divorce
Jessica Simpson and her husband of 10 years, former NFL tight end Eric Johnson are splitting up. According to People, Simpson, 44, told the magazine that the pair have separated and are living apart.
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“Eric and I have been living separately navigating a painful situation in our marriage,” Simpson said in a statement. “Our children come first, and we are focusing on what is best for them. We are grateful for all of the love and support that has been coming our way, and appreciate privacy right now as we work through this as a family.”
After dating for four years, the couple got married on July 5, 2014 and have three children together: daughters Maxwell Drew, 12, and Birdie Mae, 5 and son Ace Knute, 11. At press time a spokesperson for Simpson had not returned Billboard‘s request for comment and it did not appear that the singer had made any further statement on the pair’s break-up.
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Last week, she posted a sunny selfie with the message, “Life is short. SMILE while you still have teeth.” People also reported that Johnson was spotted without his wedding ring in November, which was around the time that Simpson teased a musical comeback in a chat with Footwear News.
“It’s like a retreat for me,” she said about temporarily moving her family from Los Angeles to Nashville last summer to work on her first new album in more than 13 years. “I get to just crawl up inside my head and embrace my heart. I feel so enlightened there. Writing music has become a beautiful therapeutic thing for me that I didn’t know was so natural, but it’s because I haven’t done it in so long. It’s just nice to know that I’m meeting myself back in this place, as a woman, and after going through everything that I’ve been through in my life. There’s a sense of freedom and empowerment.”
Around that time Simpson also posted a series of glam shots on Instagram from what she said were interviews in her “Nashville music room where I unearthed my singular magic.” She described her musical comeback back then as being “personal, it’s an apology to myself for putting up with everything I did not deserve.”
Though the singer has not discussed specific plans to divorce, if the couple do unwind their marriage it would be the second divorce for Simpson, who was married to 98 Degrees singer and Perfect Match host Nick Lachey from 2002-2005; the couple famously starred in MTV reality show Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica. Johnson was previously married to stylist Keri Johnson, whom he divorced in 2010.
At press time no addition information was available on Simpson’s new album, which would be her first since 2010’s Happy Christmas; her last non-holiday release was 2008’s Do You Know, which peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200. She also released “Particles” as a one-off single in 2021. Simpson’s debut album, Sweet Kisses, came out on Columbia Records in 1999 and included her highest-charting single to date, “I Wanna Love You Forever,” which topped out at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
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Early last year it was reported that Chance the Rapper and his wife of five years, Kristen Corley, were filing for divorce, and now, the two seem to have reached some common ground on how to go about things as they go their separate ways.
According to XXL, both Chance and Kristen have agreed to the terms of their divorce settlement and though the details of said settlement have yet to be revealed, it brings the two one step closer to putting a stamp on their divorce proceedings. Awaiting the signature of the judge overseeing their separation, this happens to be one of the quickest celebrity divorces we’ve seen in history, as they tend to drag out for years with each person looking to get or keep more of their riches and belongings.
Per XXL:
Chance and Corley were wed in a marriage ceremony in March of 2019 that was attended by family and friends in Newport Beach, Calif. However, in October of 2022, Kirsten spoke out after Chance’s X account liked a sexually explicit post. In April of 2023, she released a statement after a video of Chano dutty wining on women at Carinval went viral.
Last April, the former partners released a joint statement on Instagram announcing their breakup. “After a period of separation, the two of us have arrived at the decision to part ways,” the post shared via Instagram Story read. “We came to this decision amicably and with gratitude for the time we spent together. God has blessed us with two beautiful daughters who we will continue to raise together. We kindly ask for privacy and respect as we navigate this transition. Thank you – Chance & Kirsten.”
Between this, Remy Ma and Papoose’s breakup and Cardi B and Offset’s marriage going off the rails, we can’t help but feel that true love is a thing of the past. We blame social media for all of it. Just sayin’.
What do y’all think of Chance the Rapper and Kristen Corley calling it quits after five years of marriage? Let us know in the comments section below.
