Former Beverly Hills, 90210 star Tori Spelling has candidly discussed the unexpectedly smooth process of finalising her divorce from ex-husband Dean McDermott, emphasising their continued commitment to harmonious co-parenting.
An 'Easy' Hollywood Split Defying Expectations
Speaking to People at the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball, the 52-year-old actress reflected on the end of her 18-year marriage, which was officially dissolved in October 2024. Spelling filed for divorce on March 29, 2024, citing irreconcilable differences, with a separation date listed as June 17, 2023.
Contrary to the tumultuous final years of their union and public predictions of a messy split, Spelling described the proceedings as remarkably straightforward. "I was shocked," she admitted, "because I always read horror stories and everyone predicted it to be so messy. The divorce was super easy and loving."
Putting Their Children First
The couple's primary focus remains their five children: Liam, 18, Stella, 17, Hattie, 14, Finn, 13, and Beau, eight. McDermott, 59, also has a 27-year-old son, Jack, from his previous marriage to Mary Jo Eustace.
Spelling stressed that their functional family dynamic is actively maintained for the kids' benefit. "We do family dinners, we do everything together, so it’s really good for the kids," she shared. This sentiment was publicly echoed last month when Spelling posted a warm birthday tribute to McDermott on social media, calling him "#babydaddy" and praising their co-parenting journey.
Accountability and Moving Forward Amicably
The path to this civil relationship followed a period of admitted difficulty. McDermott himself took responsibility for the marital strife in a November 2023 interview with the Daily Mail, stating, "All Tori's ever done is want me to be happy and healthy and I inflicted a lot of damage and pain on that woman."
On her podcast, misSPELLING, Spelling mused on the contrast between their marital problems and divorce ease, calling it "a testament to the two of us and wanting to really step up and be there for the five humans we chose to create out of love." The settlement, finalised in October, did reveal significant financial challenges, including over $1.3 million in unpaid federal and state taxes.
Despite these hurdles, Spelling's message is one of positive collaboration. She concluded, "We love and care about each other so much," proving that for this family, divorce has not meant an end to their shared dedication.
