Yahoo Lifestyle "Gray Divorce" Is On The Rise — Here Are 9 Famous Couples Who've Talked About Their Experiences With It
"Gray divorce" — which refers to a divorce where both parties of the relationship are over 50 years old — is on the rise in recent years. There are often many factors at play behind an older couple's decision to call it quits: empty nest syndrome, a reduction in the stigma surrounding divorce, or even the realization that spouses are no longer compatible. And Hollywood is no outlier in these statistics...
Many famous "gray divorces" have taken headlines by storm recently, with couples who have been together for decades often at the forefront. From Meryl Streep to Kevin Costner — here are nine celebs who've opened up about the end of their marriages:
1.Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness:
After meeting on the set of the Australian TV show Corelli in 1995 and marrying the following year, Jackman and Furness were together for nearly three decades before announcing their divorce in September 2023. The couple, who share two children, Oscar and Ava, released a statement to People:
"We have been blessed to share almost 3 decades together as husband and wife in a wonderful, loving marriage. Our journey now is shifting and we have decided to separate to pursue our individual growth.
Our family has been and always will be our highest priority. We undertake this next chapter with gratitude, love, and kindness. We greatly appreciate your understanding in respecting our privacy as our family navigates this transition in all of our lives. This is the sole statement either of us will make."
2.Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner:
The Yellowstone actor and former handbag designer first met in 1996 on the set of the sports-comedy film Tin Cup; however, the duo wouldn't be romantically linked for several more years. Despite previous hesitation Costner had voiced over settling down, he and Baumgartner married in September 2004 and later welcomed three children.
In November 2022, Costner gushed over his (now) ex-wife in an interview with People, stating, "My wife does things that just completely... It just helps. The house is prettier because of her. Everything is warmer because of her. There's these little things that she does and I think it's the power of love, but that she makes her home that way."
However, by April 2023, Baumgartner had filed for divorce, citing "irreconcilable differences." A representative for Costner released a statement to People:
"It is with great sadness that circumstances beyond his control have transpired which have resulted in Mr. Costner having to participate in a dissolution of marriage action. We ask that his, Christine's, and their children's privacy be respected as they navigate this difficult time."
The pair's highly publicized divorce was finalized in February 2024.
3.Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello:
Although the couple barely qualified for a "gray divorce" age-wise, Vergara and Manganiello surprisingly announced their divorce in July of 2023 after being together for nearly a decade. The couple released a joint statement: "As two people that love and care for one another very much, we politely ask for respect for our privacy at this time as we navigate this new phase of our lives." Two days later, Manganiello filed for divorce, citing "irreconcilable differences."
In January 2024, the Modern Family star revealed to Spanish newspaper El País that her marriage ended because of her unwillingness to have more children: "My marriage broke up because my husband was younger; he wanted to have kids, and I didn’t want to be an old mom. I feel it’s not fair to the baby. I respect whoever does it, but that’s not for me anymore. I had a son at 19, who is now 32, and I’m ready to be a grandmother, not a mother. So, if love comes along, he has to come with [his own] children."
4.Meryl Streep and Don Gummer:
Despite being married for nearly five decades and being seen as one of Hollywood's few long-lasting couples, Streep and Gummer called it quits in October 2023. The pair, who are notoriously private, hadn't appeared together publicly since the 2018 Academy Awards when The Devil Wears Prada star was nominated for her role as journalist Katherine Graham in The Post.
When news of the separation broke, one of Streep's representatives released a statement to People: "Don Gummer and Meryl Streep have been separated for more than 6 years, and while they will always care for each other, they have chosen lives apart."
5.Valerie Bertinelli and Tom Vitale:
Three years after her 2001 separation from rock guitarist Eddie Van Halen, the One Day at a Time alum found love again with financial planner Tom Vitale. After seven years of dating, Bertinelli and Vitale tied the knot on New Year's Day 2011.
A little over a decade later, in November 2021, Bertinelli filed for legal separation, citing "irreconcilable differences." The couple's divorce was finalized in November of the following year, with Bertinelli giddily posting a video on X: "I'm at the airport about to go see Wolfie, and my lawyer just called. The papers were all signed. They're about to be filed. On 11/22/22, I am officially f*cking divorced. Happily divorced. God, finally. It's finally over."
In an April 2024 interview with People, the 64-year-old actor revealed the "catalyst" for the end of her second marriage: "We [she and Vitale] became very unkind to one another, and that's not a way to live in a marriage." She added, "That was just the breaking point for me, where I finally decided I've had enough. I was continuing to tolerate intolerable things, starting with my own words in my own head."
