Let’s get this Friday afternoon started off in style with a sneaky celebrity divorce announcement, shall we? Melanie Griffith & Antonio Banderas are calling it quits after 18 years of marriage. That’s a long time by Hollywood standards, but these two have had a rocky time of things. The last we really heard about them, the tabloids were having a field day in 2012 with stories of Antonion’s infidelity. He did the full court press to win Melanie back after she “played hard to get” and made Antonio grovel. I was just thinking about these two the other day and wondering how things were going. The answer? Not good at all:
Melanie Griffith and Antonio Banderas are going their separate ways after 18 years of marriage. According to TMZ, the actress filed for divorce from Banderas, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for their split.
In documents obtained by TMZ, Griffith, 56, asks for child support and sole physical and joint legal custody of the couple’s daughter, Stella, 17. She also asks for spousal support in the documents, which were filed by attorney to the stars Laura Wasser.
Married since 1996, the Working Girl star and Banderas, 53, have battled breakup rumors for years. And they’ve certainly had their share of ups and downs — most notably when Griffith went to rehab to be treated for an addiction to painkillers.
“We have had as many problems as anybody. We’ve never hidden it,” Banderas told AARP magazine in 2011. “We’ve been open about addictions, in the case of Melanie. She has overcome her problems beautifully. I didn’t know she was so strong. It makes me love her even more, because she has been an unbelievable lion fighting, and she got it. The last [relapse] was three years ago, and it just welded us.”
As part of the actress’ recovery, the couple and their kids went to family therapy. (Griffith also has two children from previous relationships.) “It was a very unique experience,” Banderas said. “It was very rewarding at the end.”
This will be Griffith’s fourth divorce. She was married twice before to Don Johnson, and also to Steve Bauer. Banderas was previously married, too, to Ana Leza.
[From Us Weekly]
I’m actually surprised that Melanie was the one to file for divorce because — and I feel bad for pointing this out — this was her fourth marriage. Like … she’s officially broken the Ross Gellar record now. That’s awful. I feel so bad for her, but maybe Antonio really was a dog. He spoke of their problems in that AARP interview. I got the impression he was glossing over the cheating issue in favor of alluding to Melanie’s addictions. Yeah. Melanie will be better off without Antonio, and I suspect it won’t be long before we hear the hows and whys.
Photos courtesy of WENN
What a shame! I had doubt when they first got married but the sceptic in me disappear after so many years they were still together.
I’m eagerly waiting for the Lifetime movie about their marriage. It seems very ‘Hollywood’ – she’s addicted to pills, he’s a cheating dog. I’m sure there are many juicy stories waiting to come out.
I would watch that movie. And they could use her Hollywood pedegree (both her grandma and mum were high profile actresses) as some kind of plot device.
Also, werent two of those divorces to Don Johnson? That guy did a number on her, she wasnt even out of her teens in the first round. Anywau, hope she finds some happiness by herself.
Jojoann, she and Don Johnson first got together when she was 14 and he was 22, which is horrifying to me.
Jojann as I understand her grandmother wasn’t famous but her mother is actress Tippi Hedren. Melanie met Don Jonson at the age of 14 when he was 22 and co-starring in a movie with her mother…which I find really weird.
If their dating is horrifying to you, you’ll about have kittens when I tell you Tippi allowed them to move in together.
Valley of the (Vintage) Dolls.
ROTFLMAO
I have a feeling that many things in this marriage brought out her insecurities. Maybe he was the cheating type, as was rumored. Who knows?
They had many years together though, and a child, so there’s that to the good.
Still – it’s sad.
Yeah. I thought the plastic surgery said a lot.
Agreed guys, is also Lowkey infuriating that she’s damaged her face and all this but that he can go out tomorrow and find himself a fresh 15-20 years his junior Jumpoff
Yeah, me too. She’s another one who WAY overdid the face work.
I’m sorry for Melanie – but how could any man look at that face everyday? He did mention in an interview way back that he had told Melanie ‘no more surgery’. She was the first celebrity I can remember coming out with a botched face job and I remember being shocked by it. I’m surprised he stayed as long as he did.
I think she has always been insecure. She has been addict for most of her life. Besides, even Madonna, who apparently doesn’t have any Self-esteem issue went through the same path. Regarding the surgeries, I suspect they have been the reason for huge fights between them. Something leaked in the mags, too. He said he did prefer her before, with some visible ageing signs on her face. He talked about the “lust for beauty” of our culture and the fact he was not happy about her decision to move from one surgery to another.
