Avoiding the Celebrity Divorce Trap: Why Separation Doesn't Have to Take Years

No one enters marriage planning for divorce, and certainly no one wants their separation to drag on for years. Time is a resource you can never get back, and the emotional toll of prolonged divorce proceedings can be devastating to your wellbeing, career, and relationships.

While many lengthy divorces happen quietly due to Family Court confidentiality, celebrity breakups offer us a public window into what can go wrong when separations become contentious.

Two Cautionary Tales (there are more!)

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie began dating around 2006, married in 2014, and separated in 2016. Their divorce wasn't finalised until December 2024—almost eight years after filing—and disputes over their French winery continue even now.

Brad Pitt prophetically stated in 2017: "I heard one lawyer say, 'No one wins in court—it's just a matter of who gets hurt worse.'" After the proceedings finally concluded, Angelina's lawyer reported, "Frankly, Angelina is exhausted, but she is relieved this one part is over."

Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness announced their split in 2023 after nearly 30 years of marriage with a carefully crafted PR statement suggesting an amicable separation. However, recent reports tell a different story: "Hugh and Deborra-Lee have not yet filed for divorce because they are struggling to reach an agreement on how to divide their assets. Deborra-Lee feels entitled to more money than Hugh is willing to offer."

I know of contested separations that have costs over $200,000 and taking 2 years (after the legal separation time of 24 months) to finalise. Celebrity divorces often run into the millions and can stretch for years.

The Coaching Difference

As a divorce and separation coach, I often wonder if anyone suggested to these couples that there might be another way. With my clients, I focus on a crucial question many fail to ask: What do you really want your future to look like, and what are all the costs—financial, emotional, and time—of pursuing various paths to get there?

Two words I listen for carefully when working with clients are "entitlement" and "fair." These concepts, while understandable, often become barriers to exploring creative solutions that could save years of litigation and hundreds of thousands in legal fees.

A Different Approach

Working with a coach before or during separation helps you:

• Clarify your true priorities beyond the immediate emotional response

• Understand the full spectrum of costs associated with different approaches

• Develop communication strategies that de-escalate rather than inflame tensions

• Create a roadmap for resolution that keeps you in control of the process

Even couples with substantial assets and complex situations can find pathways to resolution that don't consume years of their lives and deplete their resources.

Take the First Step

If you're facing separation or in the midst of a divorce that seems to be dragging on endlessly, a 30-minute consultation can help you see if coaching might offer a way forward. We'll discuss your specific situation and explore whether working together could help you avoid becoming another cautionary tale of divorce that takes longer than the marriage itself.

Reach out today to schedule your confidential conversation.