The Real Story Behind Christina Ricci's Messy Divorce From James Heerdegen
A relationship between Christina Ricci and James Heedergen just made sense as both stars have had pronounced careers in Hollywood among many other similarities. Ricci initially gained notoriety in the early '90s with her film debut in "Mermaids." According to IMDb, the child-teen starlet has had several memorable roles, however, her role as Wednesday Addams in "The Addams Family," may be the fan-favorite and the most influential part of her career thus far.
Heerdegen also has a pretty stacked career in entertainment. He worked on more than 40 film and television productions, per IMDb. Throughout his success, nothing appeared to pay off in dividends more than his role supporting the ABC series "Pan Am," as that's where the pair met. At first glance, their whirlwind romance appeared to be strong and fairytale-like, with the two making many memories via strolls along the beach in Puerto Rico, per Us Weekly. In a subsequent Us Weekly article, Ricci confirmed their engagement in February 2013, stating the pair got engaged "a couple months back."
Ricci, who was previously engaged to Owen Benjamin, per People, seemingly found her happily ever after with Heerdegen. Their relationship seemed to be going well to the outside eye; however, the pitfalls outweighed the positive moments and they had a messier split than either of them could have imagined.
Christina Ricci had to file for a restraining order
Christina Ricci and James Heerdegen's marriage appeared to be rather solid. "I love so many things about him," the "Yellowjackets" actor gushed to Us Weekly in May 2013. "He's my favorite person on Earth," she said, later adding that she "absolutely" wanted kids. "I can't wait to have our own little world replete with small beings!" Their wish for a child came true as the doting couple welcomed their son, Freddie, a year after they wed. Ricci opened up about how marriage and motherhood impacted her life. "Marriage shows you your flaws in how you deal with things and having a child forces you to grow up at the speed of light," she told Net-a-Porter's The EDIT (via Entertainment Tonight) at the time. "I'm a completely different person than I was before I had my child."
After seven years of wedded bliss, however, Ricci filed a restraining order in June 2020. According to Us Weekly, Los Angeles Police Department "officers responded to a domestic battery radio call" at their home, and "a report was completed" thereafter. Per Us Weekly, according to the report, the "Saving Grace" alum accused her beau of "severe physical and emotional abuse," which began in October 2013.
The restraining order was just the beginning of the troublesome split and the pair officially divorced in July 2020, citing irreconcilable differences as the primary reason, according to TMZ.
Christina Ricci faced financial hardship amid her split
Christina Ricci and James Heerdegen's split impacted the stars emotionally and financially. According to documents obtained by People, Ricci paid a chunk of money to her ex-beau for child and spousal support, a portion of his legal fees, totaling $50,000, as well as the cost of forensic accountant fees, which were listed at $50,000.
To meet the requests, Ricci sold a few of her high-priced items, including her extensive Chanel handbag and fine jewelry collection. "I'm absolutely fine, there's no issue," she revealed to the Sunday Times Style magazine in November. "I learned to use these investment pieces in different ways. I also had a Chanel Fine Jewelry collection that I put to good use."
Despite the legal and financial woes and trauma associated with her previous relationship, life is starting to look up for the starlet. Ricci has found love with Mark Hampton, who has helped in her newfound approach to life. While appearing in an August episode of the "Unqualified" podcast, Ricci gushed that this romance is different than her previous one as this is the first time she's found "love in a healthy way." The Emmy-winner continued, "I think a lot of my relationships in the past had a lot to do with unhealthy things that I was looking for."
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.