Less than a year after publicly announcing their split, Chance the Rapper and his longtime partner Kirsten Corley have settled their divorce. The settlement, or a Stipulation to Hear Uncontested Cause, was filed this month in Cook County, Illinois, as indicated by court records reviewed by Billboard and first reported by TMZ. Chance and Corley […]
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck have settled their divorce. The singer-actress filed court papers Monday (Jan. 6) asking a judge to officially approve an agreement struck in September that would finalize the divorce.
The latest filing comes about five months after the “Let’s Get Loud” musician submitted her divorce petition on Aug. 20, 2024 — which would have been the exes’ two-year anniversary of their Georgia ceremony — listing their date of separation as April 26, 2024. In her initial documents, the singer-actress cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for their split.
According to the settlement documents obtained by Billboard, the two stars agreed on terms to divide up their properties and assets. Both waived spousal support and agreed to equally split the legal fees of their negotiation, which was mediated by Laura Wasser. Lopez will also be changing her legal name back from Jennifer Affleck to Jennifer Lopez.
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The pair first started dating in 2002 after meeting on the set of Gigli, later getting engaged before calling off their wedding in 2004. Nearly two decades later, the pair reignited their relationship in 2021 and tied the knot in a Georgia ceremony the next year.
“I never thought that he and I would get back together,” Lopez told Billboard in February 2024 of their relationship ahead of the release of her film This Is Me… Now: A Love Story, which chronicled their rekindled romance. “I just couldn’t give up on the idea that there was something amazing out there for me, even when it got really bad — and it did at times. I always believed deep, deep down to not give up completely.”
The Marry Me actress was previously married to Ojani Noa, Cris Judd and Marc Anthony, with whom she shares two kids. Affleck was previously married to Jennifer Garner; the two share three children.
In October, Lopez opened up about her feelings toward being single again following her split from Affleck. “I think to myself, ‘F–k, that is exactly what I needed,’” she told Interview. “Thank you, God. I’m sorry it took me so long. I’m sorry that you had to do this to me so many times. I should have learned it two or three times ago. I get it … I’m not looking for anybody, because everything that I’ve done over the past 25, 30 years, being in these different challenging situations, what can I f–king do when it’s just me flying on my own … What if I’m just free?”
Daddy Yankee (real name: Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez) and his longtime wife Mireddys González are getting divorced. The Puerto Rican artist announced the news on Monday (Dec. 2).
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“With a heart full of respect and honesty, I want to share some important news about my personal life,” he said in a statement on his Instagram Stories. “After more than two decades of marriage and after many months of trying to save my marriage, which my wife and I share, today my lawyers respond to the divorce petition received by Mireddys.”
He continued to note that his faith in Christ was his refuge and constant guide as the couple — who were high school sweethearts and have two grown kids — tried to overcome their differences. “This is not an easy time, but I understand that it is part of my life process,” he shared. “It is time to accept and continue. Protect my stability, my children and everything built over so many years. I deeply thank those who have accompanied us during this journey and I ask that you respect our privacy in this process. I know that this news may surprise many.”
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In the letter, he expressed his respect for González’s decision and that he is “grateful for the time we shared, full of blessings and values, of love and with a beautiful family that will continue to be our priority.”
González was manager of the former reggeatón artist, and CEO of El Cartel Records, and is widely known to wield broad influence over her Yankee’s music career — which the artist previously said to Billboard: “She’s the boss. She has always been the boss.”
The surprising divorce news comes just two months after Billboard reported that indie music giant Concord acquired parts of the music publishing and recorded music catalog of the Puerto Rican superstar. The deal encompasses certain rights to Daddy Yankee songs including “Con Calma,” his rights as a featured artist on “Despacito” and “Gasolina.”
This year, Daddy Yankee has also been devoted to his faith and beliefs. He opened up about his new life chapter during his four back-to-back farewell concerts in Puerto Rico in late 2022.
