Jodie Turner Smith filed for divorce from Joshua Jackson in early October 2023. It felt like she was suddenly “over” the marriage and like she just decided to move on and never back-slide. Jodie and Joshua have done a good job of not allowing their divorce fight to spill out in public, and Jodie has been very thoughtful and mature when speaking about the situation with Joshua in her interviews this year. In many of her 2024 interviews, she’s also mentioned that money is tight for her – she’s basically saying yes to every project she’s offered now, and she’s spoken about how she’s saving up to buy a house in LA, and how her independence costs money. Well, as it turns out, Joshua has not been contributing anything, not even child support.
Jodie Turner-Smith is claiming that her ex-husband Joshua Jackson has not paid her child support and supposal support since news of their divorce went public. In court documents filed Monday, Dec. 23 in Los Angeles County Superior Court and obtained by PEOPLE, the Acolyte actress, 38, alleges that Jackson, 46, has not paid child support for their 4-year-old daughter Juno since October 2023, when the former couple went their separate ways.
Turner-Smith is requesting that Jackson pay her $8,543 per month since October 2023 in retroactive child support, as well as $28,641 per month since October 2023 of spousal support. The actress is also requesting that Jackson pay $250,000 in fees to her attorney and forensic accountant.
In the documents, Turner-Smith claims that after the two were married, she acted as more of a caretaker to their daughter while Jackson “continued to advance in his acting career.”
She alleges that while Jackson has been a successful actor for over 30 years, she’s younger and still working to establish herself in the industry. Turner-Smith claims that Jackson has always made more than her and has run up her legal fees when he tried to gain sole legal custody of Juno.
“Josh promised to always support me and ensured me that I would not have to worry about financial security for our daughter if we ever separated because he said he understood how difficult life can be as a Black woman and a single mother,” Turner-Smith alleges in the documents, claiming that all she wants is to be able to purchase a home in Los Angeles and support her daughter. The actress claims that now Jackson is “reneging” on his promise.
Reps for Jackson and Turner-Smith did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
All year, I’ve been praising both Jodie and Joshua for how they’ve been dealing with stuff behind-the-scenes, but as it turns out, Joshua was using Jodie’s public silence to turn the screws. Is he really trying to get sole custody of Juno? Yikes. And yes, it’s crazy that he hasn’t paid any spousal support or child support in the past fifteen months. All I know about California family law is what I’ve learned from People Magazine, but why didn’t the family court already order Joshua to pay Jodie some child support and spousal support as they negotiate their divorce? And the fact that she hired a forensic accountant too, that says to me that Joshua has either hid some of his assets or he’s low-balled his wealth and income to the court already.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images, Avalon Red.
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- CENTURY CITY, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – MARCH 13: Joshua Jackson and Jodie Turner-Smith arrive at the 27th Annual Critics’ Choice Awards held at the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel on March 13, 2022 in Century City, Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 669530627, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Joshua Jackson, Jodie Turner-Smith, Credit line: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Avalon
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- BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 10: Jodie Turner-Smith attends the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 10, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.,Image: 856437558, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Jodie Turner-Smith, Credit line: Jeffrey Mayer / Avalon
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- Jodie Turner-Smith leaves her hotel to go to a screening of her film The Acolyte on June 3, 2024 in New York City.,Image: 878688879, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Darla Khazei / Avalon
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- Jodie Turner-Smith and Burberry Chief Creative Officer Daniel Lee attends The Fashion Awards 2024, presented by Pandora at the Royal Albert Hall on December 02, 2024 in London, England.,Image: 942328756, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Olivier Huitel/Avalon/Avalon
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- 27th Annual Critics Choice Awards held at Fairmont Century Plaza Featuring: Joshua Jackson and Jodie Turner-Smith Where: Los Angeles, California, United States When: 13 Mar 2022 Credit: Media Punch/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images
