Jenna Dewan claims her ex Channing Tatum hid details of his earnings from the lucrative Magic Mike movie and demanded she receive a cut of the profits since they were still married when the idea for the sexy striptease franchise was developed.
During a hearing in a Los Angeles court on Friday, Dewan’s attorney, Samantha Spector, said her client received “some” money, but it is still unknown how much should be divided between the exes because she alleges that Tatum has had complete control over business finances. and trust.
Spector said child support and the division of other property and assets cannot be determined unless the Magic Mike issue is addressed first.
“The Magic Mike intellectual property and all the profits they generate are the elephant in the room,” Spector told Judge David Wasserman on Friday. “For the past few years we have been trying to solve this case in a meaningful way, but every time we do, we get stuck on that problem with Magic Mike.
“We are looking at a potential asset worth billions of dollars.”
Jenna Dewan at the FASHION TRUST US Awards on April 9, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California. The actress is fighting with her ex-husband Channing Tatum over profits she says she is entitled to from the Magic Mike movie franchise.
Channing Tatum at the Vanity Fair 2023 Oscars Party in Los Angeles. The actor denies his ex’s accusations that he tried to hide the earnings from his Magic Mike movies
Tatum (center) starred in and co-financed the film, which became a critical and box office hit and grossed around $167 million worldwide.
Tatum and Dewan did not physically appear in court on Friday. Tatum listened to the proceedings virtually, but remained silent during the hearing.
The former Hollywood couple, who were married from July 2009 to November 2019, share a 10-year-old daughter, Everly, but have since moved on to other relationships.
Tatum is engaged to actress Zoë Kravitz, while Dewan is expecting her second baby with fiancé Steve Kazee. They also have a three-year-old son, Callum.
In court documents obtained by DailyMail.com, Dewan claims that both she and Tatum acquired the Magic Mike intellectual property together since they were still married at the time the film was being developed.
Tatum, then a promising leading man, starred in the first Magic Mike movie in 2012, directed by Steven Soderbergh.
The film was largely based on Tatum’s own experience as a young stripper while living in Florida.
Tatum and Soderbergh co-financed the modest $7 million project, which became a critical and box office hit and grossed around $167 million worldwide.
Two more films followed, and a striptease show and tour based on the film also garnered national success.
Dewan is expecting her second baby with her fiancé Steve Kazee. They also have a three-year-old son, Callum.
Tatum is engaged to actress Zoë Kravitz
Tatum’s lawyers on Friday denied Dewan’s claims that the actor hid the earnings in an irrevocable trust.
They also claimed that the Magic Mike actor has “never denied” Dewan’s involvement in community assets or income.
«All transactions were carried out at arm’s length; “Petitioner was represented by counsel, signed gift tax returns, and actively participated in transactions for the benefit of the community and the parties’ daughter,” Tatum’s attorneys wrote in an affidavit.
‘The evidence will show the defendant [Tatum] has never taken actions to the detriment of the community or the petitioner [Dewan].’
Their attorney, Jacqueline Combs, also said the Magic Mike franchise made most of their money after the couple had already separated, according to court documents obtained by DailyMail.com.
At Friday’s hearing, Combs said Tatum had tried several times to resolve the issue with his ex without having to go through a separate trial, but instead was met with Dewan’s “unnecessarily litigious behavior and delaying tactics.”
Dewan, with her son Callum, is expecting to give birth to her third child in June.
“This has been going on for six years and it’s very important to get the case to trial,” a frustrated Combs told the judge.
Dewan’s lawyers said they were also prepared to go to trial, but alerted the judge that the actress will give birth in mid-June.
The judge said he was “well aware” of her due date and ordered time to testify for Dewan before she has the baby.
The judge said both Dewan and Tatum should be deposed no later than July 26.
The parties will return on May 15 to determine whether the Magic Mike intellectual property issue will require a separate brief trial.
For now, the trial date has been set for December.
Both sides have indicated they plan to call the other to the stand.
“This is your last chance,” Judge Wasserman told both sides. ‘That’s all.’