Alice Evans and Ioan Gruffudd’s divorce: A look at the most bitter split in Hollywood

It’s been one of the most bitter and shocking divorces in Hollywood history yet the drama between Alice Evans and Ioan Gruffudd  shows no sign of letting up anytime soon. 

Two years on from 102 Dalmatians co-stars announcing the end of their 14-year marriage, the exes are still facing off against each other in court. 

The couple – who met while co-starring in the 2000 Disney film – are continuing to thrash out the arrangements for both their divorce and custody of their daughters, Ella, 13 and Elsie, nine.

The latest saga has seen Gruffudd, 49, sensationally accuse his ex-wife of setting up fake Twitter accounts to brand him and his new girlfriend Bianca Wallace ‘child abusers’ after daughter Ella applied for a temporary restraining order against Gruffudd and Wallace, 30.

Now MailOnline revisits the shocking celebrity feud and what the sparring exes have said about the drama amid their bitter divorce. 

January 2021: The beginning of the end  

Gruffudd filed for divorce in March 2021, shortly after Evans claimed on social media that her husband of 14 years was walking out on her and their two daughters.

Alice said: The 102 Dalmatians star tweeted at the time: ‘Sad news. My beloved husband/soulmate of 20 years, Ioan Gruffudd, has announced he is to leave his family, starting next week.

‘Me and our young daughters girls are very confused and sad. We haven’t been given a reason except that he “no longer loves me.” I’m so sorry.’

Ioan said: Shortly after Evans’ tweet, Gruffudd broke his silence to tell reporters it was an ‘extremely difficult time.’ 

He explained: ‘It’s an extremely difficult time for the family, our thoughts are with our children obviously right now and I’d really respect a little bit of privacy right now, thank you.’

October 2021: Ioan goes public with his new love  

After Evans’ explosive announcement about her split all seemed to quieten down until October 2021 when she took to Twitter to claim to her 29,000 followers that her estranged husband had been cheating on her for three years with a much younger woman.

Evans implied that her ex had gaslighted her for years, betraying her and their two daughters (but did not offer any evidence to support her accusation).

Alice said: ‘So it turns out my husband, after two years of telling me I’m a bad person and I’m not exciting and he no longer wants to have sex with me and he just wants to be on set abroad… has been in a relationship for three years behind my back.’

While Gruffudd did not comment on the allegations publicly, he decided that now would be the time to make things Instagram official, posting a picture with Bianca Wallace, an Australian actress who is 21 years younger than Evans.

Ioan said: ‘Thank you for making me smile again,’ captioning his shot with two love heart emojis and making it clear he had moved on with his new love. 

February 2022: Ioan files for a restraining order against Alice 

After months of pointed tweets and social media posts made by Evans, Gruffudd responded by filing for a restraining order, submitting 113 pages of unhinged texts and emails that had not previously been made public. 

In his court filing, Gruffudd claimed he told Evans that he wanted out of the marriage in August 2020 and that since then, she had harassed him with hundreds of unanswered text messages, abusive emails and social media posts – many of which he included in the filing.

He claimed she verbally threatened to tell the media he had abused her ‘do what Amber Heard did to Johnny Depp’. 

Ioan said: ‘Alice told me verbally multiple times that she would do to me what Amber Heard did to Johnny Depp. 

‘Alice threatened to tell people I had abused her and our daughters; she threatened to call the police on me if I did not comply with her demands; she threatened to tell people I am a drug addict and put me in prison; she threatened to write a fake diary that reflected an abused victim, and to have the diary published; and she threatened to destroy my mother. 

‘Alice told me she would win, and everyone would believe her over me. ‘

Alice said: Speaking in court, she claimed ‘I never threatened’ him with slanderous statements or harassed him, 

Her representatives did not responded to requests for comment about the texts and emails contained in the lawsuit.

June 2022: Alice begs fans for money to pay for a divorce lawyer 

As their divorce proceedings entered its 15th month, Evans claimed to be ‘completely out of money for food and bills.’

