In the summer of 2020, Christina Ricci left her husband James Heerdegen. She not only filed for divorce, she filed for (and received) an emergency protection order because of domestic violence. She kept much of the divorce stuff quiet, although it seems like she was able to get a bifurcated divorce, because she married her second husband last year, yet the terms of her divorce from Heerdegen have just been finalized now, this week. That means she was declared legally single in 2021, but it’s only now that she and Heerdegen worked out the finances and custody. Ricci recently spoke about how she sold her Chanel jewelry collection and her purse collection to pay for the divorce. She had a great lawyer, because she walked away from her abusive ex-husband with more than most ex-wives:
Christina Ricci has finalized her divorce from James Heerdegen more than two years after calling it quits. The “Yellowjackets” star will keep their house in San Fernando Valley, Calif., but she and the film producer will split the money from an upcoming sale of their New York City apartment, TMZ reported Tuesday.
Ricci, who was repped by famed divorce attorney Samantha Spector, will also keep the residuals and royalties from her projects.
Heerdegen, meanwhile, will keep a Subaru vehicle and his personal belongings in addition to receiving a onetime payment of $189,687 from his ex-wife.
The former couple will share custody of their 8-year-old son, Freddie, but the “Casper” star will have deciding power over his education, for which she’ll pay, and medical care.
Spector didn’t immediately return Page Six’s request for comment.
Ricci, 42, filed for divorce from Heerdegen in the summer of 2020 after an alleged domestic battery incident. Months later, Heerdegen requested a temporary restraining order against the actress, but a judge denied it.
A onetime payment of less than $200K, plus an equal share of the sale of their NYC apartment? It’s not nothing, but it’s not like he took her to the cleaners. A lot of people were throwing around numbers in one of the last post, so let me say… I doubt Ricci is some super-wealthy actress. She’s worked consistently and she’s having a career renaissance, for sure, but she’s mostly eschewed big studio films and projects which would net her big paychecks. I doubt she had to give her ex half of their combined worth, but this isn’t a drop in the bucket.
Photos courtesy of Getty, Avalon Red.
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- LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – OCTOBER 15: Christina Ricci arrives at the 2nd Annual Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Gala presented by Rolex held at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on October 15, 2022 in Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 731061307, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Christina Ricci, Credit line: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Avalon
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- LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – OCTOBER 15: Christina Ricci arrives at the 2nd Annual Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Gala presented by Rolex held at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on October 15, 2022 in Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 731061345, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Christina Ricci, Credit line: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Avalon
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- HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – NOVEMBER 16: American actress Christina Ricci wearing Rodarte and husband/hair stylist Mark Hampton arrive at the World Premiere Of Netflix’s ‘Wednesday’ Season 1 held at the Hollywood American Legion Post 43 at Hollywood Legion Theater on November 16, 2022 in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 738228099, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Christina Ricci, Mark Hampton, Credit line: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Avalon
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- HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – NOVEMBER 16: American actress Christina Ricci wearing Rodarte arrives at the World Premiere Of Netflix’s ‘Wednesday’ Season 1 held at the Hollywood American Legion Post 43 at Hollywood Legion Theater on November 16, 2022 in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 738228180, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Christina Ricci, Credit line: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Avalon
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- HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – NOVEMBER 16: American actress Christina Ricci wearing Rodarte arrives at the World Premiere Of Netflix’s ‘Wednesday’ Season 1 held at the Hollywood American Legion Post 43 at Hollywood Legion Theater on November 16, 2022 in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 738228453, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Christina Ricci, Credit line: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Avalon
Was she not taking the biggest paycheck does bc she didn’t want to or bc she wasn’t allowed?
I wish her all the happiness and peace in the whole world. I hope he rots.
I am delighted for her and everyone who is able to get free of abusive situations. They are all around us, many hiding in plain sight and the more aware we are the more opportunities there are for people to take positive steps.
As an aside, I recently saw that one of our UK banks is creating safe spaces for people trying to get away from domestic abuse, letting them open an account with less than the usual demands for documentation and I think some kind of emergency fund available too. Christina had assets she could sell which helped with one aspect of getting herself out of this situation, many don’t or cant access them.
Yep, they are everywhere.
