Divorced Celebrities Who Bounced Back Stronger Than Ever

By Katie Ray from Canterbury Law Firm

It may be hard to believe when you are going through it, but divorce is not the end of the world. In fact, the experience can make a person stronger, wiser and so much happier in the long run. If anyone knows the challenges of divorce, it’s divorced celebrities. Divorce can be even more tumultuous than usual under the public spotlight. But what’s inspiring is, so many divorced celebrities refused to let the setback slow them down.

Here is a list of 7 divorced celebrities who bounced back stronger than ever!

1.        J.K. Rowling

A long time before the Boy Who Lived came to be, an aspiring writer named Joanne Kathleen met a guy at a bar in Portugal who shared her love for Jane Austen. What was seemingly at first a dreamy romantic marriage ended in disaster roughly a year later. Rowling had an infant daughter by the time she divorced, and no job or a steady income to support them both. This was, as Rowling herself described years later, “rock bottom.” She packed up and returned to Scotland and was a welfare mom soon after. She had all the reasons in the world to give up after her high hopes for a marriage faltered. The point is, she didn’t give up. She turned her emotional and financial turmoil into creativity and churned out the fastest-selling fictional book series in the history of the written word. Oh, and she remarried, too, quite happy we must say.

2.       Jennifer Lopez

She’s one of the biggest singer-actress-dancer celebrities today who is impossible to avoid at grocery checkout newsstands. Before her celebrity status, she was briefly married to a Cuban waiter, who has since then tried to exhort money from her threatening to publish details of their marriage and honeymoon. J-Lo Lopez has also been through a very public breakup with Ben Affleck, followed by a divorce from Marc Anthony. What’s amazing about her is, none of her heartbreaks stopped her from achieving great success as a vocalist, actor and businesswoman.

3.       Halle Berry

She may be one of the most notable actresses in Hollywood, but before that Halle Berry went through several troubled relationships. Her first husband sued her for five figures way before she became famous. After her second divorce, Berry publicly claimed to have contemplated suicide. It was that bad. But, of course, everyone is glad she didn’t go through with it because only a couple of years later, she became the first African American woman to win an Oscar as Best Actress in a Lead Role. Berry is now going through her third divorce, but we know she will continue to thrive.

4.       Arianna Huffington

The famous columnist, businesswoman and inspirational talker went through a messy divorce in the 90s after her husband announced that he was gay. No one outside of the Santa Barbara socialite circle knew who Arianna was before the divorce. Now, everyone reads the (in)famous Huffington Post. The former Mrs. Huffington recently thanked her ex-husband, saying that she owed him one thing—the name on the online newspaper. Her divorce even inspired the widely-read “divorce” section in the Huffington Post. Certainly, Arianna Stassinopoulos comes at the top of the list of women who turned divorces into lucrative careers.

5. 5.       Gwyneth Paltrow

This gorgeous Oscar winner endured breakups with Brad Pitt and Ben Affleck. If that doesn’t put someone into a depression, then I don’t know what! But it’s Paltrow’s divorce from Chris Martin that really tested this “conscious uncoupling” mom. Paltrow passes with flying colors, as she continues working as an actor, a food writer, and the face of Estee Lauder.

6. 6.      Jennifer Aniston

How would you like to be known for being dumped by Brad Pitt for Angelina Jolie? Jennifer Aniston had it rough during her divorce years, but did she fall apart? No way! She continued making movies, and won the heart of millions of American women who see Aniston as their close girlfriend. The best part, she found love again, marrying actor, Justin Theroux. And get this. Aniston was named “The Most Beautiful Woman” by People in 2004, and in 2011, “The Sexiest Woman of All Time” by Men’s Health.

7. 7.        Gwen Stefani

Have you ever listened to Gwen Stefani’s first couple albums? They are all about the heartbreak of her split from her No Doubt bandmate, Tony Kanal. “All I ever did was look at Tony and pray that God would let me have a baby with him,” Stefani said of her ex. But after that breakup, Stefani married singer Gavin Rossdale and the two had three kids. More heartbreak ensued when the two got divorced last year. But not only did Stefani manage, she thrived. Stefani got a gig on The Voice, and fell for fellow judge, Blake Shelton. The two are looking pretty darn happy!

So, be inspired by the above stories. Don’t let a divorce define you. Instead, turn them into positive change in your life.

Canterbury Law Group, (formerly Edwards & Cherney) is dedicated to providing legal counsel at the highest level possible, and deeply committed to solving its clients’ life changing problems. The Scottsdale based firm handled cases in throughout the U.S., with an emphasis in Arizona, California, Nevada and New York. Learn more: www.CanterburyLawGroup.com