Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan Are Fighting Over Money & It’s Getting Messy

Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan announced their separation in 2018 after nine years of marriage, but the exes—who are both currently engaged to other people—are still squaring things away financially. And it’s gotten quite messy: According to a Monday report in People, Dewan and Tatum are on the brink of going to trial over Tatum’s Magic Mike money, after Tatum’s lawyers said in court documents that they’ve “exhausted all efforts in an attempt to settle this matter without litigation.” 

Court filings obtained by People show Dewan’s main argument is that she’s entitled to profits from the hit franchise—which includes a trilogy of movies, a reality TV series, and a popular Las Vegas show—because Magic Mike was “developed and co-financed by Channing during marriage with community effort and marital funds.” Meanwhile, Tatum’s camp argues that much of the profits from Magic Mike were made after his separation from Dewan, claiming that Tatum, by himself, “has expended extensive efforts since separation towards the enhancement of the Magic Mike intellectual property and related entities.” 

All of this is making me wonder how the titular, fictional Magic Mike and his ex would legally handle divvying up his tips. There’s an idea for the next movie!

“Jenna is just looking for a fair resolution of community assets of the marriage, under California State Law,” a representative for Dewan told People. “Jenna wants to reach a final determination and close this chapter on her life as soon as possible.” The source said Dewan and Tatum have “been trying to settle for over five years and have gone to many settlement conferences during that time.” 

While representatives for Tatum didn’t respond to People, a source close to the actor alleged that the legal conflict between them has “dragged on… because Jenna’s actions and claims continuously contradict themselves.” Specifically, the source said, “[Dewan] says she wants a fair settlement but is ignoring all post-separation work Channing and his partners have done to enhance Magic Mike. She keeps stalling negotiations, but says she wants to resolve this.” Dewan’s camp then emphasized that Dewan has “clearly moved on, she’d like for all the doors to close and for her divorce to be finalized.” Messy!

What’s fascinating to me about all of this is that it’s unfolding, like, five years after a judge declared them legally single, six years after they announced their separation, and while Tatum is engaged to Zoe Kravitz and Dewan is engaged to Steve Kazee. I’m just constantly in awe of the long-term, inescapable messiness of marriage (especially among the ultra-rich) under capitalism!

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