She claimed she would receive no financial support from Gruffudd and that she was struggling to pay her legal fees and would be unable to ‘feed or clothe’ their daughters with her dwindling funds. 

Alice said: In a public Instagram post she shared, ‘Trying to hold it all together whilst being threatened, completely out of money for food and bills and just found out somebody tried to break down our outside door last night!’

The star of 102 Dalmatians later set up a GoFundMe page to raise $25,000 (£20,500) in order to pay for a divorce lawyer.

Alice said: An email to friends seeking money, read: ‘I never in a million years thought I would be doing this.

‘Until recently everything appeared to be going well in my life. I had a wonderful husband and two brilliant kids who had cost us the earth in IVF but were so worth it!

‘However in August 2020, just as the pandemic was really kicking in, my entire world fell apart.’

She said legal fees ‘have finally drained everything – savings, accounts, pension, the lot’, adding: ‘Yesterday all my accounts ran out and I couldn’t buy anything.’

The letter ended: ‘I’m asking for help – something I’ve never done… and never expected to do. I have no parents or extended family to borrow from.

Ioan said: While the Fantastic Four actor did not respond to requests for comment, it emerged in court papers that he had hired divorce lawyer Anne Kiley, who also represents Brad Pitt. 

July 2022: Ioan asks for joint custody of daughters 

After Evans filed for sole custody of their daughters, Gruffudd filed for custody and visitation rights to see his children, claiming in the filing that Evans had been purposely trying to cut communication between himself and the children. 

He also petitioned that the girls attend in-person therapy and reunification therapy via zoom with him pending court-ordered mediation about custody. 

In the filing, Gruffudd reiterated allegations that Evans had been verbally abusing during their 14-year marriage, and ‘undermin[ing him] in front of the girls throughout their lives.’ 

Ioan said: Court filings read ‘Alice made fun of my appearance often, making hair-loss comments and telling me I had “saggy-vagina eyes.”‘ 

He went on to claim that Evans ‘has inflicted serious emotional harm on Ella and Elsie by her statements and by interfering in my relationship with them.’

Days after the filing, Evans shared text messages she claims were sent by her estranged husband to their eldest daughter. 

She shared a screenshot of an exchange in which the actor said he would not be able to take his daughters out for the day as he had to be cautious of Wallace, who suffers from MS, and her health. 

Alice said: Alongside the screenshot, she wrote ‘What happens whenever my eldest asks to see her Dad. Some bulls**t reason that he can’t.’ 

‘By the way, I have been 50-80% bedbound with fibro for the past 13 years.

‘He would say to me over and over when I told him I was sorry I couldn’t come to an event ‘I didn’t sign up for this! I didn’t sign up for life with a chronically sick person!’ #liarslie.’

On her Instagram Stories, Evans broke down in tears as she read through Gruffudd’s declaration, in which he reiterated allegations that Evans had been verbally abusing during their 14-year marriage, and ‘undermine[ing him] in front of the girls throughout their lives.’

Holding a copy of the document, an emotional Evans told the camera: ‘Hey guys, because of the way things work here in California I didn’t get this and I didn’t realise why people were coming onto my social media and attacking me.’

‘I’ve just started to read this declaration from Ioan. It is utterly disgusting and absolutely packed with lies, saying that he was the major caregiver and that I would get up at 11am and drink.’

‘That’s just not true, just absolutely not true. I’ve looked after these girls every day of their lives since they were born. I think I’ve been away like nine nights.’

‘He’s refused to contact them for the last week. He met somebody else and he left us that’s the truth. I just have to go on here and say that you can’t say these things about people. I know so much about him and I would not say this.’

August 2022: Ioan gets a three-year restraining order against Alice 

Having previously been awarded a temporary restraining order against his estranged wife, Gruffudd successfully obtained a three-year restraining order against Evans in August 2022. 

Harsher restrictions were put in place by a US judge, including a ruling preventing Alice from leaking private text messages from their children.

In the court documents, Gruffudd claimed Evans continued to cause him issues and wanted additional provisions added to the existing restraining order.

