How Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan’s Divorce Turned Messy

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Alas, Mike couldn’t wave his magic wand and make any divorce drama disappear.

Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan were married for nearly nine years. Their announcement in April 2018 that they were separating surprised many fans, as they had been a couple since meeting and falling in love while filming the 2006 movie Step Up.

The parents of 12-year-old Everly announced their separation with a friendly statement, explaining that their decision wasn’t caused by any hidden issues or scandalous behavior.

They described their relationship as a wonderful journey that was leading them in separate directions, explaining they were simply close friends who needed some distance to pursue their own happiness and support each other’s growth.

Although both Jenna Dewan and Channing Tatum eventually found happiness – Dewan now has two children with her fiancé, Steve Kazee – they didn’t quite manage to create the smooth and easy separation they’d initially hoped for.

Although Jenna Dewan and Channing Tatum officially divorced in November 2019, it took another five years for them to fully resolve the details of their separation, mainly disagreements about finances.

The main issue delaying things was Dewan’s expectation of financial compensation based on the massive success of Magic Mike, a film partly inspired by Tatum’s earlier days working as a stripper.

According to court filings from April 2024, Tatum’s success began with the 2012 film, which Channing helped develop and finance with marital funds during his marriage.

The film’s popularity led to additional sequels and other profitable ventures for Tatum, as stated in court documents. Because of this success, Dewan was requesting a greater share of the earnings from what was described as a hugely successful cultural event.

Although the specifics weren’t revealed at the time, court documents obtained by TopMob News show that Jenna Dewan and Channing Tatum’s divorce was finalized in September 2024 with both parties agreeing to waive alimony. They also decided to handle child custody arrangements privately and will each receive half of the pension benefits earned through their union during their marriage.

From what everyone could see, they had a perfectly good marriage – it seemed to be going strong for a long time. Then, suddenly, things just…changed. It was like they were on a steady path and then unexpectedly swerved off course, and I, like everyone else, was shocked.

Just two months before announcing their separation, Jenna Dewan told Health magazine that the idea of a “perfect” relationship is a myth. She explained that while she and Tatum seemed ideal to outsiders, no one is flawless. She believes relationships work well as long as both people continue to grow and evolve together, and that had been true for them – until recently.

She believes a strong relationship requires both partners to be self-aware and committed to personal growth, and willing to address their own flaws. She and her partner have always shared core values and have been open to doing that work, though she emphasizes they’re far from perfect. Like any couple, they experience disagreements and have moments where they struggle to connect.

It’s possible that Dewan, who filed for divorce in October 2018, hadn’t realized at the time that their marriage was about to end.

You know, relationships can be really tough, and I’ve definitely been there. Over the summer, I was talking to Variety about my past with Jenna, and it was a difficult time when we went our separate ways, especially because we were so young. We really gave it a shot – a year and a half, actually – hoping we could make things work, but ultimately we both knew it just wasn’t meant to be. Now, I’m happily dating Inka Williams, and I’ve learned a lot from past relationships with people like Jessie J and Zoë Kravitz.

He paused, then said it was over, but admitted it was still hard being away from his daughter so often. He wished he could see her constantly.

In a recent essay for InStyle published on January 22nd, Jenna Dewan reflected on her personal growth, particularly in 2024, writing that sometimes relationships end not because of failure, but because people simply change and grow apart – and that’s perfectly alright.

She shared how thankful she was for her family and her partner, Steve, and expressed excitement for the adventures they have planned this year. She’s hoping for some travel, plenty of fun with family, and maybe even a wedding!

So, what caused the delay in Dewan and Tatum finalizing their agreement? Here’s a closer look at the divorce proceedings that slowed things down:

Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan had a daughter, Everly, born on May 31, 2013. They legally separated in 2019, and later disagreed about financial issues.

In April 2024, Dewan asked the court to require both her and Tatum to provide testimony about all aspects of their marriage, including their business dealings and finances.

I’ve seen the initial document request, and it’s pretty extensive. She’s asked for years of personal and business tax returns, along with all sorts of financial records – even details about earnings from the Magic Mike movies! It seems like they’re really digging deep into everything.

The new actress claims she and Tatum jointly obtained the rights to Magic Mike. She alleges Tatum secretly placed the profits into a trust that cannot be changed and then transferred the licensing rights to another company, according to People magazine, which reviewed the court filings.

Tatum disputed her claim in his own filing, obtained by TopMob News.

According to court documents, the rights to Magic Mike were developed both during and after Channing Tatum’s marriage. He has put in significant work to improve Magic Mike and its associated businesses since the separation, and believes this effort has created a separate property interest for him.

According to court documents, his lawyer explained that the court will need to decide how to divide ownership of the intellectual property and related businesses, taking into account the work he did on them after the separation.

Dewan’s initial list of witnesses included several people who collaborated with Tatum on the Magic Mike films, such as director Steven Soderbergh and producers Nick Wechsler and Peter Kiernan.

Tatum’s initial list of witnesses, submitted to the court a day after Dewan filed hers and also reviewed by TopMob News, included his former wife’s fiancé, Steve Kazee.

Following accusations from Dewan that her ex-husband was concealing income, Channing Tatum – who was engaged to Zoë Kravitz at the time – filed legal documents in May 2024 denying the claims. He stated he had always intended for Dewan to receive her fair share of their assets and income, including profits from Magic Mike. Tatum also asserted that during their marriage, Dewan had full access to their financial managers and records, and they openly discussed work and projects. He claimed that since their separation, she continued to have complete access to all financial information. The documents further suggested that Jenna’s legal action was a tactic to delay their divorce proceedings.

The documents claim this tactic is intended to stall the case and drive up legal costs, rather than encourage a quick settlement. This is especially true given that five previous mediation attempts have been unsuccessful, with the Petitioner repeatedly ignoring proposed judgments for extended periods.

Tatum and Dewan finalized their divorce in September 2024 after a six-year long battle. 

Both partners decided they wouldn’t ask for or receive alimony. They also agreed that if they have any disagreements about their daughter Everly’s custody in the future, they will resolve them privately, either on their own or with a judge.

In reaching the agreement, the couple avoided a trial that was set for December 2024.

According to court documents from November 2025, the actors will each receive half of the retirement benefits the other earned while they were married, as calculated by the Screen Actors Guild pension plan.

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2025-12-03 23:22