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The marriages and divorces of Hollywood couples can sometimes be difficult to keep up with for the public. It is not unusual to see celebrity couples filing for divorce after only being married for a short time. For that reason alone, it may shock some celebrity gossip followers in Michigan that Melanie Griffith recently filed for divorce from Antonio Banderas after 18 years of marriage.
The filing of divorce papers puts to rest the whispers of trouble in the couple’s marriage that have followed the couple recently. The two became romantically involved in 1995 during the filming of “Too Much,” and they married after Banderas divorced his second wife in 1996. Griffith was married three times prior to Banderas — twice to actor Don Johnson, with whom she has a daughter.
Irreconcilable differences are cited in Griffith’s court documents as the reason for the split. Griffith is asking the court to order Banderas to pay her spousal support and child support and she is also asking the court to give her full physical custody of their 17-year-old daughter. The fact that the girl will turn 18 in September may impact any negotiations regarding custody and child support, and Griffith has represented that she is open to joint legal custody. She is not asking Banderas to pay her legal fees. It is as yet unknown how the couple’s community property will be divided or whether a prenuptial agreement exists.
It could be said that Griffith and Banderas — both of whom are over the age of 50 — represent the growing number of older couples divorcing after many years of marriage. The issues facing older couples who are getting a divorce often differ from those of couples with young children. Starting over later in life may seem daunting to some, but if a Michigan couple is able to negotiate a fair and equitable settlement, both parties may look forward to bright futures.
Source: Los Angeles Times, “Melanie Griffith divorcing Antonio Banderas after 18-year marriage“, Nardine Saad, June 6, 2014