It’s been over five turbulent years since Ioan Gruffudd walked away from his marriage to Alice Evans, igniting one of the messiest divorces in showbiz history. Yet, despite the passage of time, the conflict shows no sign of ending. This week, the drama escalated as Ioan sought to halt spousal support payments, just as he prepares to promote his new film, Seven Snipers, alongside his wife Bianca Wallace.
Behind closed doors, 57-year-old Alice is reportedly more despondent than ever, her worries reaching unprecedented heights. Since March, she has been suffering in silence after a court ruling renewed a domestic violence restraining order against her for another five years — effectively gagging her until 2031. Friends reveal the ruling, coupled with ongoing spousal and child support debates, has “hit her really hard.”
In the latest courtroom blow, Ioan asked a judge to end the $1,500 monthly spousal payments he currently owes Alice, despite her request to increase them. He already contributes $3,570 monthly toward their daughters, Ella, 16, and Elsie, 12. The actor claimed that prior to their 2021 split, he earned an average of $585,000 a year, but since the bitter breakup, his income has plummeted to $125,000 — forcing him to borrow for daily expenses, which he blames on Alice damaging his reputation.
A close friend told us: “Alice is absolutely heartbroken and somehow puts on a brave face, but she’s crippled with money fears. The hardest part is she can’t even speak about what she’s going through. She’s been forced to carry on as if nothing happened, hiding her emotions, which is taking a real toll on her.”
Alice has described herself as “silenced” by the court order, unable to publicly share her experiences or inner struggles. “She feels completely gagged from speaking about her own life,” the friend added, “and that’s the part she struggles with most privately.”
Despite these challenges, Alice is working to stabilize her life. She’s turned to fan conventions and personal video messages on Cameo to generate income, after her savings dwindled and crowdfunding efforts raised over $16,000 to secure a new home. Last weekend, she hosted tours in Covington, Virginia — filming location of The Vampire Diaries, where she played Esther Mikaelson — coinciding with a poignant Mother’s Day in the States, which she celebrated with her daughters before traveling for work.
“The one thing keeping her going is her girls,” a source revealed. “They are her whole world and the reason she gets out of bed. No matter how devastated she feels personally, she’s determined to stay strong for them. Without them, everyone would be very worried, but we know she will always be there for them.”
Since the split, Ioan, 52, has moved on with Bianca Wallace, welcoming a baby daughter last year, while the estranged couple’s public clashes have intensified in court. Ioan won a restraining order against Alice after she made social media claims about him, and accused her of “child abuse” for not attending therapy sessions with their daughters. The friction even extended to their eldest, Ella, who once applied for a restraining order against her father — which was denied.
Financially, both actors have experienced setbacks since their once-glittering careers. Alice openly admitted the financial drain of legal battles, saying, “If you don’t know divorce court, you simply cannot know how much money is wasted.” Their union, which began during filming of 2000’s 102 Dalmatians with Glenn Close, dissolved bitterly after Ioan declared in January 2021 that he “no longer loves her.”
Since then, Alice has remained vocal about her pain, calling Ioan “always angry” and striking back publicly when he announced his relationship with Bianca. Ioan responded with a restraining order in 2022, alleging harassment and threatening claims from Alice, including accusations of abuse and drug allegations. Court battles over custody and finances have only worsened the strain, with the latest domestic violence restraining order extending another five years.
As Alice faces another half-decade of enforced silence, insiders say she feels isolated, misunderstood, and judged by the public. “She wishes people could understand how painful this has been,” the source explained. “She’s slowly trying to stabilize life for her girls, desperate to move on from the past, but she can’t express her feelings publicly. That’s what weighs on her most.”
Amid this harrowing saga, Alice Evans continues to fight privately for her daughters, her career, and a semblance of normalcy — even as the court’s silence leaves her voice unheard.
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/
