Actors Seem to Have Amicably Reached Divorce Settlement

Even our readers who have little interest in Hollywood types likely are familiar with high-profile couple Melanie Griffith and Antonio Banderas. The two actors, married almost 20 years ago, announced their break-up last year.

Now the couple’s divorce has been finalized, and the divorce papers have been made public. The couple, who publicly described their break-up as “consensual,” reached agreements on spousal support and educational expenses for their daughter. They also worked out the distribution of their properties in some of the country’s most affluent areas and division of the considerable income and assets the two amassed, individually and together, throughout their years together.

Banderas will be paying Griffith $65,000 in spousal support each month until and unless she remarries. He is no longer under any obligation to pay the expenses of the couple’s daughter, who is 19. However, under the settlement, he will cover any educational costs for her through September 2021.

Griffith is keeping the couple’s Aspen home, while Banderas is retaining the couple’s Manhattan co-op. They are splitting the almost $16 million they made from the sale of their Los Angeles area home (which was two adjacent properties). They also agreed on how to divide multiple vehicles, artwork and other property. It appears that they are each keeping some of their own items like jewelry and electronic equipment.

Interestingly, the couple reportedly signed a postnuptial agreement back in 2004 that stipulated that they would split all money they made from their entertainment projects from January of that year through May of 2014. The divorce filing occurred later in 2014.

Certainly, there’s no way of knowing what went on behind the scenes before the divorce was finalized. However, this case shows that couples with extensive assets can find a way to divide them up without an ugly, high-profile court spectacle. In the end, that generally works out best for everyone.

Source: Los Angeles Times, “Antonio Banderas will pay Melanie Griffith $65,000 a month; their divorce is final,” Christie D’Zurilla, Dec. 08, 2015