He also requested Evans not post his text messages or any other communications to the parties’ children, or the children’s text messages or any other communications to Ioan, on any social media account.

Gruffudd also asked for the judge to order Evans not to contact his employer or make disparaging statements about him to his employers.

Ioan said: Further in court documents, Gruffudd said since the restraining order was put in place, Alice ‘has used her social media accounts to continue to harass, threaten, and disturb the peace of both me and my girlfriend, Bianca Wallace.’

He demanded Alice should not make any posts on any social media account, ‘including but not limited to Instagram and Twitter accounts, disparaging or harassing [Ioan] or the other protected person.’ 

A source told MailOnline: ‘Ioan had no choice but to up his legal fight over Alice. She had become increasingly volatile and seemingly intent on destroying his career with her character assassination. He hopes this will put an end to it.’

Alice said: While the actress did not appear in court she deleted all recent posts focused on her estranged husband. 

Days before the hearing she had updated her Instagram bio to read: ‘Status: Divorce hell [sad-face emoji]’.

September 2022: Ioan and Alice’s child custody battle hits a wall 

Two months after Gruffudd filed for joint custody of his two daughters and asked for custody and visitation rights, the exes failed to settle their differences in family court, despite the help of a mediator.

Court documents showed the exes meeting was set for 31 August and that mediation had taken place but that ‘no agreement’ had been reached.

The document went on to confirm that that both Gruffudd and Evans had completed the mandatory Our Children First program.

The Superior Court of Los Angeles states of the program that: ‘Parents are required by law to attend a mediation orientation/parent education program and a mediation session prior to appearing at an Order to Show Cause or Trial regarding the custody and/or visitation of their children.’

November 2022: Alice is reported to police over claims of ‘child abuse’ and drug use

Amid her ongoing custody battle, Evans claimed that someone called social services and the police on her with concerns over child abuse and drug and drink use.

The actress took to Twitter to allege that someone had sent authorities to her property who then found ‘absolutely no signs of abuse’ and ‘no drugs or drink’.

Alice said: ‘Hey everybody. They haters called the police and the police were LOVELY. AMAZING.

‘They interviewed the kids separately at one point and come back to tell me that the kids loved me to pieces and there were absolutely no signs of abuse. I invited them into my house. No alcohol.

‘No drugs no nothing. I was completely sober and they could see that. Whoever it was who called them to say I was drunk and the kids were being abused BY GOD you should be ashamed of yourselves.

‘You caused a perfectly happy (and sober) family to get a police visit. Backfired.’

She then tagged an account on Twitter which she claimed was the person who had called the police.

She wrote: ‘THIS is who did it. This is who called the police and woke me up. If ANYBODY has any idea who did this PLEASE let me know. And Twitter – PLEASE find out who they are. it’s IMPERATIVE to our well-being.’

The account then blocked her, which she screen-shotted and wrote in another Tweet: ‘So you call the police round to my house at 9pm and then you’re such a p***y that you do THIS.

‘Jesus Christ. I am now on a mission to find out who you are. Don’t anybody tell me to drop it – I’ve been harassed ever since my husband started cheating 3 yrs ago. I’m DONE.’

She then tagged a different account claiming that person had called social services and wrote: ‘This person two called social services on me.

‘She has been harassing me for a few days: Her tweets to me are vicious, unkind and untrue. Please help me find these people. Hey Jessica – Turns out I WASN’T drinking or ABUSING!’

February 2023: Child custody agreement is stalled again after Alice is charged with ‘violating restraining order’ 

Evans appeared in court in February 2023 to answer two charges of violating a restraining order that was put in place by her estranged husband. 

The warring former couple were scheduled to appear later that month at a custody hearing but Evans asked for a postponement.

Her attorney, Marie LaMolinara, argued that testimony Alice gives at the custody hearing could be used against her in her later criminal trial, which would violate her right, under the 5th Amendment, not to incriminate herself.