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- 2022 Met Gala celebrating ‘In America: An Anthology of Fashion’ – Arrivals Featuring: Jodie Turner-Smith, Joshua Jackson Where: New York, New York, United States When: 02 May 2022 Credit: John Nacion/startraksphoto.com/Cover Images
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- 2022 Met Gala celebrating ‘In America: An Anthology of Fashion’ – Arrivals Featuring: Jodie Turner-Smith, Joshua Jackson Where: New York, New York, United States When: 02 May 2022 Credit: John Nacion/startraksphoto.com/Cover Images
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- 2023 Vanity Fair Oscar Party. Featuring: Jodie Turner-Smith and Joshua Jackson Where: Los Angeles, California, United States When: 12 Mar 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- V&A Summer Party 2024, Celebrating ‘Naomi: In Fashion’ at the Victoria & Albert Museum Featuring: Jodie Turner-Smith Where: London, United Kingdom When: 19 Jun 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Celebrities arriving at Thom Browne show during PFW Haute Couture in Paris, France Featuring: Jodie Turner Smith Where: Paris, France When: 24 Jun 2024 Credit: Abaca Press/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Fashion Awards, presented by the British Fashion Council, at the Royal Albert Hall Featuring: Jodie Turner-Smith Where: London, United Kingdom When: 02 Dec 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
It’s taken this long to try and get spousal and child support? Maybe because she’s been working and isn’t focused on the payments? He better get that in order with the quickness.
I saw the story on TMZ the other day and the way it was worded was very suspicious.
There was one small line in there that said that she had not selected spousal or child support when she filed her divorce papers originally. That’s why he hasn’t been paying, because it was never requested before. But they phrase it to make it sound like he’s a deadbeat dad who isn’t paying what he owed.
https://www.boydlawlosangeles.com/can-parents-make-agreements-to-waive-child-support/#:~:text=You%20cannot%20waive%20child%20support,best%20interest%20of%20the%20child.
I looked it up–it seems that JJ needs to pay child support, since it’s in the best interest of his daughter. The TL:DR quote from that article is, “You cannot waive child support in California because it is not in the best interest of the child.”
I’ve navigated an amicable legal separation and child support in the CA courts. When filing, you can opt not to have the courts establish the amounts of support by showing that you have already come to an agreement between you. Even then, they will take into account your incomes and determine if it is fair.
She checked the box saying she did not need the courts to collect child support or spousal support on her behalf. That’s not the same as saying JJ doesn’t need to support his daughter and ex-wife.
Yes! I saw that and it seems like she’s really trying to paint him in negative light.
If she did not check the box for child/spousal support, there is no support order in place, so he would not be required to pay. If he is smart he is putting these funds in escrow with his attorney so that the retroactive amounts can be submitted to the court once a support order is agreed upon by both parties and signed by a judge.
What a mess. I hope she gets what’s owed to her.
Perhaps if he was trying for full custody then that’s delayed it? Hopefully they find a way. Anger at an ex partner shouldn’t get in the way of ensuring a child has the best life possible regardless of what parent they are with. Disappointing of him if it is how it seems.
The custody was mediated not long after she filed and they have a 50/50 custody arrangement with both not paying child support, because they both look after her and provide for her when each have her. So,this makes it sound like he is not providing for her, but he is.
50/50 custody does not mean that neither side pays support though — there is often a disparity of income and living situation, which is clearly the case here and support is designed to ensure that the child has an equal living situation on both sides.
When they had mediation, at the time, they agreed to 50/50 custody, with both not paying child support. He has her half the time and pays for her, when she is with him. Now, it looks like Jodie wants to change that, which is her right. She said no to spousal support as well, for either. They are still trying to sort out a settlement.
I don’t think we know enough about this situation.
I’m not sure why she is requesting spousal support given her employment status.
And sometimes child support payments are not in play if parents split physical custody of the child.
The way this has been portrayed in the press it makes it sound like he has refused to make child support payments. But we don’t know that he has necessarily failed in his legal responsibilities if they have a shared responsibility. It does sound like he may be not living up to what he should be doing though.
