Autumn is here and we are starting to see the falling of leaves all around us, and seemingly the fall of many celebrity couples in Hollywood. It seems like everyone is breaking up, from Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner getting divorced, to Hugh and Deborra-Lee Jurness announcing their separation. It feels like a pattern is developing, and the divorce lawyer for Kevin Costner and Britney Spears seems to see it too. She believes the recent uptick in celebrity separations may have something to do with the empowerment seen in artists like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, as well as the popularity of the Barbie movie.
High-profile celebrity divorces attorney Laura Wasser revealed that many divorces we’ve seen between celebrities this year might have a lot to do with changes going on in Hollywood. The attorney believes that the uptick in those moving towards separation has a lot of sources, including the free time as a result of the 2023 WGA Strike and SAG-AFTRA strike. She told People:
Something going on with a lot of my clients and what I'm seeing here in Southern California is that we're in the middle of one of the worst strikes in history for the writers and the actors. So you've also got people who have more time on their hands.
Wasser also believes that the trend of female empowerment in the media may also be to blame. It seems like it’s a heyday for women-led content, including record-breaking stadium tours from artists like Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, who went through her own break-up with Joe Alwyn, this year. Also movies like Barbie have stressed the importance of female independence and self worth, which also may be motivation for those seeking a reckoning in their relationships. The lawyer explained:
[Women are] angry about our reproductive rights getting rolled back, they're feeling their power by going to see Barbie and Taylor and Beyoncé. And they're like, 'I don't need this. I'm the one making this money and I'm not comfortable, not working, and have this spouse who's either also not working or never was working.’ A lot of people have said, 'I'm out.' So it's compounded by what's going on here economically.
While this might be sad to see for the fans who adore these celebrity couples, it’s been good business for the lawyer. Laura Wasser represented Kevin Costner in his messy and expensive divorce. The Yellowstone star may have proved his lawyer's point when Costner was spotted enjoying one of Swift’s shows, seemingly resonating with her hit song “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” She is also representing fellow pop princesses Britney Spears and Ariana Grande in their respective divorces as well.
There are probably many other factors that have led to the uptick in these famous uncouplings, but when it comes to having a finger on the pulse of celebrity divorce, Wasser is a good source of knowledge. The lawyer is one of the most notable names in the world of high-profile separations.
She is believed to be the inspiration for Laura Dern’s character in Marriage Story, which was based on the real life divorce between Noah Baumbach and Jennifer Jason Leigh. The role won Dern an Oscar, and for Wasser, likely more clients. The year 2023 is racing towards its end, but if this pattern continues, we may be seeing even more relationships falling apart. Please protect Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively's privacy at all costs.
We will continue to follow these break-up trends, but in the meantime make sure to check out our feature on some of the best break-up movies streaming now, including favorites like Marriage Story. For more information on other projects heading to the small screen this year, consult our guide to new and recent movies streaming.