Alice said: Court documents filed by her lawyer read, ‘I share in concerns about having Alice submit any written or oral testimony elicited under penalty of perjury in connection with Ioan’s pending request until the criminal matter has been fully adjudicated. 

‘As the Restraining Order and the pending allegations of violations thereof must necessarily be considered by the court (the Family Court that’s ruling on custody)….and because Alice has a 5th Amendment right against self-incrimination, the hearing on the pending RFO (Gruffudd’s request for a new custody agreement) should appropriately be continued.’

Ioan said: A written declaration stated ‘I do not believe a continuance of the February 2023 hearing would be in the children’s best interests.

‘I initially filed the custody RFO because of Alice’s ongoing behavior toward me and toward the children, and because I believed she was interfering in my relationship with them.

‘I believe Alice continues to interfere in my relationships with the children to this day, and I believe that further custody orders are imperative at this time to prevent additional damage to the relationships and emotional harm to Ella and Elsie as a result of Alice’s continuing behavior.’

March 2023: Charges against Alice are dropped 

Prosecutors in Los Angeles dropped charges against Evans who had been accused of defying a restraining order the Welsh actor has against her.

Evans had pleaded not guilty to two counts of violating the order and at a hearing at LA’s Airport Courthouse, Commissioner James Cooper dismissed the charges after prosecutors told the court they were ‘unable to proceed.’

At a follow-up hearing, Evans’ attorney, public defender, Daniel Stefanic, filed a motion asking for a ruling that would declare her ‘factually innocent’ of the charges. 

Alice said: Her lawyer told DailyMail.com that even though the charges against Evans have been dismissed, ‘she wants to be declared factually innocent of the charges’ 

He claimed that the restraining order charges have caused Evans’s name to be ‘dragged through the mud,’ he added, ‘This was a violation of her civil rights.’ 

May 2023: Alice moves out of $2million family home as ex Ioan is ‘too poor’ to pay for it

Evans and her children moved out of her family home and into a rented abode with their two daughters after Gruffudd pleaded with a court to allow the home to be sold, saying he didn’t have the money to keep up with mortgage payments for his family following their split in 2021.

The Fantastic Four star told a court in a document filed last year that neither he nor Evans could afford the $6,750 a month in mortgage payments, insurance and property tax.

He said he’d had just one paid job in the past year and was so poor he was relying on handouts from his young girlfriend.

Ioan said: ‘The rent for my apartment is $3,400 per month; I live there with my girlfriend, who has been paying the majority of our living expenses, and all of our rent, since September 2022 due to my financial circumstances.’

He added: ‘I have explained these financial circumstances to Alice and have asked her numerous times since we separated, through counsel, to help financially and to agree to sell the La Jolla residence . . . but Alice has not agreed to my requests.’

Alice said: A friend of the star’s revealed to MailOnline ‘Alice is packing up and it’s been a devastating period. She is very sad that she and the children have to move out, but there was no option.’ 

May 2023: Ella, 13, applies for a restraining order against dad Ioan and his girlfriend Bianca 

The teenage daughter of Evans and Gruffudd asked for a restraining order against her famous father and his girlfriend in documents filed on May 31 at the Los Angeles Superior Court.

In the documents, Ella stated that she is ‘afraid’ of her father and accuses him of ‘threatening to call the police on her anytime she misbehaves’ during their visitations.

Ella filed for a domestic violence restraining order against her father following what she said was an ugly incident at their home, during which she claims Bianca ‘slammed a door on her head’. 

In her filing against her father, Ella requested that he be made to keep at least 100 yards away from her and not contact her for five years and asks that Gruffudd be ordered to undergo a ’52-week batterer intervention program’.

The program, which involves weekly classes, is intended – the document states – to ‘stop abuse, teach accountability, abuse effects, and gender roles’.

Ella requested that the restraining order also cover her nine-year-old sister Elsie, noting that she ‘lives with her sister and is afraid that [Ioan] will abuse and/or continue to allow abuse to happen to my sister too’.