“For many years I’ve tried filling a void in my life that no one could fill,” the global Latin urban star told fans at the time. “I tried finding a purpose — on many occasions it seemed as if I was happy, but something was missing for me to feel complete. I have to confess that those days are over, and someone was able to fill that void that I felt for a lot of time. I realized that for everyone I was someone, but I was no one without him.”
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The recent rumors of Kanye West and Bianca Censori divorcing recently made headlines. Some say that this was a plot so Ye can divert the attention away from his ex-assistant suing him for assault.
As spotted on Page Six, an unnamed individual is claiming that the speculation of the celebrity couple parting ways is actually fake news. An alleged insider told Daily Mail that the hearsay was concocted by Kanye and his team. “Kanye is concerned that his new lawsuit will drag him down to Diddy’s level and he has been speaking to his legal reps,” the tipster said. “He is paying attention to what is going on with Diddy and some believe that the publicity stunt was a way of overshadowing the details of the harrowing lawsuit.”
Kanye West’s former assistant Lauren Pisciotta says she was drugged and taken advantage of by her former boss during a recording session at a studio where Diddy was present. She claims she was offered a beverage “laced with an unidentified drug.” She then says she felt “disoriented” and in “less control of her body and speech.” She woke up the next morning with very little memory of the day prior but says Kanye later admitted to her that the two had hooked up.
“Still to that day, up until that conversation and revelations of true facts and actions taken that night, Plaintiff did not know or think she was sexually assaulted that night, as Plaintiff only thought she was roofied by a studio assistant, likely embarrassed herself and then took the blame,” the lawsuit reads. While Pisciotta says Diddy was at the recording session, he is not accused of any wrongdoing.
Back in June, the rapper’s lawyers responded to the lawsuit calling it baseless. Kanye West and Bianca Censori have been married since 2022.
Ethan Slater and Lilly Jay are now legally divorced, TMZ reports.
The couple separated last year, after which the Broadway actor began dating his Wicked co-star Ariana Grande.
According to TMZ, Slater and his high school sweetheart — who share a young son — reached a settlement that was approved by a judge as of Thursday. Like all divorces in the state of New York, the terms of the agreement are sealed.
Billboard has reached out to Slater’s reps for confirmation.
The news comes about a year and two months after reports first emerged of the Broadway actor’s romance with the “Yes, And?” singer, whom he met on the set of Jon M. Chu’s Wicked films. A few days after news of his relationship with Grande surfaced, Slater filed to divorce Jay on July 26, 2023, after five years of marriage.
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Meanwhile, Jay told Page Six at the time: “[Ariana’s] the story really. Not a girl’s girl. My family is just collateral damage.”
The following September, Grande filed to legally end her marriage to luxury realtor Dalton Gomez two years after they tied the knot, logging their date of separation as Feb. 20, 2023, in the court documents. The Victorious alum and Slater have since kept their romance low-key, though the couple have been seen out in public together a number of times. In April, Grande supported Slater at his final Broadway performance of Spamalot, and in June, the pair attended the Stanley Cup finals together.
As for the public scrutiny she’s faced for her relationship over the past year, the “7 Rings” star has remained diplomatic. Ahead of the release of her Billboard 200-topping album Eternal Sunshine, she acknowledged on The Zach Sang Show that the negative attention presented “an insatiable frustration, an inexplicable hellish feeling with watching people misunderstand the people you love, and you.”
A year after Joe Jonas filed for divorce from former Game of Thrones actress Sophie Turner, a Florida judge declared the former couple divorced and single. According to a copy of the agreement obtained by Billboard, on Friday a Miami-Dade County judge approved a confidential, moderated agreement between the two that splits their assets and details spousal support and custody of the pair’s two daughters, four-year-old Willa and two-year-old Delphine.
The sign-off came a year after the 35-year-old Jonas Brothers singer filed for divorce from Turner, 28, ending their five-year marriage. Judge Gina Beovides declared the marriage “irretrievably broken” and said the couple entered into a voluntary, confidential parenting plan and separation agreement that was in the best interest of the family. “Specifically as relates to the parties’ Parenting Plan, [Jonas] previously voluntarily dismissed all relief and claims sought in relation to said Parenting Plan,” read Judge Beovides’ final judgement paperwork, dated Sept. 6.
