After just 15 months of marriage, Johnny Depp and Amber Heard are parting ways. (If it hadn't been for that awkward video of the couple apologizing for smuggling their dogs into Australia, I probably wouldn't have even known the two were married.) While the divorce itself isn't particularly shocking, the lack of a prenup is. According to TMZ, the Hollywood stars wed without the legal papers.
Now the question: who gets what?
Heard asked the court for some of Depp's $400 million net worth as spousal support and attorney fees. While the actress has landed roles in The Danish Girl, Magic Mike XXL, Pineapple Express, and Friday Night Lights and sports a cool car collection, she has not risen to her soon-to-be ex-husband's A-list stature quite yet. She's only worth a measly $2 million, after all.
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Depp's stardom has shined for decades though. To date, the actor's films have grossed $3.1 billion in the United States and $7.6 billion worldwide. His next movie, Alice Through the Looking Glass, opens on Friday.
But it's unlikely Heard will profit from any of Depp's films or fortune.
See also: Johnny Depp Net Worth
In a response filed just a day after Heard submitted the divorce petition, Depp flatly rejected her request for spousal support and attorney fees. He asked the court to separate the couple's assets and debts, including jewelry and personal effects, as well as his hearings and accumulations from the date of their separation. (Heard claimed they officially separated on May 22, 2016.)
Depp's response could be considered harsh given the income differences between the two. But the actor is still recovering from the loss of his mother last week, and Heard may not be legally entitled to spousal support or much, if any, of his $100+ million dollar fortune.
In determining whether to award spousal support, California courts often consider a long list of factors. But one big one is the length of the marriage and whether the marriage caused one spouse to earn less money. This may have been a reason why Ryan Sweeting abandoned his plan to receive spousal support from his wealthy, ex-wife Kaley Cuoco, after their 21-month marriage ended.
Also, in a vast majority of divorce cases, any money earned by a spouse before marriage is untouchable even without a prenup. In California, only the money earned during marriage is considered martial property and would be split evenly in the event of a divorce. This may not amount to much for Heard to collect, especially if Heard will have to pay her own attorney fees.
Depp and Heard will probably finalize the details soon. On Thursday, Depp's rep expressed the actor's wishes for a speedy divorce.
"Given the brevity of this marriage and the most recent and tragic loss of his mother, Johnny will not respond to any of the salacious false stories, gossip, misinformation and lies about his personal life," said the rep. "Hopefully the dissolution of this short marriage will be resolved quickly.