He doesn’t look like any prize either though – looks like AB likes the booze ; Tom Cruise is practically the same age yet looks decades younger than Antonio.
@QQ
Her damaged face is her own fault… It’s not like he encouraged her to ruin her face then dumped her. By all accounts he didn’t like her screwing with her face. I don’t blame him.
Of course he was the cheating type – he and Melanie got together when he was still married! This whole thing isn’t shocking because he treated his first wife the same way. Its amazing how everyone’s forgotten how these two got together in the first place and only got married because she was pregnant.
I for one have never forgotten. I thought it was terrible.
I did not forget.
I did not forget either, I remember it well. Neither is a saint.
They both cheated on their spouses in order to be together while working on a movie. They’re like the original Tori and Dean.
Well, he did turn down Madonna at the time. (I always thought it must have burned her something awful that he said no to her but yes please to Melanie Griffith.) Maybe Madonna will be giving him a call now.
Well, years ago I read a story about her being involved in orgies and drugs well before meeting him. Apparently she has been faithful, but who knows. I mean, once you had certain kind of experiences how can you just sleep with one man for almost 20 years without finding him boring ?
Excellent point-but , oh my-he was so hot to me!! I am sure he did cheat-maybe her too. Who knows? But they did stay together through alot. Once again, there is that pattern of cheaters get cheated on. Karma may take awhile to work, but it never fails.
“I mean, once you had certain kind of experiences how can you just sleep with one man for almost 20 years without finding him boring ?”
I’m not saying it’s the case here, but some people just sow wild oats and calm down when they get older/more mature and are very happy to lead a “boring” life.
Melanie was still married, too. She was remarried to Don Johnson and cheated on him with Antonio.
Sad. I liked her. I guess she’ll have to start the procedure for removing the huge tattoo on her upper arm that says “Antonio.” I think when they were both younger, things were probably good, but problems developed along the way. I really look down on infidelity. I’m sure it was hard for her when her looks started to go, but yes, she overdid the surgery.
hmmm he cheated on his first wife with her, so I don’t really feel so bad about him cheating on her
They both cheated on their spouses, didn’t they?
makes me sad. I really thought they would make it 🙁
Ditto.
me too! i liked them together, i don’t know why.
I did too. I think it was because Madonna went after Antonio hard, and he turned her down to stay with Melanie. I figured that was a real love — and to stay together for 18 years in Hollywood, it probably was.
Bread and Circuses: he didn’t turn Madonna down for Melanie. He turned her down for his then wife Ana Leza.
Personally I was very surprised when he divorced her for Melanie (or any other woman) because he gave every impression of being devoted to Ana Leza.
Actually, he was with his ex-wife when Madonna took notice of him. He actually left his ex because he had an affair with Griffith on the set of their film (name escapes me). So Griffith > Madonna apparently. And honestly, going by her behaviour on Truth or Dare, Madonna is TOO MUCH and such a rude brat when a man isn’t interested. I mean, his wife was sitting right there, what did she expect? She’s such a strong woman but she always had a strong whiff of desperate and in need for constant companion and affirmation (whether it’s friends, family or lovers).
Anyhoodle, he married Griffiths straight after his divorce so there you go. How you get ’em is how you lose ’em!
Everything comes to an end.. and in Hollywood, infidelities are the daily “cake”.. Good luck to them both, maybe it’s better this way…
Yeah, way to highlight her addiction as being the main problem, Antonio. *side eye*
I always thought she was super clingy and that he had the “upper hand” so to speak in the relationship. I guess that shifted at some point. Hope this isn’t too rough on their daughter.
Yes, I got that, too, as in we’ve never hidden the fact that we had problems, and by “we” I mean “Melanie” and by “problems” I mean “Melanie’s addiction.” *joins in side-eye*
+1!!
*Side-eyeing right along with y’all*
You can side-eye away but Melanie has long been a big long drink of trouble, addiction issues or no, and I, for one, credit him with not airing all the nonsense she has put him through. She is a drama llama of the highest order and that is not easy to stay married to, wandering dong or not.
Yeah, I was married to a wandering dong. It was a real walk in the park.
That’s unfair. The story states the aarp interview was in 2011 and the infidelity stories were in 2012. How could he discuss something in 2011 that didn’t happen until 2012?
