Most Expensive Celeb Divorces Revealed: Jeff Bezos, Kevin Costner

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Money can’t buy love, but it can buy a divorce. 

In Hollywood, some divorces can be incredibly expensive. When famous couples – including actors, athletes, and tech leaders – split up, there’s often a significant amount of money and assets involved.

One of the most costly divorces of the past decade was between Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie Bezos, who separated after 25 years of marriage. The split involved billions of dollars.

After their divorce was finalized in 2019, reports indicated MacKenzie received $38.3 billion worth of Amazon stock. While that was a massive sum, Jeff Bezos still retained a much larger share—approximately $100 billion, or 75 percent of their Amazon stock.

After her divorce, MacKenzie Scott announced she planned to donate most of her fortune, and she’s kept that promise. Recently, she revealed she’d given away $7 billion just this year.

The divorce between Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates in 2021 also led to positive outcomes through charitable giving, similar to other divorces where philanthropy played a role.

Although the complete terms of Bill Gates and Melinda’s divorce haven’t been made public, he agreed to give her $12.5 billion to support her charitable work.

For Melinda, who helped start The Giving Pledge—an initiative encouraging billionaires to donate most of their fortune during their lifetime—these funds represent the culmination of everything she’s worked for.

I’ve always been so inspired by her commitment to giving. She once said she truly believes the right thing to do with incredible wealth is to give it all away – but not just carelessly, she wants to make a real, lasting difference. What really struck me is her ultimate vision: she doesn’t want to just treat the symptoms of problems, she wants to help create a world where philanthropy isn’t even needed anymore. It’s an incredibly powerful idea.

Although not all celebrity divorces lead to fortunes being split, many result in multi-million dollar settlements. For example, when Kevin Costner and his wife, Cindy, divorced in 1994 after 16 years of marriage, he reportedly paid her $80 million.

Additionally, during his 2023 divorce from Christine Baumgartner, a judge ordered Kevin Costner to pay $63,209 per month in child support for their three children.

Kevin’s recent divorces, along with Bill and Melinda Gates’ expensive split, are just a small example of how costly celebrity breakups can be.

For a roundup of some of the most expensive celebrity parting of ways, read on. 

The golfer’s career and public image were severely damaged when reports surfaced of his affairs with many women. He and his wife, model Elin Nordegren, divorced in August 2010 after almost six years of marriage and two children. While the exact details weren’t made public, reports claim he paid his ex-wife $750 million in the divorce settlement.

Oh my gosh, ‘Love Don’t Cost a Thing…’ but it totally did! When Jennifer Lopez hired Cris Judd to direct that video, I was SO excited! They seemed perfect, and then they actually got married in September 2001! I was convinced it was forever. But, ugh, less than a year later, she filed for divorce, saying they just couldn’t make it work. Everyone says she ended up paying him like, $14 million in the settlement, even though it was kept secret. It’s just… heartbreaking, honestly. I still have all their old photos!

One of Hollywood’s most expensive divorces involved Robyn Gibson, Mel Gibson’s wife of 28 years. Because they didn’t have a prenuptial agreement, she reportedly received half of his $850 million fortune. After two years of negotiations, the couple – who share seven children – finally reached a settlement, according to TopMob News.

When the pop star and her director husband divorced in 2008, she had to give him a significant portion of her wealth – they hadn’t signed a prenuptial agreement. Reports at the time estimated the settlement to be between $72 and $92 million, according to her representative.

Paul McCartney and Heather Mills got married in 2002, but their marriage ended after only four years. Their divorce was complicated by legal disputes, and when it was finalized in 2008, Mills reportedly received around $48.7 million from McCartney’s wealth. She also allegedly received $70,000 each month to support their four-year-old daughter, Beatrice.

Donald and Ivana Trump married in a grand celebration in 1977, but their marriage ended in divorce in 1992 following reports of Donald’s affair with Marla Maples, a former beauty queen. After 15 years and three children, Ivana reportedly received a $20 million settlement, though the details remain confidential.

