RIP CONSCIOUS UNCOUPLING
If 2015 was the year that conscious uncoupling became the new normal in Hollywood, 2016 was anything but…
LAST YEAR’S DECIDEDLY amicable splits, which saw Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck sharing brunch with their kids and Matt Bellamy and Kate Hudson going on holiday with his new girlfriend, were forgotten and replaced by acrimonious break-ups, with every sordid twist and turn played out in public.
First came Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, when the actress filed for divorce after just 15 months of marriage. Within days, allegations surfaced that Johnny had been ‘physically and emotionally abusive’ throughout their relationship and Amber arrived in court with visible bruising to her face – allegedly after he threw an iphone at her. Johnny’s camp counterclaimed that she was a master manipulator ‘alleging abuse for financial gain’. She said she lived in fear of him. Weeks of mud-slinging culminated in the release of a video showing Johnny smashing bottles and taunting Amber at their home, followed by pictures of him writing her name in blood on a wall after he cut his finger.
Then Angelina Jolie blindsided the A-list when she left Brad Pitt after 12 years for ‘the health of her family’. Claims alleged Brad had anger and substance abuse problems before the most stunning blow of all: Brad was being investigated by the FBI for child abuse. The case was later dropped, but not before the couple had done their best to sully each other’s reputations. The future of the custody of their six children is still undecided. And it wasn’t just Hollywood marriages that ended in scorching animosity. In April, there was disbelief when Taylor Swift and Calvin Harris parted ways – just weeks after a very public celebration of their first anniversary. Though Calvin insisted the split was friendly, it didn’t take long for things to turn toxic. After Taylor – who quickly moved on with Tom Hiddleston (see page 97 for the full story) – insisted she should be credited for co-writing one of his songs, their break-up went nuclear when he tweeted, ‘If you’re happy in your new relationship you should focus on that instead of trying to tear your ex-boyfriend down for something to do.’ Will there be a reprieve in 2017? Either way, 2016 has taught us that, despite Gwyneth’s best efforts, an A-list split can send shockwaves around the world like nothing else.