Just because we got wind of it then, doesnt mean it had not been happening for years already. Cheaters seem to never be satisfied with their situation and he probably was cheating even before they are married IF thats his MO. There was scandal when they got together and the circumstances..cheating…
As for the comments about how could he stand looking at her botched plastic surgery face from another poster..umm..harsh.. Love is not supposed to be about appearances… Even if all her hair and teeth fell out if he was a stand up guy and really loved her that would be non-issue.
Its sort of telling that she pulled the plug..otherwise I would be more inclined to think the vices of hers may have been the real issue ie, constantly not happy with her appearance, smoking, drinking..maybe still pills.
I agree with Jeanette that cheating seems to be his MO, and he could have been cheating long before we knew about it. But, the point is that he basically threw her under the bus while trying to sound heroic about it. He could have just said they couldn’t work out their problems and left it at that. Instead, he implied that all of their problems were her fault. I doubt that’s true, but even if it is, I didn’t like the way he said something mean while pretending to be nice. If you’re going to blame her, be open about it. Don’t coat it in language that makes her look like a hopeless addict and you the loyal ever-supportive spouse. That’s what annoyed me. My motto is “if you going to be a bitch, be a good one.”
But, GoodNames, wouldn’t you agree then, that he is in fact being an excellent bitch? Granted, it is sneaky, or perhaps snarky is more apt, but still.
He has cheated, and she also has a history of cheating on her spouses. She also has a long hostory of drug and alcohol abuse. It must be horrily difficult to live with those demons…and difficult to live with a person who has them.
No one should be judging. They both have made their mistakes. They both deserve to be happy.
Hmm…Elle Kaye, an excellent point. Maybe he is living up to my motto. I agree that I wish them both happy.
I so wanted them to make it. I read an article (in Parade magazine I think) a while back and he came off sounding pretty douchey. But she seems whackadoodle too. Who knows what really goes on between two people in a marriage except for them. No matter what, divorce sucks.
He’s a total dog, she’s no prize herself.
+1
The tattoo!
IKR?!
Yup – first stop, divorce attorney. 2nd stop, tattoo removal.
Unfortunately, the first thing I thought of was the tattoo! This is reason one not to profess the name of loved one prominently on yourself (unless deceased).
my first thought!
Yeah, I was hoping they would pull though their problems. Ah well.
Melanie has always struck me as an odd duck and Antonio, hmmm, yeah, something isn’t right there either. But they sure clicked.
IIRC, Weren’t they married to other people when they hooked up? An onset romance or something?
Anyway, all the best to both and I hope they manage to keep the divorce civil.
Wow. I’m genuinely surprised at this. I was aware that these two didn’t have the happiest marriage, but I had figured that after this long together, they’d decided that whatever the good points of the relationship were justified putting up with their troubles.
Last time he was in Buenos Aires he got really angry with the hotel management because they didn’t have a ‘prostitutes catalog’. So, I guess if he cheated on her it was casual sex, not a parallel relationship.
Whut? Were you a witness to it?
18yrs is a good innings. In any circumstances, hollywood or real world.
Agreed, this was no flash in the pan marriage. They probably stuck it out until their daughter was old enough to handle it and, if so, good for them.
Side note on the plastic surgery, remember how Melanie played the younger ingenue to “older boss” Sigourney Weaver in Working Girl, and now Melanie looks a good 10 years older than Sigourney? Sad times…
I remember how fresh faced and young she looked in that movie. Last time I saw Sigourney, she looked great. I don’t understand why Melanie messed with her face so much.
Melanie’s beauty was fragile and she ruined it very quickly, it wasn’t just the surgeon, etc, it has also her wild lifestyle, she straightened up and settled down but her beauty was gone. She’s not the only person in Hollywood this has happened to but it’s very sad when it happens to a beautiful woman.
I re-watched Working Girl recently and pointed out to my bf how odd Melanie Griffith looked: super skinny body, puffy face. He said it was common for people subsisting primarily on alcohol to look like that. Sads.
Still love that Harrison Ford shirt-changing scene, though. Classic.
She was really pretty in Working Girl although she was starting to show the wear of her addictions even then. She got breast implants in the middle of filming Bonfire of the Vanities and it is really obvious and distracting that her breasts are different sizes in different scenes of the film.
I seem to recall stories about her being so insecure about their relationship and being insanely jealous back when they first got together. She may have had good reason. Who knows what happens in a marriage, they are probably both to blame. But I do feel as bad as anyone could for two people I don’t know, I guess.