6.Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver:
Schwarzenegger and Shriver first met in 1977 after being introduced by journalist Tom Brokaw at the Robert F. Kennedy Tennis Tournament; however, the pair didn't marry until 1986.
In January 2011, after his term as the governor of California ended, the Predator star admitted to fathering a child with the family's housekeeper, Mildred Baena, 14 years prior. Four months later, Schwarzenegger spoke to the Los Angeles Times and publicly apologized for his past behavior: "After leaving the governor's office, I told my wife about this event, which occurred over a decade ago. I understand and deserve the feelings of anger and disappointment among my friends and family. There are no excuses, and I take full responsibility for the hurt I have caused. I have apologized to Maria, my children, and my family. I am truly sorry."
The couple's divorce was finalized in December 2021.
7.Bill and Melinda French Gates:
The Gateses first met in 1987 when Melinda took a job in product development for Microsoft. In the Netflix docuseries Inside Bill’s Brain: Decoding Bill Gates, Bill revealed that sparks didn't immediately fly for the couple: "When we first met, she had other boyfriends, and I had Microsoft." Melinda confirmed her former husband's story: "I was new to Microsoft. There were a lot of men there."
However, their relationship was official by 1993 when news stations captured the couple sharing a soda at a Seattle Sonics game. By New Year's Day 1994, the duo was walking down the aisle.
After 27 years of marriage and three children, the couple announced their divorce in May 2021 through a statement released on X:
"After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage. We have raised three incredible children and built a foundation that works all over the world to enable all people to lead healthy, productive lives," the pair added. "We continue to share a belief in that mission and will continue our work together at the foundation, but we no longer believe we can grow together as a couple in this next phase of our lives." Their divorce was finalized three months later.
In May 2024, despite prior claims that the former couple would continue to oversee the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Melinda announced her plans to step down as co-chair. The 60-year-old philanthropist revealed on X: "Under the terms of my agreement with Bill, in leaving the foundation, I will have an additional $12.5 billion to commit to my work on behalf of women and families."
8.Billy Ray and Tish Cyrus:
The Cyruses first met at a club in 1991 — a year before Billy Ray dominated the charts with the hit "Achy Breaky Heart." In June 2017, Tish revealed to People that Billy Ray was initially attracted to her because he noticed she wasn't drinking: "Do you know the first thing he said to me? 'I've never seen you drink, ever, and I think that's so cool.'" She noted that at the time, her friend group was "so rowdy.'"
The couple tied the knot in 1993 after welcoming daughter Miley a year prior. Their marriage troubles first came to light in 2010 when Billy Ray filed for divorce but later withdrew his petition. Three years later, Tish filed for divorce but withdrew after the couple began attending therapy.
However, in April 2022, Tish once again filed for divorce, citing "irreconcilable differences." The former couple released a joint statement to People: "It is after 30 years, five amazing children, and a lifetime of memories, we have decided to go our separate ways — not with sadness, but with love in our hearts. We have grown up together, raised a family we can be so proud of, and it is now time to create our own paths. We will always be family and look forward to a continued and loving shared experience as friends and parents. We have not come to this decision lightly or quickly, but with so much going on in the world, we wanted to provide some clarity and closure, so we can remain focused on what is important."
Since that time, Billy Ray married and later divorced Australian singer Firerose, while Tish married Prison Break actor Dominic Purcell in 2023.
9.Rhea Perlman and Danny DeVito:
While the comedic couple may not qualify for a "gray divorce," the duo has undergone a "gray separation." The duo has been together since 1971 after Pearlman saw DeVito perform in an off-Broadway play. They moved in together two weeks later but waited until January 1982 to get married.
The couple announced their first separation in October 2012 before reconciling five months later. This reconciliation attempt lasted only four years before they announced another split in March 2017.
However, the Matilda stars remain legally married. During a 2020 Watch What Happens Live appearance, Pearlman clarified that she "is not getting divorced" before asking, "What for?"
The Cheers star further opened up about her and DeVito's unusual dynamic during a 2023 appearance on Julia Louis-Dreyfus's podcast, Wiser Than Me: “We are still married. And we are still very good friends and we see each other a lot. And our family is still the most important thing to both of us."
The 76-year-old did note that their situation took some adjustment: "I'm not gonna sugarcoat it — it was difficult. It was very difficult at first. And there were a lot of reasons that we separated, which I'm not gonna go into. But it took time for us to come to this somehow pretty decent understanding and relationship with each other."
Did any of these celeb "gray divorces" surprise you? Do you know of any other famous couples who broke up later in life? Let us know in the comments!
