Celebrity Couples Who Broke Up After 20 Years

Celebrity marriages are notorious for having a short shelf life. Although it looked like they would defy the odds and remain married until death split them up, these celebrity couples decided to call it quits after 20-plus years together.

Bruce and Kris Jenner

She may be one of Hollywood’s most powerful momagers and is used to having her family dominate headlines, but earlier this week, Kris Jenner became a hot topic herself when she and her husband Bruce announced their split. Although they have been living under separate roofs for some time, the couple had vehemently denied there was trouble in paradise. Married in 1991, Kris and Bruce have two children together and an estimated $125 million in net worth, which could cause a problem in divorce court without a pre-nuptial agreement.

Ben Vereen

Actor Ben Vereen met and married his wife Nancy Bruner Vereen in July 1976. The couple was together for 36 years of wedded bliss but all good things must come to an end apparently. The 66-year-old award-winning actor filed for divorce last September, citing irreconcilable differences as the cause for the split. Best known for his role in the miniseries “Roots” and the uncle of the chubby-cheeked title character on the 80’s sitcom “Webster,” Vereen also asked the court to eliminate spousal support. This was Vereen’s second marriage.

Hulk and Linda Hogan

Hulk Hogan helped the World Wrestling Federation become a part of pop culture history, and along the way he became an international superstar. Using wrestling as a platform, the Incredible Hulk branched off into movies and television. Joining him on reality TV was his wife Linda and two children, Brooke and Nick. The show centered around Hulk and his family and while it was a great hit and lead to other opportunities in television for the family, the Hulkster and Linda called it quits after over 20 years of marriage. Soon Linda was seen around town with a man 29 years her junior. Hulk Hogan found love again with current wife Jennifer McDaniel.

Patti LaBelle

She has one of the most recognizable voices in R&B but much of her personal life has remained private. Legendary singer Patti LaBelle married her husband Armstead Edwards in 1969, while she was still a member of Lebelle. After the group disbanded several years later, it was Edwards that took Patti’s career into his hands by becoming her manager. As a solo artist, Patti went on to sell over 50 million albums and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. The duo worked alongside each other for decades until they announced their amicable split in 2000. The divorce was finalized a year later.

Jane Seymour

Jane Seymour played a doctor on television but in real life her 20-year marriage to husband James Keach has been on life support lately. Rumors ran rampant of a roaming Keach for quite some time and the “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman” actress even reportedly kicked him out of their home for a brief period. Apparently, they weren’t able to patch things up and the couple divorced earlier this year. This was Seymour’s fourth marriage. She has two children with Keach and two children from a previous marriage. Hopefully the fifth’s time is the charm.

Harrison Ford

Actor Harrison Ford is certainly no stranger to divorce. He was married to his first wife for six years and then the Clear and Present Danger actor met his second wife after he fell in love with screenwriter Melissa Mathison. Two children and 24 years later, Ford found himself a single man hitting up the nightclubs rocking an earring in one ear. Not afraid to get back up on the horse, Ford once again has said, “I do,” this time to fellow actress Calista Flockhart during a private ceremony in Sante Fe, New Mexico in 2010.

Sean Penn and Robin Wright

After his tumultuous marriage to Madonna ended in 1989, actor Sean Penn soon found love with Robin Wright. Although they didn’t get married until 1996, they wasted no time starting a family; Wright gave birth to their first child in 1991. The couple lived happily ever after until 2007 when a divorce was filed but they soon reconciled months later. In early 2009, Penn filed for divorce, but once again, the two tried to work it out. However, the writing was on the wall and Wright filed in August of that year. The couple officially divorced in 2010.

Morgan Freeman

One of the most storied Black actors of our time, Morgan Freeman has starred in over 100 films and has received critical acclaim and awards for numerous movies, including Driving Miss Daisy, The Shawshank Redemption, Glory and the Million Dollar Baby. In 1984, Freeman married his second wife Myrna Colley-Lee. Together they raised his step-granddaughter from his first marriage but Colley-Lee filed for divorce more than 20 years later. Rumors of Freeman frolicking around with his step-granddaughter were blamed to be the cause of the split but Freeman vehemently denied such an affair. Their divorce was finalized in 2010.

Al and Tipper Gore

Al Gore was this close to becoming the next president of the U.S. but after losing to George W. Bush in 2000, Gore devoted his life to educating the world about the looming dangers of global warming. Although his dutiful wife Tipper was a stable force by his side, the couple shocked the world when they announced that after 40 years of marriage the two would be headed to divorce court. The couple raised four children together. Recently Gore was rumored to be dating fellow environmental advocate Elizabeth Keadle.

Matthew and Tina Knowles

They were the driving force behind one of R&B’s most popular girl groups and then helped their daughter Beyonce become an international solo superstar. Matthew Knowles quit his job to manage Destiny’s Child while his wife Tina served as the group’s stylist. Matthew and Tina tied the knot in 1980, but almost 30 years and a child outside of the marriage later, Tina filed for divorce. The divorce was finalized in 2011 and after a year-and-a-half engagement, Matthew married former model and girlfriend Gena Charmaine Avery earlier this year.

Danny Devito and Rhea Perlman

When Danny Devito and Rhea Perlman crossed paths, it was a match made in Holly-weird heaven. The two actors moved in together just two weeks after meeting and they eventually tied the knot in 1982, but after 30 years of wedded bliss, Devito and Perlman decided to go their separate ways. In October 2012, they announced their split. Rumor had it Devito’s roaming eye was to blame for causing trouble in the marriage. However, time apart does make the heart grow fonder. The “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia” star said in a recent interview he and Perlman were working on their marriage. “Rhea and I are really close. Actually still together, just separate, but together.”

Tony Danza

On a whim, a young Tony Danza laced up a pair of gloves and became a professional boxer. Hanging out at the gym led to his next job as an actor after a scouting producer discovered him. While he was enjoying a career in Hollywood, Danza’s personal life remained private. That is until news of his divorce leaked out. The “Who’s The Boss?” star finally made his split with Tracy, his estranged wife of 24 years, final. Although they were separated since 2004, the divorce was finalized earlier this year.

Mel Gibson

Mel Gibson may be categorized as an anti-Semitic racist kook but there was a time when he was a dutiful husband to wife Robyn for many, many years. Gibson met his soon-to-be wife shortly after filming Mad Max back in the 70’s. After tying the knot, the couple had seven children together while Gibson went on to become one of Hollywood’s highest paid actors. Robyn filed for divorce when her husband was busted driving under the influence in Malibu and three years later, after 26 years of marriage, Robyn reportedly walked away with $400 million.

Buzz Aldrin

Few people can say they worked for NASA in a pick up line and mean it. Buzz Aldrin can and he may need to use it. He made history when he became the second man to walk across the moon, but his wife brought him back down to earth with their recent divorce settlement. After 23 years of marriage, his third wife Lois Driggs Cannon walked away with 50 percent of the $475,000 in Aldrin’s bank account as well as half of all of his business earnings. She can also expect a nice check in the mail every month: $9,500 a month in alimony AND 30 percent of his annual income.