I have to say two things about AB though – 1) I just watched Once Upon a Time in Mexico for, like, the 10th time just the other day and oh my god do I love that movie. A still-hot Johnny Depp; hot Antonio Banderas and hot Enrique Iglesias (mole and all). Awesome, fun movie. 2) Whenever I think of him, I remember back to Truth or Dare when no one knew who he was and Madonna was shamelessly throwing herself at him, but he was still married to his first wife and could barely speak English.
Nostalgia.
And their beginning are vintage gossip in the best way. I remember the jealousy and the clinging, the bitter ex-wife, and Madonna shamelessly throwing herself at him. Fun times.
Why is it always ‘the bitter ex-wife’? Why not angry? She had every reason to be angry.
Kai: In this case she had every reason to be bitter. Bitterness isn’t always unjustified especially where this ex-wife was concerned. She was the bigger star whose coat tails Antonio rode all the way to Hollywood only to dump her for a Hollywood actress with impeccable connections.
I’d say she’s whistling a happy tune considering how she was treated.
It’s the image conjured of the former wife unable to move on with her life, resenting the mistress and pining for the cheating husband while alone with her cats, which makes me uncomfortable with the word bitter. Also, it is never used to describe an ex-husband.
I’m sure his first wife is getting some satisfaction from this.
Kai: I get your point, but some words don’t always have a singular usage. Being bitter doesn’t automatically assume that a person is going to Miss Havisham their life away.
And people can be described as bitter without it meaning that is how their life will turn out.
Kai, I know plenty of bitter men, it’s not just women that end up shriveled in their own misery.
Of course she was insecure – they got married because she was pregnant and they got together when he was still married to Ana Leza. And he only finally divorced his first wife because Melanie got pregnant. Sheesh. The only reason why Griffith and B anderas lasted as long as they did was because she wanted the marriage to last.
I remember reading about how she took a job as “horse wrangler” on Zorro (I think?) to be on set with him. I always thought that was kind of sad and odd.
Those are fine movies. Might I add that he never should have been in Interview with the Vampire. Armand, his character, is a 17 year old Russian in the books and yet they casted a Spaniard in his mid-30s.
@MAF
You’re probably right about Interview with the Vampire. It’s been forever since I read the books and couldn’t remember, even when I saw the movie in 1994, what the vitals of Armand were. And those used to be my favorite books as a late teenager.
But oh my he was still super hot. I love the scene where he asks Louis to be his companion. “You…are….beautiful, my friend…” I always think of that line when I hear him speak.
He was totally mis-cast in that movie, but damn was he hot. Him and Brad Pitt. I’m so excited that Anne Rice is putting out a new book! I can’t wait to read The Prince Lestat!!
Pretty much every major character in that movie was miscast–5’7″ jockboy Tom Cruise as Lestat? Harrumph.
@Kate2, that film needed serious editing but I do love Antonio, Johnny, and Salma in it. And the kid selling gum. I may have to watch it again this weekend.
I prefer to remember Antonio the way he was, like in Once Upon A Time in Mexico and Desperado.
Let me just add that it seems messy to me. She’s asking for sole custody of a 17 year-old? Odd. Stella is old enough where the court would likely simply defer to her on custody matters (and per the internet, she’ll be 18 in a few months, potentially before the divorce is final, making it moot). i wonder if that was a parting shot at Antonio.
Forgot about Desperado. Another really good movie, although I thought OUTIM was better. Way better.
Which movie is that? Thx!
It’s strictly a legal issue, as is “irreconcilable differences.” She filled out a form in California and checked the appropriate boxes. Her daughter is legally a minor and her parents have to account for her custody in their divorce. It’s just bookkeeping/legalese and not a reflection of anything other than the fact that Stella will continue to live with her mother and her father has a legal obligation to support her.
Well said. Its not as scandalous and mean spirited as some hope
Awww he has the most gorgeous eyes😍
I remember seeing a special on weird celebrity prenuptial agreements, and Mealanie and Antonio’s came up. I think prenup. stated that Melanie was forbidden to exceed 20 lbs. of her weight at the time of marriage, if she did, exceed stated amount by 20 lbs, he could divorce her. Ri-di-cu-lous.
O. M. G. That just reconfirms my hunch that they were never really an equal partnership, that he called all the shots and that she was desperately clingy. Hope she can find peace now without him.
