Celebs who’ve divorced their parents
Family feuds, drug abuse or just to get around labour laws, the
stars who split from their parents
PAAriel Winter
Modern Family star Ariel Winter has been emancipated from the care of her parents. The 17-year-old actress, who was removed from her mother Chrisoula Workman's home in October 2012 amid allegations of abuse and placed in the care of her sister Shanelle Gray, shared her joy on Twitter after a judge signed off on court documents freeing her from her parents' control.
Ariel tweeted: "I am now officially emancipated!!! I'm really lucky I have an amazing support system and lovely people in my life who have given me the support and guidance to have been given this wonderful opportunity."
Rex FeaturesMichelle Williams
Michelle Williams decided to apply for legal emancipation at the age of 15 as her parents disapproved of her acting full-time. This also meant that she didn’t have to worry about child labour laws and was free to pick and choose the roles she wanted to do.
Rex FeaturesDrew Barrymore
Drew Barrymore’s early fame saw her drinking alcohol at 11, smoking marijuana at 12 and snorting cocaine at 13. She tried to commit suicide at 14 and had her second stay in rehab soon after. At 15, she filed a juvenile court petition for emancipation from her party-loving mother and estranged father, and moved into her own apartment.
Rex FeaturesMacaulay Culkin
Macaulay Culkin’s parents split when he was 14, and began arguing over the child star’s $17m wealth. After years of wrangling, the actor took both his parents to court to gain control of his earnings; he paid his mother’s legal fees but still has no contact with his father.
GettyJuliette Lewis
Juliette Lewis was only 14 when she divorced her parents. The reason for the fission is unclear but it marked the start of a rocky period for the actress, who went on to drop out of high school and get into drugs. There were high points too: she dated Brad Pitt and appeared in The Wonder Years, while still in her teens.
GettyCourtney Love
Courtney Love’s mother left her daughter in Oregon with her former stepfather and moved to New Zealand when the singer was just eight. She had a turbulent upbringing, going to a juvenile correction facility at the age of 14, after she was arrested for shoplifting. She finally divorced her parents at the age of 16 and supported herself illegally as a stripper.
Rex FeaturesFrances Bean Cobain
Sadly history repeated itself as Courtney Love’s daughter Frances Bean Cobain was granted a temporary restraining order against her mother. The Hole singer was prohibited from having any contact with the-then 17-year-old, who was brought up by her paternal grandmother and aunt. Courtney still owes Frances $2.75m which she borrowed from her daughter’s trust fund.
PAAlicia Silverstone
Not all parental emancipations are ugly though. A 15-year-old Alicia Silverstone applied for parental emancipation so she could work longer on film sets.
GettyTaylor Momsen
Gossip Girl star Taylor Momsen got herself legally declared an adult at the age of 16 by graduating high school early, leaving her free to wear those ripped tights any time she wanted! “I’m a legal adult. Whatever that means! I graduated high school two years early, so I’m responsible for myself under some weird New York state law,” she said.
Rex FeaturesCorey Feldman
The Goonies star Corey Feldman became emancipated from his parents at the age of 15 after arguments over his fortune. He later claimed his parents beat him, saying: "I couldn't be abused too badly when I was working because they didn't want me to have bruises.”
GettyRose McGowan
Rose McGowan had a difficult childhood which involved growing up in a cult and moving to the US from Italy. She ran away at 13, when her mother was sent to rehab, and applied to be emancipated from her parents at 15. On her own, the actress sorted herself out, going to beauty school and pursing a successful acting career.
GettyAaron Carter
Another child star who fell out with his parents is Aaron Carter. In 2003, the singer fired his mom-manger, Jane, claiming that she had stolen $100,000 from him. Soon after, he divorced both his parents. “I feel betrayed by my own mother,” he said at the time, but he later withdrew his case against her and the pair reconciled.
GettyJaime Pressly
Actress Jaime Pressly divorced her parents at 15 but was keen to emphasise that it was for purely practical reasons. The star needed to take a term out of school to do a modelling job in Japan. Due to child labour laws, she needed to travel with a legal guardian, but neither of her parents could make the trip so the only way she could go was if she was given legal status. “It wasn’t a Macaulay Culkin kind of thing…” she said at the time.
Rex FeaturesEliza Dushku
Child labour laws were also behind Eliza Dushku’s decision to divorce her mum and dad. She came from a happy home but, as a 17-year-old, filed for a petition to divorce her parents to allow her more time to film her role as Faith on [i]Buffy The Vampire Slayer</i.>
GettyBijou Phillips
Almost Famous star Bijou Phillips severed all legal ties with her father John Phillips (of the Mamas and Papas) after claiming he was a cocaine addict. The 15-year-old then moved into a Park Avenue apartment, which came complete with its own housekeeper.
PATiffany
At the peak of her popularity, 80s singer Tiffany Darwish found herself stuck in the middle of a feud between her manager and parents, over who was controlling her career and earnings. Tiffany attempted to get herself declared as an emancipated minor but this was rejected by the court and the singer moved in with her grandmother, who also became her temporary guardian.
