Channing Tatum Wants Spousal Support Terminated In Divorce From Jenna Dewan
By Afouda Bamidele on April 11, 2024 at 5:00 AM EDT
Channing Tatum has responded to his former wife, Jenna Dewan's declaration that their divorce settlement cannot proceed without resolving issues connected with "Magic Mike."
According to new court papers obtained by The Blast, the actor has his own list of demands, including terminating spousal support for Dewan.
Channing Tatum Is Ready For A Court Face-Off With Jenna Dewan
Through his attorneys, Tatum has clarified the need to schedule a trial for the long-standing financial aspect of his and Dewan's settlement.
He notes that even though he has made numerous attempts to settle the dispute out of court with Dewan, they have yet to make progress.
The "She's the Man" star states that he and his ex-wife opted to address the end of their marriage in stages, with their "Judgment for Dissolution of Status Only" getting officially documented by the Court on November 20, 2019.
Following that, they came to a resolution on all custody matters on February 11, 2020. As detailed in those documents, they agreed to share both legal and physical custody of their daughter, Everly Elizabeth, with a 50-50 split in physical custody.
Why Does Tatum Want To Avoid Paying Spousal Support?
Tatum continues that a handful of matters must be resolved during the yet-to-be-scheduled trial. He asserts that they will need to clarify the actual date of their separation, which remains to be determined, despite a public announcement in April 2018.
Since the 43-year-old and the dancer acquired real property post-separation, they will also require clarification on rightful ownership.
Tatum adds that his involvement in the "Magic Mike" enterprise, from marriage to post-separation, requires an assessment of community and separate property interests.
Their "Non-Magic Mike Business Interests," which include various investments and businesses, will also need rightful determination for disposal.
While he points out that Dewan has made no orders for temporary spousal support, he wants the court to terminate the spousal support indefinitely.
His reason for the move includes his ex-wife's nearly six-year living situation with her fiancé, Steve Kazee, with whom she shares one child and is currently expecting another.
He stipulates that besides being employed and capable of supporting herself, Dewan will receive half of the community property residuals and royalties.
Dewan Recently Highlighted The Need To Sort Out 'Magic Mike' Money
Tatum's filing follows Dewan's assertion in legal documents that they are facing challenges in determining each party's financial obligations. The issues, as she claimed, primarily revolved around the money made from "Magic Mike," the comedy film that Tatum worked on during their marriage.
As detailed in the papers obtained by The Blast, she and Tatum contributed financially to the Hollywood project.
However, Dewan alleged that Tatum and his business manager hid and downplayed the value and profits of "Magic Mike" and its sequels through a complicated network of companies and partnerships.
Additionally, she declared that the "21 Jump Street" performer failed to manage their shared assets. He supposedly did so by transferring a significant portion of "Magic Mike" to third parties during and after their marriage without her consent.
Dewan's Requests Include A Closer Look At Tatum's Trust Fund
Dewan is petitioning for an order requiring Tatum to give her a report of The Tatum Family Trust, purportedly one of the repositories for the film's earnings.
In the filing, her legal team stated that if communal funds remain within the trust, Tatum must reimburse Dewan with half of the funds he transferred to the trust.
If the trust continues receiving proceeds from "Magic Mike" projects, her "Step Up" co-star must remit her share.
Dewan also requested the court's approval for her entitlement to an equal share, equivalent to half of Tatum's stake, in future "Magic Mike" ventures.
Tatum Has No Qualms Talking About His Stripping Past With His Daughter
Before achieving success in Hollywood, Tatum earned a living as a stripper in Florida after leaving Glenville State College in West Virginia at 18. The Alabama native performed under the alias "Chan Crawford."
Since the producer relived the freaky experience in his "Magic Mike" films, many fans have wondered about his plans to discuss his past career with his daughter.
He opened up about it in a January 2023 interview with Entertainment Tonight, admitting that he will have "THAT conversation" with Everly when she is "old enough" to watch the "Magic Mike" films.
Channing Tatum candidly added, "There's no version of me not having the conversation of 'Dad didn't just do them in movies; I was an actual stripper.' I'm not gonna lie to her."