Her weight? I don’t believe that at all about the prenuptial agreement saying she couldn’t gain more than 20 pounds. If she’d gained 20 pounds but kept a pretty, youthful face without all the damage from sun and hard living, she would look much better than she does now.
If true, that’s sick.
18 years is a long time, not only for Hollywood standards, but a lot of regular old marriages too especially these days. This is sad to divorce in your 50’s; the dating scene must be totally different, celebrity or not. I always liked her, even though she is a touch crazy, she is a great actress. Even though I know it will never happened, I always liked her with Don Johnson.
I know, Don & Melanie forever! Johnny & winona too! 😞
I would not even want to try dating in my 50s. I have friends in their 40s who say its almost impossible to date. Most men, especially on dating sites, tend to want much younger women (even if younger women don’t want them). It also seems unless a woman has significant financial assets (homeowner, savings accounts, stocks, retirement funds), she will have a hard time after age 50 finding dates. Men in this age range are more financially savvy and won’t marry a woman who might just be looking for financial support.
Recent studies show that men are no more likely to remarry after 45 than women, though its unclear why or who is choosing to not remarry. Middle aged women are usually the ones who initiate divorce and in a couple new studies most say they have no interest in ever remarrying. AARP did a study on women in their 50s and found most were in long term relationships, but preferred living together or keeping their home and independence and just dating. A man’s odds of marrying a women 5-9 years younger are only 12% and 10+ yrs younger are 7% but they still seem to think they can get younger women.
There have been endless “women in their 40s+ can’t find partners but men can because they can date younger” articles for the past 30 years, all based on census data from the 1980s that isn’t relevant anymore. This may be why so many men think they have more options that they actually do .
@Lisa
Lol, you made my day.
I am 46, but am told I look 32 to 35. ( I do not drink or smoke, no meds, no illegal drugs ) When I tell folks I am 46-their faces contort almost into a look of disgust, because it is assumed I have had *work done*. I just live a healthy lifestyle. My fiancee is 50, and when we are in public together we get shot death stares, because everyone assumes I am a golddigger.
Nope. My income is grander than his, and I own a condo. I work my a** off and have not taken a vacation for 14 years.
I live in Canada, and am grateful to have a good, loyal man. I have known him for 39 years, thus there was no awkward dating phase. Hasn’t been all bliss though, dealing with his stalking ex-wife.
In my experience, women are still highly valued for youth and beauty. It’s bloody insulting and demeaning. Melanie is not alone.
I live in boring suburbia, and all I see at the local farmers market is frozen botox faces, wearing 3 or 4 inch heels, sometimes with fake boobs hanging out. Just sadness. Women trying to stop their viagra jacked hubbies from cheating on them. Get a good education, and work your a** off. Beauty expires quickly.
@Lauren, you say beauty fades quickly but from the sounds of it you’ll still have yours long after society tries to hand you some lame ‘past it’ card. Get it, girl! It reminds me of a joking conversation I had with my mother on my 23rd (I think) birthday–the first thing she said to me was, ‘Happy Birthday, you’re too old to be a golddigger, now!’ We both still cackle at that like the crones we are. Now, I might reconsider my options. Guess I have to go shave.
I have two friends in their early 40’s; one is 43 and has had a lot of plastic surgery on her face and always tends to date men 25-35. She tries to pretend to the guys that she is closer to my age 33. I have another friend in her early 40’s who is slightly overweight who has a terrible time meeting men near her age or younger for dates because they want someone hot and because she doesn’t have a good job, they worry she will be golddigging on them (when she won’t she is sel-sufficient). At 33, I am not sure my boyfriend is the one but the datng scene sacres me because I fear a lot of men near my age want children and I do not ever. Dating past 30 is scary IMO.
Lisa my purely anecdotal evidence supports women not wanting to remarry. All the older women in my extended family who have divorced have stated quite emphatically that they’ll never marry again, including my own mother. Some are in long term relationships but they won’t do it. I think it’s partly a throwback to being married young back when women were still seen as the subordinate partner in their marriages and this is their way of taking back control.
My internet is slow today and the second I saw a pic of these two slowwwwlllly loading I KNEW the headline would be they were finally divorcing.
I admire them for making it this long. Her grotesquely jacked face and lips have long screamed major insecurities without even knowing about her “addictions”.