Kevin and Cindy were college sweethearts who married in 1978 while still students. Their marriage lasted 16 years, ending in divorce in 1994. They had three children: Annie, Lily, and Joe. The divorce settlement reportedly included $80 million for Cindy.

Neil reportedly began a relationship with the TV producer while still married to his first wife, Jane Posner. Marcia married the singer-songwriter in 1969 and they had two sons, Jesse and Micah. After 25 years of marriage, she filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences, and the settlement included half of Neil’s earnings – a substantial $150 million. Despite the large payout, Neil has said he felt it was worth it, stating that “she’s worth every penny.”

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve seen many high-profile splits, and the divorce of Michael and Juanita Jordan was definitely one for the books. After nearly two decades together – they originally married in Las Vegas back in 1989 – and a try at getting back together, they officially divorced in 2006. They share three children, and the settlement was substantial, with reports suggesting Michael paid out around $168 million. It just goes to show, even the most seemingly perfect relationships can face challenges.

Oh, Kenny Rogers… I’ve followed his life for years, and it’s always been a bit of a rollercoaster! Everyone knows he’s been married a lot – five times, can you believe it? But the divorce from Marianne Gordon? That one really stung. They were together for 16 years, had a son, and then… poof. It ended in 1993, and the stories say Kenny paid out a whopping $60 million! Sixty million dollars! It’s just… unbelievable. I always felt bad for both of them, honestly.

Lionel Richie and Diane Alexander divorced in 2003 after seven years of marriage and two children together. Their split was reportedly due to disagreements they couldn’t resolve. During the divorce proceedings, Diane requested $15,000 a month for clothing and $20,000 a year for plastic surgery. Ultimately, Richie paid her an estimated $20 million in the settlement.

Oh my gosh, you won’t BELIEVE it! He married Ellen in June of 2000 – they met at a Vanity Fair party after the Oscars, can you imagine?! It was so glamorous. Sadly, it didn’t last; they split up around 2006. But Ellen? She really did well for herself. I heard she got a massive settlement, and then she sold off all the jewelry he’d given her – apparently for over $20 million! She totally deserved it, honestly. It’s just… amazing!

I’ve followed Amy Irving’s life for years, and her romance with Steven Spielberg was such a rollercoaster! They were on and off throughout the late ’70s. She even dated Willie Nelson, her co-star in Honeysuckle Rose, for a little while in between! They finally did get married in 1985, but sadly, it only lasted four years. The divorce in 1989 was pretty famous, and reports said Amy received a $100 million settlement. It was a real Hollywood story!

Harrison Ford and Melissa Mathison, after 18 years of marriage and a short effort to get back together, finalized their divorce in 2004. They share two children. The divorce settlement reportedly included a payment of $118 million from Harrison Ford to Melissa Mathison, as they hadn’t signed a prenuptial agreement and had significant assets to divide.

Alex and Cynthia divorced in 2008 after being together for six years and having two children. The details of their expensive divorce settlement haven’t been made public.

The Academy Award-winning actor married the daughter of an Austrian diplomat in 1977, when she was 19 years old, and they had a son the following year. Diane filed for divorce in 1995 and reportedly received a $45 million settlement, plus a portion of the profits from Michael’s work during their marriage.

After 23 years of marriage and two children, Brooke and Nick, Linda divorced her husband when she discovered his affair with Christiane Plante. The divorce settlement was reportedly worth over $30 million, giving Linda over 70% of their cash and investments, several luxury cars, a $3 million property settlement, and 40% ownership in his businesses.

Mick Jagger, the lead singer of The Rolling Stones, married model Jerry Hall in 1990. Their marriage ended in 1999 when Jerry discovered Mick had a child with Brazilian model Luciana Morad. After being together for nine years, Jerry reportedly received $25 million in their divorce settlement.

The winner of the Daytona 500 married Brooke in 1994, but they divorced in 2002 after eight years. Although they didn’t have children, the divorce settlement was reportedly a significant $15 million.

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2025-12-14 16:18