I hope they are able to resolve this for the benefit of their daughter.
I get the child support, and that she’s asking for quite a lot because he’s rich, but $26K a month for spousal support???
How long is spousal support supposed to be paid for? Especially since they weren’t married that long
depends on the state — some states have a formula that calculates support in relation to how long the marriage lasted — other states it can go on indefinitely unless the person receiving it remarries. One of the docs I work with has paid spousal support for 18 years because his ex-wife — though living with a significant other — refuses to remarry so she doesn’t have to give up that cash.
I have no idea how California does it.
I believe in California spousal support for marriages less than 10 years is half the length of the marriage.
So it could possibly mean she’s asking for $300K+ just for being married for a few years. That’s… something.
The way the article is constructed is pretty oriented, and 100% feels like it comes from her PR, with this blog’s reaction being exactly what they were fishing for. Especially if this is true that she initially didn’t ask for either child or spousal support and then makes him look like a deadbeat dad when he consequently didn’t pay any
In my state I get alimony indefinitely since we’ve been married for 20 years. I’ve been a SAHM until recently and left a career with high-income potential. Now I’m a preschool teacher. I’d get a similar alimony amount and half all our retirement and I’d deserve every penny.
It’s based on income.
Deadbeat dad’s are the worst.
Yeah that seems crazy to me too. And it’s not like she’s incapable of working and earning or as if being married to him caused damage to her career or made her put it on hold (on the contrary, she’s now more famous because of being associated with him). So I don’t understand the logic behind having to support her with this much money….
What. An. A-hole! I did not see JJ as someone who skipped supporting his own child. I didn’t see him as potentially uding the courts to financially abuse JTS. The child support amounts (as are the spousal support ones) are the results from the forensic accountant, which are going to be fairly precise. It sounds like he was hiding a lot of his true self from her. Trying to get full custody a la Joe Jonas from a British woman is giving me flashbacks. Time to pay attention to Joshua and Jodie’s PR game, because this sounds like it’s not congenial.
I’m so curious as to what their custody arrangement has looked like. If he’s had less than 50% and hasn’t been paying, then he’s a bum.
I know rich people live on a different planet but celeb child and spousal support amounts always shock me. How on earth do you calculate that someone needs $28 000 (+ $8000 for the child) PER MONTH to live?!
Living in LA is expensive. A lot. Esp if you are trying to live a celeb liifestyle. I have 4 kids, all in public school, and I could BARELY make it on 26k a month but only if we cut back. It’s expensive here badly
If you’re barely getting by on 26k / month, even in L.A., you have no idea how to manage money.
It’s not about being able to manage money. Child support is intended to allow the child the same quality of life with one parent versus the other. Spousal support is intended to help the spouse transition to full self-sufficiency, which includes taking into account the spouse’s standard of living during the marriage. It’s about relativity, not about absolute amounts.
The courts would’ve ordered him to pay missed child support if they had a legal agreement. But her claim that it was a ‘promise’ seems suspect. Also, her most prominent acting work came after the marriage and birth of Juno, so the caretaker/struggling new actress claim doesn’t ring true. As for spousal support, not in this case.
He should pay child support since they don’t have the same wealth and their child shouldn’t get different treatment in the other parent’s home. But, I don’t understand the spousal support. Jodie didn’t stop working after marriage. I would understand if she gave up working for her marriage and her career suffered because of that. Then, the spousal support certainly makes sense.
They mediated after she filed for divorce, that they would have 50/50 custody and that both would not pay child support because they both had her. So, he has been seeing her and looking after her. She initially asked for no spousal support for either. She has changed her mind, which is her right. He has put forward a settlement, but she wants more. This article is making it sound like he pays no child support when he does. He has had her full time from roughly July to end of November, because she started school. JJ has been taking her, while Jodie has been in London working all that time. Before that they have been having her 50/50.
