What To Know About Channing Tatum And Jenna Dewan's Messy Legal Battle

Sadly, Jenna Dewan and Channing Tatum's romance didn't get a fairytale ending. It all started back in 2006 when the actors shared the screen in hit dance movie "Step Up." Two years later, Tatum popped the question while they were vacationing in Hawaii. The A-list lovebirds got married in 2009 and welcomed their first and only child, a daughter named Everly, in 2013. The power couple only seemed to get stronger as the years flew by, so their 2018 divorce announcement took everyone by surprise. 

The "Magic Mike" star recalled his complex emotions from the time when he spoke to Vanity Fair in 2023. "In the beginning [the split] was super scary and terrifying," Tatum explained. "Your life just turns on its axis. This whole plan that you had literally just turns into sand and goes through your fingers and you're just like, 'Oh, s****. What now?'" He also divulged that he and Dewan desperately tried to save their marriage but ultimately realized they had outgrown each other. While the exes privately dealt with their heartbreak, they publicly battled in court to reach a fair agreement for both parties. 

According to court documents obtained by The Blast, Dewan filed for divorce in October 2018, citing that old chestnut, irreconcilable differences. She also requested the court to have her last name reverted back to Dewan (rather than Dewan Tatum). Initially, the former couple seemed perfectly aligned in their values as they both requested joint custody over their daughter in their filings. However, everything was not as it seemed because the estranged couple's court battle continued to rage on six years later.

In November 2019, a judge declared Jenna Dewan and Channing Tatum legally single, as TMZ confirmed at the time. However, their divorce wouldn't be finalized until they could mutually agree on custody terms and division of marital assets, which turned out to be more complicated than expected. In April 2024, Dewan and Tatum filed court documents asking each other to "testify regarding all issues related to the parties' marriage including business and financial activities," (via People). The former spouses were seemingly locked in a legal dispute regarding profits from the "Magic Mike" series. 

Her legal team alleged that Dewan had become an intellectual shareholder in the massively successful film franchise through her financial and creative contributions over the years. And yet, her filing argued that she hadn't been fairly compensated for her role because Dewan's ex-husband had used clever legal maneuvering to license the franchise. According to the documents, Dewan wasn't aware of the licensing agreements and hadn't received a single dime from them as a result. Unsurprisingly, the "21 Jump Street" star remembered things a little differently in his filings. 

While he didn't dispute Dewan's status as an intellectual property holder in "Magic Mike," the actor maintained that he hadn't withheld any financial information from her. Tatum further alleged that the "Take The Lead" star was privy to his financial records throughout their marriage and even beyond it. The actor's filing also offered a different reason for their legal spat, claiming, "It is designed to delay the processing of the case and increase the expense of litigation and will not, in any way, promote 'early resolution by settlement,'" (via E! News).

A representative for Jenna Dewan didn't seem too pleased with Channing Tatum's legal filings when they spoke to The Independent. "Is Channing really calling Jenna a 'liar' for trying to get back an asset that he effectively stole from her in clear violation of California family law?" the insider clapped back. "These latest smears and falsehoods are really just more of the same bullying and gaslighting Jenna has been subjected to for years." In the time following their separation, Dewan has opened up about the tougher aspects of their relationship and subsequent split. Speaking on the "Dear Gabby" podcast in 2022, Dewan revealed that she was parenting without Tatum after the birth of their daughter. The "Step Up 2" star acknowledged that her then-husband's packed schedule often took him away from their infant daughter for weeks on end. 

During that time, Dewan also had to work, so she had no choice but to take their baby girl with her. She admitted it was difficult managing their child while also logging excruciating hours on set. Meanwhile, in her book, "Gracefully You: How to Live Your Best Life Every Day," the actor shared that she alternated between tidal waves of conflicting emotions following Dewan's divorce from Tatum. However, she stuck to her decision because she knew that it was in the best interests of both her and Everly. Dewan also recalled the heartbreaking moment she found out that Tatum had moved on with Jessie J just a few months after their split announcement.