Most celebrity divorce stories end up with multi-million settlements. But did you know that Russell Brand was eligible for a huge settlement after his divorce from Katy Perry?
Russell Brand was supposed to receive $22 million after his divorce from Katy Perry. He refused to take any of her money despite not having signed a pre-nuptial agreement before they got married.
Who is Russell Brand?
Russell Edward Brand was born on June 4, 1975, in Essex, England. He is the only child of Barbara Elizabeth and Ronald Henry Brand. His parents separated when he was six months old. His mother raised him.
At the age of 8, Brand’s mother contracted uterine cancer and breast cancer a year later. During this time, Brand lived with relatives. It was a really tough time for him growing up. He suffered from eating disorders, drug abuse and was even sexually abused by his tutor. Brand decided to leave home at the age of 16.
He began his career as a comedian and later on went into hosting and then acting. Aside from getting into different lines in the industry, he was quite controversial with his promiscuity, drug use, and outrageous behavior. (Source: BBC)
How Did Russell Brand and Katy Perry Meet?
Russell Brand and Katy Perry met on the set of his film Get Him to the Greek. The singer was there for a cameo in the movie. Although her scene was cut on the final production, this is where their friendship started.
News about their dating started after the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. By the end of 2009, they announced their engagement while they were on vacation in India. The pair got married on October 23, 2010, in Rajasthan. (Source: MTV)
Why Did Russell Brand File for Divorce?
While they seemed to have a great time as a married couple, Brand filed for divorce on December 30, 2011, due to irreconcilable differences. There were many speculations about the break-up between the two, but the truth is; Perry didn’t want to have kids when Brand did.
In Perry’s autobiography Katy Perry: Part of Me, she revealed that her career and hectic schedules would not permit her to settle down and have kids. She also said in an interview with vogue that Brand did not appreciate the idea of her being the boss in their relationship.
After the divorce was finalized, Brand spoke about his love for Perry. He just realized it wasn’t working out for them after they got married.
This isn’t really working out, I was really, really in love with her, but it was difficult to see each other. It mostly didn’t work for practical reasons. I don’t want anything to hurt her. She’s younger than me, she’s a young woman and she’s beautiful and she’s sensitive and I care about her deeply
Russell Brand
(Source: Christian Post)
How Did They Settle the Divorce?
Brand and Perry got married without a prenuptial agreement; because of this, he was eligible to half of Perry’s wealth. At the time, Perry had an estimated $44 million in earnings. Brand was to get $22 million in the settlement but declined it.
Russell and Katy did NOT have a prenup. As a result, everything they earned during their 14-month marriage is community property, which means they’re each entitled to 50% of the pot. This divorce is as amicable as it gets, and Russell was a mensch.
TMZ
(Source: Business Insider)