@Anonymous, when it comes to significant wealth difference between parents, it doesn’t matter how they spend time equally with the child. If there is a difference of wealth between two homes, the richer one gives child support, so their child can enjoy the same condition in both homes. I totally support that, no doubt Joshua is the richer party here and he should pay. But, yeah, the spousal support sounds weird if there is no agreement they made before marriage.
These two me roll me eyes (moreso her bc she speaks publicly about it). They were rebounds for each other who tried to force it to be more. They were never gonna work and now are angry with each other. He needs to pay his child support (I didn’t care about the spousal support) and she needs to move on.
Jane no idea why I can’t up anonymous
JJ is wealthy and she’s relatively a newcomer in Hollywood. Nothing surprises me anymore, but JJ has been in the business enough to know that economically abusing his famous Black actress ex wouldn’t work to his advantage PR-wise. Unless he had some sort of leverage on her, I don’t think she needed to leave with ‘promised’ alimony and no fixed amount for child support. Either she was desperate for getting away from him; either she got terrible advice from her attorney. Both of them seem to be caring, engaged parents, but their marriage seemed to dwell on little beyond physical attraction. They must get it together: It’s nothing for him to help JTS getting a house, and she must not pretend she was a little housewife helping him boost his career from the trenches.
I think at the time of the initial filing JTS checked the boxes for no spousal and no child support. So, she expected support based on the verbal promise but not by a legal agreement.
They have 50/50 custody and agreed at the time that neither pay child support. She said she didn’t want spousal support at the beginning. She has changed her mind, which is her right. He has put forward a settlement, but she wants more. This article makes it sound like he has not paid any child support, when he has, because he looks after 50% of the time.
Yeah, the article (and the way she’s framed the situation?) are misleading and trying to make it sound like he’s being kind of a deadbeat, which isn’t true at all. If she’s changed her mind about support, he’s doing the right thing by waiting for the judge or friend of the court to make a determination.
My guess is that she didn’t want to have spousal support, but when she discovered she didn’t have the money to actually buy a house in LA, she realized she was going to need it. Also, nannies, school, and security.
Curious about her going public like this. Something’s happening.
Simplest something: She’s been told no, to some degree.
Making it public is a move of last resort.
These two are normally discreet and JJ has a new series. I quite like both of them–though let’s face it there must have been some behind the scenes mess with DK that I think was on him.
JTS blew up their marriage hard, and this all shades into speculation, which is exactly what I do here to avoid going back to the work problem I can’t solve.
Wish them all well.
Off topic yet on topic–I recall Steve Job’s daughter and David Foster’s daughters talking about living in near poverty with their mothers while their fathers were insanely wealthy. I always wondered how that was allowed to happen.
@NoHope So gross. Men who attribute all their success exclusively to themselves while their ex partners raised their children with minimal to no support. Story as old as time.
I’m sensing the spousal support is for a down payment on a house as well. I know many women that thought a informal/ verbal agreement of monetary support would be enough and trusted that the coparent would do what they said. Just to have to drag BD to court months/ years down the line because they don’t even bother to get a pack of diapers. Based on her statement, it seems like he was making a lot of promises he hasn’t been keeping. Now she’s going for everything.
Jodie lives an expensive lifestyle. Nothing wrong with that. She wants him to pay for that. She claims they lived that during marriage. Her daughter is used to it, her words, so she wants it to continue. His house they lived in is not extravagant by Hollywood standards. When he lives with him, I am guessing, it is low-key. Jodie holidays in expense places with expense friends, with her daughter. I don’t think anybody is saying he shouldn’t pay child support. We don’t know what was in the settlement, he put forward. Jodie loves working, but in acting, you rarely get jobs where you live. She worked all through their marriage and all of this year. JJ took a scrappy acting role (yes I think it is crappy), so that he could be in LA to take her to school.
I have no idea about this item. I like both Jodie and Joshua. I do find it interesting that there’s a chorus of new posters coming in to denigrate Jodie, though.
Looks a very coordinated attack. Must be coming from JJs people.
