can certainly afford them. Many of them have dominated our annual Celebrity 100 ranking of the world's most powerful--and best-paid--stars for years. For instance, Steven Spielberg, who split from wife Amy Irving in the late 1980s, made $130 million last year alone (overall, his net worth is estimated at $3.1 billion). Genesis, fronted by Phil Collins, who divorced third wife Orianne Cevey after a reported $47 million settlement last August, pulled in $31 million on tour last year.
By and large, these weren't quickie marriages--after all, in general, the longer the marriage, the richer the payout. On average, these one-time power couples were married for 12.5 years, and the settlements reflect that. Case in point: Former television producer Marcia Murphey walked away with $150 million, or half her ex's fortune. She's "worth every penny," remarked her husband of 25 years, music icon Neil Diamond. And the divorce between basketball great Michael Jordan and his wife Juanita, married for nearly 18 years, could be the most expensive showbiz divorce ever. Jordan earned much of his vast fortune during the course of the marriage (mostly off the court, thanks to rich endorsement deals).
And to prove that divorce hasn't soured them to marriage, several members of the list have remarried. Following his divorce from Amy Irving, Spielberg wed Indiana Jones actress Kate Capshaw. And after 10 years as a bachelor, Kevin Costner, once one of Hollywood's most ubiquitous and top-earning actors, got remarried in 2004 to Christine Baumgartner, nearly 20 years his junior.
Given the fame of both Guy and Madge, their split ensures a media maelstrom, but when it comes to money, the settlement may not be as noteworthy. Though the material girl made $40 million last year, the most expensive celebrity divorces have historically been the provenance of superstar men and their relatively unknown wives.
"The problem is going to be that you can't value their assets that easily," says divorce attorney Raoul Felder. As well, while the couple claims to be friendly, a long arbitration period or settlement negotiations can change the nature of the discussions, says Felder. "It's too early to tell."
Celebrity divorces are big business. Tabloids voraciously cover them. Fans hungrily follow them. Lawyers and business managers protectively orchestrate them. And they certainly are common. This year alone saw the breakups of Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe, Hulk and Linda Hogan and Cynthia and Alex Rodriguez.
Many Hollywood marriages last barely long enough for the ink to dry on the marriage licenses. Singer Kid Rock and Baywatch babe Pam Anderson were wed for just four months. Actress Drew Barrymore's nuptials to comic Tom Green hit the skids after five months. Pop diva Jennifer Lopez and backup dancer Chris Judd managed to make it to only the eight-month mark before calling it quits.
Who did what to whom is far less important in a celebrity divorce than who gives what to whom. Generally, the bigger the star, the greater the payout. For the showbiz legends who landed on our list of the 10 Most Expensive Celebrity Divorces, the spectacular settlements with their exes made Hollywood history.
The list is populated exclusively by superstar men who settled with their ex-wives--a reflection of the historic dominance men have played in the entertainment industry. Though stars like Kirstie Alley and Janet Jackson have ponied up settlements to their ex-husbands, the biggest awards, by far, are paid out by men.
Expensive as these divorces are, the husbands can certainly afford them. Many of them have dominated our annual Celebrity 100 ranking of the world's most powerful--and best-paid--stars for years. For instance, Steven Spielberg, who split from wife Amy Irving in the late 1980s, made $130 million last year alone (overall, his net worth is estimated at $3.1 billion). Genesis, fronted by Phil Collins, who divorced third wife Orianne Cevey after a reported $47 million settlement last August, pulled in $31 million on tour last year.
By and large, these weren't quickie marriages--after all, in general, the longer the marriage, the richer the payout. On average, these one-time power couples were married for 12.5 years, and the settlements reflect that. Case in point: Former television producer Marcia Murphey walked away with $150 million, or half her ex's fortune. She's "worth every penny," remarked her husband of 25 years, music icon Neil Diamond. And the divorce between basketball great Michael Jordan and his wife Juanita, married for nearly 18 years, could be the most expensive showbiz divorce ever. Jordan earned much of his vast fortune during the course of the marriage (mostly off the court, thanks to rich endorsement deals).
And to prove that divorce hasn't soured them to marriage, several members of the list have remarried. Following his divorce from Amy Irving, Spielberg wed Indiana Jones actress Kate Capshaw. And after 10 years as a bachelor, Kevin Costner, once one of Hollywood's most ubiquitous and top-earning actors, got remarried in 2004 to Christine Baumgartner, nearly 20 years his junior.
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