Fantastic four-star Ioan Gruffudd pleads poverty in his acrimonious divorce from Alice Evans, asking a court to enforce the sale of their $2million marital home – before repossessing it.
Gruffudd, 49, claims his ex-actress has been living on the LA pad for free since their January 2021 split while paying $6,570 a month on mortgage payments, insurance and property taxes.
He wants a judge to list the three-bedroom La Jolla property for sale before it goes into foreclosure because neither he nor Evans have the funds to make up missed mortgage payments totaling $15,271, a utility bill of to cover $4,616 and unpaid taxes of $11,793.
“Alice and I cannot afford to keep it, but Alice will not agree to sell it,” Gruffudd protests in a new court filing obtained exclusively by .
The Welsh actor also paints a bleak picture of his finances in the December 2 documentary, claiming he has only had one paid gig as a presenter in the past year and is now so poor he relies on handouts from Bianca Wallace, his current flame , leave.
Actor Ioan Gruffudd has been in a bitter divorce battle with his ex-actress Alice Evans since their split in January 2021
Gruffudd has been spending $6,570 a month on mortgage payments, insurance and property taxes and says he no longer has the funds to pay for his La Jolla home
Gruffudd filed for divorce after Evans claimed on social media he was leaving her and their two daughters, Ella, 13, and Elsie, 9
“The rent for my apartment is $3,400 a month; I live there with my girlfriend who, due to my financial situation, has been paying most of our living expenses and all of our rent since September 2022,” reveals Gruffudd.
The actor claims he’s only had one paid gig as a presenter in the past year and is now so poor he’s relying on handouts from his new girlfriend, Bianca Wallace
“I have explained these financial circumstances to Alice and have asked her numerous times since our breakup to provide financial assistance through attorneys and agree to the sale of the La Jolla residence…but Alice has not agreed to my requests or proposed settlements.
“I believe Alice is able to contribute to the expenses of staying in La Jolla on a short-term basis. However, based on the information I have, I understand and believe that Alice cannot afford to pay the cost of the stay over the long term.’
Gruffudd filed for divorce in March last year after Evans claimed on social media that her husband of 14 had abandoned her and their two daughters Ella, 13, and Elsie, 9.
Evans blew her ex up on social media until Gruffudd applied for a restraining order preventing her from sharing her private messages or posting “false public allegations” about him.
In his new filing, Gruffudd reveals his career has stalled over the past year, leaving him unable to afford a $745,000 mortgage on the marital home he hasn’t lived in for almost two years.
In court documents obtained by , Gruffudd is asking a court to let him sell their $2 million marital home, where Evans lived rent-free
“As of January 2021, I have paid all mortgage payments made on the La Jolla residence and I have paid all paid property taxes and homeowner insurance premiums,” the filing reads.
“I paid for the utilities for the La Jolla residence, including electricity, gas, phone, and cable/internet; I paid all health insurance premiums for Alice, the children and myself.
“I paid for the insurance on the shared car that Alice drives; I paid cell phone bills for Alice, the kids and myself; and I have paid for all garden and pool maintenance expenses for the La Jolla residence.
“Up until around April 2022, Alice used to bill everyday expenses like groceries on joint credit and debit cards, and I paid those credit card bills.
“Until April 2022 I paid for the nanny/housekeeper Gloria. I also paid for Ella’s private school tuition and fees for the 2021/2022 school year.
At the same time, Gruffudd reveals that his income in 2022 was “drastically lower” than previous years.
He says he accepted a presenting gig last month but hasn’t worked before that since 2021, when he was filming The Reunion in France. He still owes the French authorities €67,760 in taxes.
Royalties from previous work rarely exceed $30.00 a year, the Titanic actor adds, insisting he has no other income.
Gruffudd played the role of Mr. Fantastic in the 2005 film Fantastic Four. He claims he’s had trouble finding work lately
“I am constantly looking for new projects. I currently have no contract for future work,” says Gruffudd.
“I have no remaining sources of funds that I could use to pay for La Jolla residency or other living expenses for myself, Alice, or the children for an extended period of time.
“I currently have around $2,829 in my US bank accounts and around £12,193 in my UK bank account.
“I have no investment accounts or liquid retirement accounts that can be accessed without penalties. I currently pay $2,348 a month for health insurance for me, Alice and the kids.”
Gruffudd states in the filing that he is also seeking answers about the status of his ex-wife’s financial affairs.
Evans opened a GoFundMe account in June and insisted she couldn’t afford to buy essentials for her kids because of her soaring legal fees.
“Yesterday all my accounts went out and I couldn’t buy anything. That same day, my husband’s attorney sent me a letter advising me to appear in court on August 2 to plead “my case” in the divorce,” she wrote.
“I currently have no attorney and no means to pay for one. If I don’t show up in court I will be despised and I have no idea what will happen to me or my children at that point.
Gruffudd’s filing says Evans had a pre-tax business profit of $43,608 in 2021 and that same year had $133,038 in a property account in the UK, where she grew up, according to their joint tax returns.
Gruffudd and Evans met on the set of 102 Dalmatians in 2000, married in 2007 and had both children through IVF treatment
The divorce was anything but amicable. Taking to Instagram, Evans accused Gruffudd of using money on his legal case that should have been spent on the welfare of her daughters
She raised another $5,444 from GoFundMe, but her November 2022 Net Worth and Debt Statement shows just $27,633 across three bank accounts.
“I will conduct an investigation to determine how the rest of Alice’s funds (approximately $105,000) were used over the past year,” concludes Gruffudd.
“For all of these reasons, I’ve gotten to a point now where I’m just not able to maintain the status quo anymore. I must therefore seek permission from the court to sell the La Jolla residence to avoid the risk of foreclosure.’
Gruffudd and Evans met on the set of 102 Dalmatians in 2000, married in 2007 and had both children through IVF treatment.
Seven months after their split, Gruffudd went public about his new relationship with Australian actress Wallace, 30, writing in a gushing Instagram post, “Thank you for making me smile again.”
Evans took to social media to accuse her ex of having a “three-year relationship behind my back,” but Gruffudd’s elderly mother, Margaret Griffiths, has claimed no one else was involved in the split.
In their own affairs, Evans has denied molesting or slandering Gruffudd and is demanding primary custody of the two girls and spousal support.
LA County court records say she is currently being represented by family law attorney Anne Kiley, who has been contacted for comment.