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Before their split became acrimonious over a disagreement over custody of their children, the couple issued a joint statement last September in which they said they were parting on friendly terms. “After four wonderful years of marriage we have mutually decided to amicably end our marriage,” their announcement began. “There are many speculative narratives as to why but, truly this is a united decision and we sincerely hope that everyone can respect our wishes for privacy for us and our children.”
At the time Jonas filed for divorce he deemed the marriage “irretrievably broken” and filed paperwork seeking joint custody of the children. The former couple first met in 2016 before tying the knot in two ceremonies in 2019, a surprise Las Vegas wedding in May of that year, followed by a lavish wedding at the next month in the South of France.
Weeks after Jonas’ divorce filing, English actress Turner sued her ex for custody of their daughters, alleging that the singer had engaged in “wrongful retention of of two children… from their habitual residence of England,” in a bid to force Jonas to hand over the girls’ passports so they could join her in her native country.
At the time, the girls — who were born in the U.S. but have dual citizenship — were with Jonas in New York while he was on tour with the Jonas Brothers; Turner claimed that the couple had agreed to raise their children in England before the marriage fractured. She also claimed that she learned about the divorce filing through media reports, though he said they had discussed it several times.
In January, Turner dropped her “wrongful retention” suit when the pair reached a co-parenting agreement.
In the 24 hours after Jennifer Lopez filed for divorce from Ben Affleck, streams on the former’s The Greatest Love Story Never Told documentary — which dove into the couple’s rekindled romance after a 20-year split — skyrocketed. According to Luminate, U.S. viewership of the Prime Video flick jumped from 10.7k minutes watched on Tuesday […]
Jennifer Lopez has filed for divorce from Ben Affleck after two years of marriage, according to People and first reported by TMZ.
The documents reportedly list the date of separation as April 26, 2024, but were filed on Aug. 20, which marks the two-year anniversary of their wedding ceremony in Georgia. Lopez and Affleck have yet to publicly announce their separation.
Lopez and Affleck first began dating back in 2002 after meeting on the set of Gigli, the first of two movies they would star in together (the second being Jersey Girl in 2004), before getting engaged. The couple delayed their planned 2003 wedding before calling it quits in 2004. Just a month after the couple officially tied the knot in Las Vegas, Bennifer celebrated their marriage in August 2022 in front of family and friends at their home in Riceboro on the Hampton Island preserve outside of Savannah, Georgia.
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The marriage marked Lopez’s fourth wedding, following Ojani Noa, Cris Judd and Marc Anthony. Affleck was previously married to Jennifer Garner.
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“I never thought that he and I would get back together,” Lopez told Billboard earlier this year of her relationship with the actor. “I just just couldn’t give up on idea that there was something amazing out there for me, even when it got really bad — and it did at times. I always believed deep, deep down to not give up completely. It wasn’t until I got to the point where I was really OK on my own and not having to be in a relationship when I feel like universe kind of opened up and said, ‘Well here you go.’”
She added of the duo sharing the astrological sign of Leo, “Let me tell you it’s fiery! It’s great, and it’s challenging. We are both very willful. If you know what Leos are like, you know we’re passionate. Oh my God, so passionate, the both of us. One of us gets on a tangent about something, it’s like, ‘Just sit down and let him have his moment.’ Or he needs to sit down and let me have my moment. We know each other in that way and we’re getting to know each other again, which is really beautiful too.”
Reports of trouble in the marriage began in the spring, when Affleck was notably absent from the Los Angeles and Mexico City premieres of Netflix’s Atlas, which J.Lo starred in. During a promo stop in Mexico City in May, a reporter asked, “Is your divorce with Ben Affleck real? These rumors?”
In video of the exchange, Lopez’s co-star Simu Liu jumped in and said, “Okay, we’re not doing that. Thank you so much guys, we really appreciate it. Thank you.” Lopez then looked at the the reporter and said, “You know better than that.”