I swear to you today at some point these two randomly came to my mind and I thought, hmmm, I wonder if they are still together. And now I read this. Too weird, right?!
me too. And as others have already said, my second thought was…OMG Melanie’s tattoo – that has to go!
I had forgotten how hot he was when young…I think of him now as Puss in Boots :). That voice!
It seems like there’s a lot of issues all around there (addiction, cheating, plastic surgery), but hopefully they and especially their daughter get through it OK.
Melanie…no more marriages. Find someone and be in love, great, but you’ve paid enough to the legal profession.
I just thought of something, maybe she was having more and more plastic surgery to get the prescriptions for the pain killers.
That seems a bit excessive. In Hollywood you can (legally) get prescription painkillers even without plastic surgery-
How do you do that, Isadora? Legally, that is. I didn’t think doctors could prescribe narcotic painkillers without, you know, actual pain.
@bluhare
People lie to get pain medication. There are many types of pain and not all can be proven (or disproven). I think celebs have an easier time finding docs who are willing to prescribe for them. If not, dealers get ahold of pain meds too, so I’m sure they are fairly easy to come by for someone who is… well connected.
Edited to add: I’m not suggesting that all celeb docs are shady. Many honest doctors are fooled into prescribing for an addict. People who lie for medication are usually good at it, and unless they show obvious drug seeking behaviors, can usually talk their way into getting an rx. This won’t work repeatedly with an honest doc, but might for a time or two. Now, a shady doc will likely prescribe repeatedly, as long as it is something that is within the norm for their prescribing habits and their specialty.
I’m ready for Melanie to cougar it.
If Demi Moore couldn’t handle being a cougar no way can Melanie. considering she is 100 times more insecure than the pathetic Demi Moore.
Funny you mention Demi. This thread reminds me a bit of the Ashton/Demi break up. I feel about the same as I did back then…. yes, he may be a ‘dog’ who cheated, but her insecurities, drug problems, and plastic surgeries probably added just as many, if not more, problems to the marriage. Without being there, it’s hard to know what living with EITHER of these two was like.
Meh. Not surprising.
Reason: Antonia saw the directors cut for 50 shades and totally blamed Melanie for encourging Dakota. Enough is enough!
Wow… you think after 18 years that they would just stick it out… but if it ain’t working, it ain’t working. Oh well.
Besides, I don’t know if I feel more sorry that their marriage ended or that Melanie messed up her beautiful face with all of that bad plastic surgery.
Melanie has put up with his cheating this long…I say the countdown is on until the annoucement that he has knocked up some 25 year old! Its the only thing that would have made her leave…
I never thought the same about Melanie after I read Tatum O’Neill’s autobiography. She said that Melanie took her to an orgy when she was only 12 and had her participate in a three-some. That was particularly sinister but also very sad. I believe every word that Tatum wrote in her book.
Oh Gawdfather!!! That’s horrible.
Well, I don’t see how Melanie got away with it. It was basically like statutory rape of a minor. Most anyone else would have gone to prison or had to register as a sex offender.
Google a book by groupie Pamela des Barres (the 22 yrs old who was with Don Johnson when he got with Melanie. Apparently being 12, 13, 14 at the time and being “with the band” was a common thing in the rock scenes of the 70s, those girls were called “baby groupies”.
I understand how it is an awful thing, but Melanie did not know any better, and apparently was still a teen as she had been very free around men and was an alcoholic/druggie herself. I would also blame Tatum’s parents, were was Ryan or her mom? Did they leave Tatum in Melanie’s care?
I read that he got with Tatum’s friend Melanie almost in front of her, causing her emotional pain, then he left his little girl with Melanie in Paris (where Tatum ended up using opium with Melanie, Maria Schneider and her boyfriend and being abused. Ryan used to take her to the 70s Playboy mansion SMH.
I found an interview of Tatum, all these Melanie- Ryan-traveling thing was a huge mess from the start . Really Tatum was a very neglected child.
With childhood/teen experiences like these is no wonder how both former friends have become such insecure women with so many issues, they are still survivors, tho.
“But Melanie did not know any better”. Really? At age 18, she had to know better. If a young man had done what she did, nobody would be defending him at all. Almost anyone knows better than to get a 12 year old girl to join in on a sex threesome with them.
If Tatum was 12, Melanie was only 18 and Ryan would have been mid-30s.
………..but didn’t Melanie herself get with Don Johnson when she was 14 and he was 4-5yrs older?
And by that I don’t mean an innocent sort of flirtation, but full on living with him and attending orgies, doing drugs etc.
