Mel Gibson's wife gets £271 million divorce settlement

[chirpychirpy]

Mel Gibson’s former wife has landed a £271million Christmas present – half his fortune as a divorce settlement. Mum-of-seven Robyn, who was married to Gibson for 31 years, did not sign a pre-nuptial agreement when they married in 1980. So she was able to claim the bumper payday in what is believed to be Hollywood’s costliest divorce and is due to become final on January 9. Former dental nurse Robyn filed for divorce from Gibson in 2009 after pictures emerged of him relaxing on the beach at their Costa Rica holiday home with girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva. It also emerged that Oksana was pregnant with his child. At the time Robyn filed for divorce, she revealed that she and her husband had actually been separated for three years. Robyn will also receive half of Gibson’s residual fees for all the films he made during their marriage. Court papers show that the couple have made private arrangements for the support of their 12-year-old son Thomas, their only non-adult offspring. The couple married after Gibson had made his breakthrough film, Mad Max.He went on to amass a fortune from films and property investments. Do you think she deserves to get this much and, if not, how much do you think she should get?

[bigbadmarty]

At least he's got his freedom

[jackthehat]

1. Yes.
2. See above.

[Zacs-Master]

Yes.

[chirpychirpy]

Interesting to see Yes answers so far. I don't think she should get anywhere near that much. It's his career that's made him rich, all but one of the kids is adult...

[Zacs-Master]

She probably kept home throughout allowing him the freedom to go away acting.

[jackthehat]

Well, she's taken care of Mel, given him 8 children and had to put up with his father, Hutton.

I think he's got off quite lightly....

[chelle7272]

succinctly put jth, saved me a lot of typing there :)

[webbo3]

I guess we might see Leathal weapon 5 after all.


Dave.

[ummmm]

Yes...

[sp1814]

Yes. She's getting half his fortune, which is par for the course under Californian law. He may have been the bread winner, but she raised the kids and provided sanctuary, marriage is an equal partnership. If you split and you don't have a pre-nup, then you've really got to divide down the middle.

Also, another couple of points, one pertinent, the other less so:

1. She is the injured party.
2. He's a nasty anti-Semitic, racist, homophobe who deserves all the bad karma that life can throw at him (IMO).

[wildwood]

After 31 years, most certainly. If you feel like rowing in someone else's boat you should at least settle things with the wife first.

Marital cheating is a lot more than just sex. The betrayal can be even more devastating.

[chirpychirpy]

Devastating, yes. But £271 million worth of devastating?

[jackthehat]

So, you don't object to the principle.....just the amount?

Why?

[ummmm]

It's not about how much she got. It's about her getting half...because that's what she deserved as his wife of 31 years, and mother to his 8 children...half.

[cathfromsaron]

half is half!

he'll sign a pre-nup next time!

cath x

[ummmm]

Even my OH agrees she deserves it...

[sp1814]

chirpychirpy

You could argue that he would've known how much he stood to lose, and therefore shouldn't have given his wife cause to file for divorce in the first place. If she had run off with some younger fella and then sued him for divorce, I would feel a microscopic bit of sympathy for him...but this is not the case.

[jno]

she spent 30 years bearing his children - a great many of them. He did his job and was paid; she did hers and wasn't, I guess. So that's fair.

[askyourgran]

Yes. After 31 years of marriage and 8 children she deserves to get half of his money, the lying cheating toad.