She also asked that her father be made to pay ‘for some or all of her lawyer’s fees and costs’ and requests that her phone account and that of her sister Elsie’s be transferred to their mother, alleging that Gruffudd has ‘threatened to cancel my sister’s phone account and my phone account’.

Along with her domestic restraining order filing, Ella included a declaration as evidence to support her case, in which she shared her recollection of a bitter spat that she claims took place while she and her nine-year-old sister Elsie were visiting their father’s home on May 26.

Ella admitted that she was ‘so mad’ at her father to find that Wallace was at his apartment when she arrived that she began throwing food on his bed, on the floor, and on him, before she attempted to flee the apartment – which, she says, is when the actress ‘slammed a door on her head’, leaving her with ‘a small bump’ and a ‘bruise on her arm’. 

June 2023: Ioan accuses Alice of abusing him via fake Twitter accounts

In court documents seen by MailOnline, Gruffudd claimed his estranged wife screamed at him outside his Los Angeles home and called him a ‘f***ing abuser’ and ‘abusive c***’ in front of their 13-year-old daughter.

Gruffudd also claimed Evans repeatedly broken a three-year restraining order he took out against her which has resulted in criminal charges – and flashed him while wearing no underwear when their children were being dropped off.

The bombshell papers also contained claims from Gruffudd that: Evans has made ‘thousands of false, threatening and harassing posts’ about him; Evans claims to be home-schooling Ella, but has ‘provided no information’; Evans has interfered with the girls’ therapy and they are missing appointments; and Ella poured rolled oats from a bag over his head, which left him ‘in shock’.

Ioan said: ‘Ella went to the kitchen and wrote ‘f***’ with a mustard bottle and squirted it over the counter tops and floors.’

‘Bianca was standing next to the door to the laundry. Ella reached out to push Bianca out of her way and at the same time said, ‘Don’t touch me you f***ing s***.’ Bianca remained calm. Ella then poured rolled oats from a bag all over my head. I was in shock and did not respond.’

‘Since May 26 there have been a number of anonymous social media accounts set up on Twitter naming Bianca and myself ‘child abusers,’ and making incredibly slanderous and defamatory claims. Alice has slipped up a number of times on these accounts, making clear the ‘anonymous’ accounts are her accounts.’

‘In February 2022, Ella got angry with me when I told her I could not afford to pay her private school tuition the following year. Ella threatened to call child protective services on me if I did not pay her tuition. She hacked my Instagram account and posted unsavory comments. Alice posted screenshots of Ella’s hack to her own Instagram account, and in turn this became a headline in the tabloids.’

‘Alice’s verbal abuse and inappropriate behavior escalated after I moved out of the family residence on January 25,2021. Alice sent me hundreds of harassing, abusive and threatening communications by text, email, voice message, video message, and OFW, and she has verbally abused me on the phone and in person, often in front of the girls. Alice has made thousands of false, threatening and harassing posts about me on social media, and she has made false and harassing statements about me to the media, which were then published.’

‘Alice said, ‘I’m going to tell my lawyer that you punched me last week. It’s going to be like Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. It’s not going to end well for you!’ Then she told Ella, ‘Please let me know if daddy is ever creepy or weird with you.”

‘Alice then ran out of the house to my car, screaming at the top of her lungs. I cannot overstate how loudly she was yelling, ‘F*** you! F***, f***, f*** you, you f***ing abuser!’ She called me an ‘abusive c***,’ told me I would never get a job again, and screamed to the neighbourhood that I beat her up and was a ‘f***ing abuser.’ She screamed at me, ‘You f***ing took my children away! F*** you!’ .This entire scene took place directly in front of Ella.’

‘Alice accused me of child abuse, said I did not love the girls, and called me a ‘cruel monster.’ Alice said I was ruining all their lives, the girls were unhappy, Gloria was going to die, and she was going to die because she would have no health insurance.’

‘During the April 19, 2021 drop-off, Alice asked me to look at her outfit, lifted up her skirt to show me her bare behind, and revealed to me and the girls that she was not wearing underwear. I left immediately. During a FaceTime with Elsie that night, Alice screamed that she wanted me to die.’