Some years ago, a friend called us one night, saying her husband had assaulted her yet again. It was quite late but my husband told her if she was able, to drive to our house, or he could pick her up. She came, the bruises already started to come out, hey especially those on her neck where he had tried to choke her. She was a very thin lady, about 5’5”. He was about 6’3”, well-built, and drank every night after work, before he even went home. We settled her in and decided to talk again tomorrow to think about her next move. Around 9pm next day, hubby answered the door. It was her husband, rather drunk, and telling hubby to bring his wife to him, because he knew she was at our house. Hubby looked over his shoulder and saw a taxi waiting. He said,, “ I am not bringing her out, not even to speak with you in this state. Go home and we’ll talk tomorrow.” Her husband grabbed hold of my hubby’s shirt and went to punch him, but my hubby was a really good fighter. He blocked the punch and put his arm behind his back and told him he was being guided to the taxi and was to go home. The taxi driver jumped out of his cab straight to my husband and screamed, “What are you doing?! Leave him alone! You are assaulting a poor blind man!” Happy calmly told the taxi driver to go back to his taxi and wait, that this man was going to get back in and he was to take him home. Which is exactly what happened. It’s true, He is blind and had his guide dog in the taxi. The next day she woke up to go to work and the tyres of her car were slashed. She never went back.
It can happen to anyone, and abusers can be anyone. They do not have horns, so are not easy to identify. Even a blind man can be an abusive bastard. Abuses are not abusers. Until they are.
A year later, she met a lovely man. They married fairly quickly and he took her up to the coast to live in his beautiful home right near the beach. They’ve been as happy as Larry ever since.
The laws in my state in Australian are finally starting to reflect the community’s wishes in regards to family violence, abuse and neglect. Just one call to the police – it does not need to be the victim – and they arrive and immediately arrest and remove the perpetrator, and slap an interim restraining order on him or her. From that minute on the perpetrator is not allowed to be in the same dwelling as the victim, must keep a nominated distance away from the dwelling, and not permitted to contact the victim in any way. The perpetrator is held in the cells until the following day, when he or she will appear in court. The magistrate or judge will hear both sides, and I have never heard of any abuser who was able to wriggle out of an Apprehended Violence Order. It usually stays in place for two years.
Thank you for sharing, Annakist. A system that doesn’t automatically give the benefit of the doubt to men anymore is what we need. I’m going to go read up on these laws in Australia.
In the US, I’d worry about the abusive husband shooting your husband, and possibly you and any kids you have, AND shooting his wife. There are murderous abusers with the “If I can’t have her, no one can mentality, and anyone who gets in my way is an enemy too.” And in the US, those abusers are often heavily armed with military grade weapons. This is such a wonderful story of support for a friend, but it would be a tough, tough ask of someone to do what you and hubby did in America. I hate that we are all held hostage by gun lunatics in the US.
Thank you for sharing this and being there for your friend. The law you have is absolutely the right way to go and I wish we had the same in more countries.
I wish she didn’t have to pay him at all, but psychologically, a one-time payment would be preferable to repeatedly paying him child support or alimony. Be done with him. I hope her life is filled with happiness. I always light up when I see her onscreen — she glows.
That’s what I did in my divorce. Partially it was a share of the equity in the house, but mostly it was me paying him to go away.
I’m glad it’s behind her finally. My ex decided to stop paying child support this month. So fun.
Mine had his own business and knew how to hide money, so I waived child support. My family was furious with me, but it was the smartest thing I could have done, even though I married a guy who didn’t want me to work and divorced a guy who didn’t want to support me. Money matters, but self-respect is priceless. Wishing her all good things.
Go through the state if you can and have his wages garnished. That’s what I had to do. Of course he barely picks up any of the other things he is supposed to according to the divorce agreement. I’m sure he is difficult to deal with so I don’t try to get what I’m supposed to get out of him.
I realized a few days ago that I get triggered when my now husband does nice things for me or my kids because I’m not used to it.
The older I get, the less appealing marriage sounds and I’m glad I never met someone who seemed worth marrying. To many people that might sound sad but I’m not missing anything, I’m good on my own.
I hope she can move on now. I started watching Wednesday this week and was reminded how much love Ricci on screen. She should be a much bigger deal imo.
Thank God she’s safe now and can live her life in freedom w and happiness. 💕 🖖 hope she gets even more success and those dolla dolla bills too y’all like you go Christina!!! Dance 💃 in the sunshine ☀️ lady you deserve it!!
Literally every picture I’ve seen of him he has that same obnoxious/creepy smirk on his face. Resting abuser face.
I am so glad she’s out, and has found someone good, and that her divorce is done and he can gfh. Getting out is hard, fighting your abuser in court over assets but more importantly the kids is also so hard.
I’m a DV victim and survivor. I have CPTSD and can’t sleep anymore (which is killer). We’ve been apart for over 4 years and divorced since August and he’s still trying to control me through the kids and custody even though he doesn’t pay CS or for anything else. Only 5 more years until the kids are old enough to navigate what they want. I hope Christina is able to have a peaceful life moving forward, and has lawyers who can keep her protected.
so sorry you’re going through this! I’m wishing you strength and healing.