So Melanie herself wasn’t given the appropriate parenting to know that 12yr old Tatum shouldn’t be attending Orgies and doing drugs. Especially when Tatum’s own parents apparently didn’t have such boundaries too.
+1
Yes
I’ve always thought this was a marriage of convenience: Her to soothe her ego after Don & his to leave his 1st wife in order to marry a famous woman & get a better hold into Hollywood. So I’m thinking the reason for this divorce is because he has no need for her & the time is right to leave & for her, the face-saving to say she’s the one leaving him.
Not at all surprised. I *am* surprised they lasted this long, though. Back in 2003 when he did Nine on Broadway (where he was the only adult male in a cast of 20+), she was on him like flies on stink on poo, didn’t give him space to breathe beyond rehearsals, probably cheating-related.
She’s only three years older than he (which also surprised me), if she’s cleaned up her hot-messness, she can find a nice businessman who doesn’t mind her wonky face to settle down with.
The very basic thing anyone is entitled to is fidelity.
I really like your last statement. So true ☺
WORD.
I’m spinning out. Not because they’re divorcing, but because I was only thinking of them the other day too. Weirrrrrrrd.
“she’s officially broken the Ross Gellar record now.” BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Wow! I didn’t know they were married for almost 20 years?! Honestly, I’m surprised they lasted this long. Kinda off the topic, when I see them I can’t help but to think of this MadTV episode: http://youtu.be/-9DHfR0Qhjw
I think Melanie was aways in some insecure competition with her mother. Mel was living with Johnson when she was 15. After their 2nd-time-around divorce, he married a wealthy San Francisco socialite & is still chaser.
In CA, custody of children under 18 is awarded by the court, unless the child basically “divorces” both parents to become an “emancipated minor.”
At 17, it wouldn’t be worth that much trouble for Stella. It just means that she’s supposed to live with her mother or a place of her mother’s choice/approval until she’s 18. (Dorm, apartment, grandma’s house,etc.)
Well seeing as how they got together was through cheating, I am not surprised he was cheating….who knows maybe she was as well. Their relationship was always a bit over the top with the tattoos of one another’s name etc…so good luck to them
Being married o an alcoholic/prescription drug addict, who relapses throughout the marriage is tough. I think it takes a toll on the marriage. As she said, he doesn’t understand it as his family doesn’t have that gene. Those relapses probably took their toll even if not the exact reason they are divorcing. He’s kept working and she has talked a lot about no roles for women over mid forties. But she doesn’t seem to get that it was the plastic surgery that dried up her roles. She just looked odd for quite a few years when she did a facelift way too young and her lips were a mess.
I saw her on the red carpet being very friendly to her first husband, Steve Bauer, last year.. I wonder if he’s single. They looked happy to see each other. Maybe she could start dating him again.
Eeesh. That tattoo…
Two thoughts upon seeing the photos of Melanie:
1.) She seems to have had an eyelid lift since I last saw her (who knows how long ago);
2.) She’s looking a lot like Anna Gunn (at least in the first pic)!
OT: Tracy Morgan was in a car crash and is in critical condition. One person died on his bus. I really hope he makes it through this.
@Kiddo. That’s terrible! I hope there’s no more deaths and that everyone else pulls through.
I’ll bet she’s sorry she has that sagging tattoo! In most states, child support is until 21 and not 18.
CA is 18. Anything past 18 is solely at the discretion/choice of the father (or supporting parent) but it cannot be compelled by the courts.
Well, 18 years is a long time for any marriage, celebrity or not, so what the heck. Fresh start. But neither should get married again. If they want commitment, dogs are awesome.
I was wondering for a while why there were no pics of them together anymore…I always liked Melanie, don’t really know why, and I thought they were quite good together. Perhaps the fact that she has been in therapy helped her to become more aware of her neediness/desperateness regarding men, and her insecurities in that regard. Because as long as she was with him, he seemed the one calling the shots, doing the movies, speaking for both of them. Maybe she’s more mature now, and just wants a fresh start.
Hmmmmmm……..am I the only one who always assumed he is gay??? I always thought this was a lavender marriage and she was his beard……???
I don’t think we should put all the blame on him, things were bad for a long time and an addiction plus replapse isn’t easy to manage and support. Of course I don’t forgive cheating but.. who knows what really went down between those two?
This is a shame but not a surprise.
He looks awful.