When you factor fame into the divorce equation, you get a world full of hungry culture consumers eager for answers. The scandals that lead to separations become all the rage in the media, rather than something that happens behind closed doors.
Here are 17 astonishing celebrity divorces that followed decades — nay, quarters — of lives spent together in marriage:
1. Billy Ray Cyrus and Tish Cyrus: Divorced after 28 years of marriage (1993–2022)
After over 28 years of marriage, Tish Cyrus filed for divorce from Billy Ray Cyrus in 2022. She cited “irreconcilable differences” as a reason for their separation. Tish and Billy Ray released a joint statement to People after their split. The former couple revealed, “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.”
On a podcast episode of Chelsea Handler’s Dear Chelsea, Tish opened up about her divorce. “I didn't ever really think I would get a divorce. That was not in the cards at all for me," shared Tish. "I was devastated. I'd been married for so long … I didn't know anything different."
While the idea of divorce might have surprised Tish, several factors contributed to her breakup with Billy Ray. The ex-spouses filed for divorce twice before Tish’s 2022 petition sealed the deal. Billy Ray filed for divorce in 2010, and Tish filed for divorce in 2013, but each of them dropped their petitions and got back together before their final split in 2022.
2. Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates: Divorced after 27 years of marriage (1994–2021)
In 2021, Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates announced their divorce in a shared post on Twitter. "After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage," the former partners divulged. "Over the last 27 years, 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. 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. We ask for space and privacy for our family as we begin to navigate this new life."
Melinda dove deeper into the details of her divorce in her 2025 book, The Next Day. “Bill has publicly acknowledged that he wasn’t always faithful to me,” she wrote. Bill’s involvement with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was another contributing factor in their split. Melinda is no longer involved with the Gates Foundation; instead, she devotes her time to Pivotal, a philanthropic organization she founded in 2015.
3. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver: Divorced after 25 years of marriage (1986–2011)
Shriver filed for divorce from Schwarzenegger in 2011 after she discovered that he’d fathered a child with Mildred "Patty" Baena. Baena worked with the family as a housekeeper and an assistant for 20 years. Schwarzenegger fired Baena, reportedly to save the marriage, but it didn't.
In an excerpt from her book I Am Maria, via People, Shriver wrote about the emotional aftermath of her divorce. “My twenty-five-year-long marriage blew up. It broke my heart, it broke my spirit, it broke what was left of me,” Shriver admitted. Her divorce from Schwarzenegger took a decade to legally finalize and was made official in 2021 (35 years after they got married).
4. Al Gore and Tipper Gore: Divorced after 40 years of marriage (1970–2010)
Shortly after Al and Tipper celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary amongst friends and family, they announced their divorce. The Gores announced their separation by email. “We are announcing today that after a great deal of thought and discussion, we have decided to separate,” Al and Tipper wrote. “This is very much a mutual and mutually supportive decision that we have made together following a process of long and careful consideration. We ask for respect for our privacy and that of our family, and we do not intend to comment further.”
5. Trecina “Tina” and Glendon “Teddy” Campbell: Divorced after 26 years of marriage (2000–2026)
Teddy Campbell filed for divorce from Mary Mary singer Tina Campbell in April 2026. The pair had been separated since 2024. Teddy’s infidelity became a public matter in 2014; he had an affair with the godmother of his children, which Tina openly discussed in the media. She revealed in an interview on Steve Harvey, "It broke my heart. It devastated me, and I spazzed out. I destroyed three cars, I cut up and crashed up and tried to stab and plotted murders and all kinds of crazy stuff because I was angry, and I started doing all of that.”
6. Daddy Yankee (Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez) and Mireddys González: Divorced after 29 years of marriage (1995–2024)
Daddy Yankee addressed his divorce from González in an Instagram statement. “After more than two decades of marriage and after many months of trying to save my marriage, which my wife and I share, today my lawyers respond to the divorce petition received by Mireddys,” he shared. The former couple began their relationship when they were only 17. González worked with Daddy Yankee as his manager and label CEO at El Cartel Records. The pair share two children, Jesaaelys and Jeremy Ayala González.
7. Rachel Zoe and Rodger Berman: Divorced after 26 years of marriage (1998–2024)
After 33 years of partnership and 26 years of marriage, Zoe announced her separation from Berman in 2024 and filed for divorce in 2025. On an episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Zoe offered insight on the tension leading up to her divorce. "The person that I was with my whole adult life was, in many ways, unrecognizable. Ultimately that person didn't feel right around me or my kids,” she confided. Berman and Zoe share two sons, Skyler and Kaius Berman. Zoe said to People, “I think if you ask any woman who has left a situation, they would probably say that they probably should have done it sooner.”
8. Martha Stewart and Andrew Stewart: Divorced after 29 years of marriage (1961–1990)
The Stewarts separated in 1987 before finalizing their divorce in 1990. In her Netflix documentary Martha, she shared her side of the story on their split. “He’s the one who wanted the divorce, not I,” Martha clarified. “He was throwing me away. I was 40 years old. I was gorgeous. I was a desirous woman, but he was treating me like a castaway.” Martha also revealed that both she and Andrew cheated on each other throughout their 29 years together as husband and wife. “He treated me really badly, and, in return, I guess I treated him badly,” Martha admitted.
9. Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness: Divorced after 27 years of marriage (1996–2023)
Jackman and Furness released a shared statement about their decision to separate via People in 2023. "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,” they confided. The former spouses share two children, Oscar and Ava. “Our family has been and always will be our highest priority. We undertake this next chapter with gratitude, love, and kindness,” Furness and Jackman shared in their statement. After their separation in 2023, Furness filed for divorce in 2025, which was finalized that same year.
10. Neil Diamond and Marcia Murphey: Divorced after 25 years of marriage (1969–1994)
Neil Diamond split up with his first wife, Jayne Posner, in 1969. He married his second wife, Marcia Murphey, that very same year. Murphey and Diamond had two sons, Jesse and Micah, during their marriage. ABC reported that Murphey's divorce settlement included $150 million. In an interview with the Daily Mail in 2014, Diamond revealed, “She got enough to live on for the rest of her life.”
11. Clint Eastwood and Maggie Johnson: Divorced after 31 years of marriage (1953–1984)
The three decades of marriage between Eastwood and Johnson were riddled with adultery. In a 1963 interview with Photoplay Magazine, Eastwood got candid about his extramarital activities. “One thing Mag had to learn about me was that I was going to do as I pleased. She had to accept that, because if she didn't, we wouldn't be married,” he said. Eastwood has eight children (that we know about) from six different women. Johnson mothered two of them (Kyle and Alison Eastwood).
Eastwood’s affair with Sondra Locke was one of the factors that led to his divorce from Johnson. In her memoir, The Good, the Bad, and the Very Ugly: A Hollywood Journey, Locke revealed that Eastwood told her “there was no real relationship left” between him and Johnson.
12. Tina Knowles and Matthew Knowles: Divorced after 31 years of marriage (1980–2011)
Tina and Matthew are the parents of Beyoncé and Solange Knowles. In her memoir Matriarch, Tina opened up about the hardships of her marriage. “I was caught in this dance with him, each doing the same steps over and over: He would cheat or act up, and I would say I’d had enough. He would beg for forgiveness, crying and promising to get better... But this is what married people did, I told myself.” In 2009, Tina discovered that Matthew had fathered a child with another woman when it came out in the press. This led Tina to file for divorce from Matthew, which was finalized in 2011.
13. Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore: Divorced after 27 years of marriage (1984–2011)
Gordon and Moore were founding members of Sonic Youth, where they bonded as bandmates before cementing their vows as husband and wife. During their marriage, Moore had an affair with another band member's girlfriend. Gordon found out about Moore’s “double life” by way of a suggestive text message. In an interview with Elle, Gordon spoke about her divorce from Thurston. “It ended in a kind of normal way – midlife crisis, starstruck woman.” She also referred to her ex-husband as a “lost soul” in the interview.
14. Neil Young and Pegi Young: Divorced after 36 years of marriage (1978–2014)
Throughout their marriage, Neil and Pegi worked together both on and off stage. Pegi started singing backup vocals at Neil’s performances in the 1990s. They also opened a nonprofit school for children with vocal or physical impairments during their time together. After 36 years of marriage, Neil filed for divorce from Pegi in 2014. Neil later honored Pegi with a touching tribute after she died in 2019. “Thanks, Pegi, for being such a wonderful mother to our children,” Neil wrote on his Archives website. “You live inside of them and the many you have touched.”
15. Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie Scott: Divorced after 25 years of marriage (1993–2019)
Bezos and Scott made a statement about their divorce in a shared tweet. “After a long period of loving exploration and trial separation, we have decided to divorce and continue our shared lives as friends.” Shortly after this announcement, headlines about Bezos’ relationship with Lauren Sánchez circulated. Scott’s divorce from Bezos resulted in a settlement of “approximately $36 billion.” Scott has donated more than $19 billion to over 2,000 organizations since her split from Bezos.
16. Robert Redford and Lola Van Wagenen: Divorced after 27 years of marriage (1958–1985, approximately)
With only $300 in their bank account, Redford and Van Wagenen married at 21 and 19, respectively. The former couple lost their first child, Scott Redford, to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in 1959. They later had three more children. In the mid-'80s, the pair quietly divorced.
Redford spoke about his split with Van Wagenen in an interview with The Telegraph. “It was mutual, and it was right to move on,” Redford revealed. “We still have great love, great affection, great friendship. It is wonderful, and I think we probably deserve credit for it because the kids are great. They came through it okay.” He added, "I never wanted to be one of those divorced showbusiness casualties — so predictable! I wanted to prove that a marriage could last and prove the business wrong, but I couldn’t.”
17. And lastly, Gene Hackman and Faye Maltese: Divorced after 30 years of marriage (1956–1986)
Hackman and Maltese shared a son (Christopher) and two daughters (Elizabeth and Leslie). The growing pressure of fame throughout Hackman’s career contributed to his divorce from Maltese. "Even though I had a family, I took jobs that would separate us for three or four months at a time," Hackman told the New York Times. "The temptations in that, the money and recognition, it was too much for the poor boy in me," he said.
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