I get what you’re saying but coming into this thread a bit late it’s actually surprisingly even.
Mostly as someone who has worked a loooooong time in the legal field I am just once again side-eyeing a former couple who felt they were so enlightened and above it all that they could do it all without a formal legal agreement. LOL, sure dears. Not saying it never happens…but it sure is rare! 😂
I had hoped he was more involved with his daughter. Her hangups on her lightskin makes me uncomfortable as a light-skinned daughter of a darkskinned woman.
He is involved and has her half of the time.
I have seen a lot of comments about her not requesting child support initially b/c they had mediated 50-50 custody and thus, he pays his part. But that’s not how child support works in many states. The intent is usually to give the child a comparable living situation with both parents, so child support is formula-based and uses both incomes to level the playing field. Having 50-50 custody doesn’t negate a formula-based child support formula with that purpose. Also, all kinds of things can happen before and after a divorce, including promises and gaslighting. I have experienced this myself and it is both demoralizing and devastating. When you are trying to be a reasonable person and create an amicable situation for all parties during a divorce, it is easy to be taken advantage of. I have no idea if that happened in this case, but I am sensitive to this possibility because it happened to me. I also changed my mind after an initial agreement was reached because of bad behavior, poor follow-through, and clear manipulation.
Second all of this, having lived through it myself.
The lesson here: never believe verbal promises will be upheld when things go sideways. they only say those things when things are good.
Everything Jodie has not been saying in all her interviews caused a side eye at Joshua. It felt like jodi wanted out and to be fair to all parties. Or she wanted out enough to try and do all her own expenses on her own. Maybe some I am a strong woman and if I want out I have to take a larger financial loss energy. I think JJ is bitter and manipulative. That, Jodie has to take all work offers have no time left to be with her Daughter – leave a country for said employment – Joshua took advantage and it Became apparent to JT , JJ is for a full custody arrangement. Slowly edging JT into more and more Squeezed position.
JT wants to buy a house create stability and if forced to take every job to support herself and her daughter solely then JJ will keep edging her away from physical custody. JJ has that I will lash out at you for leaving me vibe. JT has the vibe she wanted to live a better and fuller life and I know I won’t see my daughter all the time but JJ and I can be fair and reasonable for every ones greater good. JJ should have kept his promises as JT is seeing finally JJ vibe for what it is. He will punish me for leaving and due to Finances I will be so overworked I will be out of the picture.
JJ seems to have made promises to JT to reassure her she was truly free to make Her own decisions. When JT said ok, I am out, Joshua was shocked and reneged. I think his promises were a manipulation to convince Jodi she was free and So free she should choose to stay with him.
They have not settled yet. They have 50/50 custody and I don’t see that changing as part of the divorce. We don’t have all the facts. We only have JTS side. Once the court puts down what is owed, then there will be no hersay. JTS is putting her case forward, because she rejected his settlement.
Not this
typical man, during the marriage you let the mother take care of the children and after the separation you suddenly want sole custody? only to have the children looked after by a nanny or a new girlfriend. all just so the mother doesn’t get a penny. doesn’t surprise me at all. common method
They have both been looking after her, during the marriage and after. Him trying for sole custody, I think was him being terrified that Jodie would take her overseas and he would not see her. 50/50 custody means he gets to look after her, which he says he loves.
He didn’t ‘let’ her take care of their daughter. What a strange comment.
I know these people are rich, but 28+K a month?!?
I’m surprised that there’s no prenup.
It could be that he has paid money but as an exact amount of child support has not been ordered it is not ‘labelled’ as such (see Ioan Gruffudd and his ex, who is a piece of work)
Of course I have no idea what is really going on here but Alice has constantly said she got no CS which was only true by strict definition.
Men just keep disappointing huh.
No, they don’t.
Sounds like something needed to be established in writing if they were just going in a “promise.” So many times men are given the benefit of the doubt, but then 6 months later weird stuff comes out.