Movie star Michael Douglas, currently married to his second wife Catherine Zeta Jones for the past 10 years, is facing more than a virtual TV Divorce Court 13 years after his first nuptials. And all because he is bringing back his take-the-money-and-run persona as Gordon Gekko, a ruthless stockbroker, in a new film based on the old film "Wall Street".
His ex-wife, Diandra is due her portion of any spin-off, sequel, or whatever. Part of a divorce, as is the case in many, is that you are due a percentage of what was earned during your time together.
Is this a case of greed or just a case of rights?
Also in "Wall Street" was a young actor named Charlie Sheen, if he were to reprise his role as underling turned whistle-blower, would his ex-wife see this as a precedent for her own divorce settlement reprisal? And, poor Charlie, he's had more than one wife since then: there have been three. Would it only be the one he was married to at the time of the movie? Or the one that claims the most damages?
Life imitating art? There are many films about divorce, one that notably comes to mind for Douglas is his with screen wife Kathleen Turner battling it out - until death does them part - with help from lawyer Danny De Vito in "The War of the Roses". And just a few years after their mega-hit movies they made as a successful screen couple: "Romancing the Stone" and its sequel, "Jewel of the Nile". Almost makes you think that the screen couple was predictably hurtling toward being the divorced couple.
Aren't there many sequels, movies and marriages, that this would open up a new precedent for? Will it be worth the angst?
Many divorced people go through similar bouts of "greed". Keeping what they brought to the relationship is tantamount. Giving up what they accrued together is when it gets sticky, uncomfortable and downright murderous.
The process is all about separation, moving on and moving out. But how can that happen if a couple must return to court, more than ten years later, and face the same issues? So now we have He said and She said after so many years? How is a divorced person, high profile or not, supposed to ever relax? When can their separation ever be complete?
Diandra Douglas, a one time a producer, has gone down 30% in popularity this week alone. Does it matter to her what people think? Her suit was filed quietly but it sure has hit the fan globally.
Is there a way to protect yourself from being dragged back into court? On the other hand, if you feel cheated today, felt cheated one year or decades ago, and are still contemplating what happened and how to recover - what can you do out of the limelight?
For more information about divorce laws or to file a lawsuit, it's best to consult an knowledgeable divorce attorney.