People say marriage is tough, and these couples — or at least one partner in the relationship — have made the likely even tougher decision to split. Less than six months into 2023, four couples familiar to The Shade Room’s audience have filed for divorce.
Some celebrities are still reflecting on divorces filed last year and even the year before. Meagan Good recently told Essence that the decision to divorce was something she never “would have chosen,” adding that she even questioned celibacy afterward. Meagan and DeVon Franklin split in 2021 after he filed for divorce in December. The divorce was reportedly finalized days before their 10-year wedding anniversary.
Meanwhile, Da’Naia Jackson, former wife of popular relationship coach Derrick Jaxn, recently said “surrendering to the Lord” is her secret through the split. In December 2022, Derrick announced their joint decision to split less than two years after he publicly confessed to infidelity.
Keep scrolling to see what we know about divorce petitions from: Eva Marcille and Michael Sterling, Drew Sidora and Ralph Pittman, Reese Witherspoon and Jim Toth, and Michael Halterman and Amy Slaton.
#1
Eva Marcille Files For Divorce From Michael Sterling
Eva Marcille addressed her marriage to Michael Sterling as “irretrievably broken” in the paperwork filed on March 23. Marcilla added that there was no possibility for reconciliation in their five-year marriage. A few days later, Sterling told The Jasmine Brand he intends to fight for his marriage.
“I am not going to lose my wife. I am going to fight for her with every fiber in my being. I love her, and I plan to show her how much I love her and that our love is strong enough to get to the other side.”
Eva hasn’t publicly responded to Michael’s statement. However, she seeks permanent legal and primary physical custody of their two children, Michael Jr. and Maverick. In 2019, she also revealed that she changed her and Kevin McCall’s daughter’s last name to Sterling’s. It’s still unclear what led Eva to file, as both shared Valentine’s Day posts for each other just a month before.
#2
Drew Sidora And Ralph Pittman File For Divorce With 61 Minutes Of Each Other
If you let the time stamps tell it, Drew Sidora and Ralph Pittman practically raced to the courthouse to file their divorce petitions.
According to TMZ, the Gwinnett County court stamped Drew’s petition on February 27 at 1:10 p.m., while Ralph’s got a 2:11 p.m. timestamp. Though both cited the marriage as “irretrievably broken” and the reason for the divorce, their separation dates differ.
Drew says they split on February 23, while Ralph reportedly says things ended on February 19. Radar Online also pulled Drew’s petition, and the Real Housewives of Atlanta star didn’t hold back, calling Ralph “physically aggressive” and “a serial cheater.”
She cited the presence of “blatant disrespect and mental abuse” in their marriage. Additionally, the petition claims Ralph committed “extra-marital sexual relations.” Drew wants Ralph to be solely responsible for any debts her estranged husband incurred while entertaining or gifting his alleged lovers.
Drew’s filings also include accusations of being physically aggressive and withdrawing money from her business account. The back-and-forth comes on the heels of their ninth wedding anniversary.
#3
Reese Witherspoon Announces Divorce From Jim Toth
Just a few days shy of their 12th anniversary, Reese Witherspoon announced she and Jim Toth are splitting up. From their statement, the decision appears to be joint.
“We have enjoyed so many wonderful years together and are moving forward with deep love, kindness, and mutual respect for everything we have created together,” the statement said.
At the time, Reese turned off the comment section on the announcement post. As The Shade Room last reported, Reese and Jim married in California in March 2011 after getting engaged in December 2010.
The couple shared a blended family with Reese’s two kids from a previous marriage and their child together, Tennessee James. Though they have not revealed their custody plans, they addressed their family’s privacy.
“Our biggest priority is our son and our entire family as we navigate this next chapter. These matters are never easy and are extremely personal. We truly appreciate everyone’s respect for our family’s privacy at this time.”
It’s unclear what sparked the couple’s separation.
#4
Michael Halterman Files For Divorce From '1000-Lb. Sisters' Amy Slaton
Nowadays, the word ‘celebrity’ easily extends to reality television stars. Two standout women on TLC are sisters Amy and TammySlaton from the show ‘1000-Lb. Sisters.’
And while Tammy recently tied the knot, Amy might spend the rest of the year single. Her husband. Michael Halterman, also known in the series, reportedly filed for divorce on March 13 in Kentucky.
Slaton once told The Sun that they met when she was 8 years old but reconnected later in life. Michael once admitted on his YouTube that they eloped in 2017, but other reports say they married in March 2019. While speaking with The Sun, she praised Michael for loving and supporting her despite her weight gain or loss.
In the first season of the series, Amy underwent consultations and surgery for weight loss in hopes of starting a family with Michael. The estranged couple welcomed their first son in November 2020 and their second son in July 2022.
It’s unclear why Michael filed for divorce, but separation rumors have been out since February.
Cassandra Santiago is a multimedia journalist, editor, and editorial strategist with over a decade of experience shaping conversations across arts, entertainment, culture, and global news. A graduate of the University of Iowa, she has built a cross-platform career spanning newspapers, magazines, radio, and digital media.
She joined The Shade Room five years ago and currently serves as a Senior Editor, where she leads editorial direction, oversees exclusive coverage, and trains and edits a team of writers. Cassandra has played a key role in developing high-impact content and editorial strategies for an audience of more than 30 million, contributing to platform growth, engagement, and monetization across multiple channels. In addition to her leadership role, she remains a daily contributor, with her articles generating more than 41 million views since 2023.
Beyond The Shade Room, Cassandra offers freelance social media strategy services, speaks on the influence and impact of Black media at public panels, and owns Did It For You, an event design company in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area. She is Poynter Institute–certified and was named to the DMV’s 35 Under 35 list in 2024.
