Demi Moore is reportedly seeking spousal support and attorney fees from Ashton Kutcher in their divorce battle.
The news comes more than a year after Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher split and three months after the actor filed papers to legally sever their six-year marriage.
Demi Moore, 50, finally responded on Thursday by lodging her own application at the Los Angeles Superior Court.
The actress cites “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for the split, stating the date of marriage as September 24th, 2005 and the date of separation as November 17 , 2011 – two months after Ashton Kutcher’s alleged one-night stand with party girl Sara Leal.
While the couple have no children together, the financial stakes are high.
Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher are jointly worth a reputed $285 million and in the last year alone Ashton Kutcher earned $24 million from the CBS show Two And A Half Men.
On Wednesday it was reported how talks between the couple have broken down over money.
The pair could now be facing a courtroom showdown to resolve their differences.
Ashton Kutcher, 35, is said to have become “hostile” whilst Demi Moore has supposedly “had enough” of his refusal to budge.
Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher split in 2011 after six years together and since then there has been much speculation about why they have not formally divorced.
A source told the New York Post that money could well be the issue as Ashton Kutcher is the highest paid actor in US TV.
Ashton Kutcher’s personal fortune is estimated at $135 million whilst Demi Moore’s is thought to be around $150 million thanks to her hit films in the 1980s and 90s.
A source told the New York Post: “Ashton made a lot of money after marrying Demi – a lot more than she made – but despite him becoming just as famous through her, he believes he doesn’t owe her that much.
“Ashton has been very difficult during the talks. You could even say he has been hostile.
“After over a year of attempting to reach a settlement, Demi is definitely ready to move on. It’s hoped lawyers for both sides can reach a settlement this spring, otherwise the divorce will go into litigation and trial.”
Both parties have called in heavyweight lawyers and Demi Moore is being represented by New York-based William Beslow, who recently won a large settlement for Linda Evangelista against French businessman François-Henri Pinault over their five-year-old daughter.
Ashton Kutcher has hired Los Angeles celebrity lawyer Laura Wasser.
Demi Moore’s marriage to Ashton Kutcher raised eyebrows not only because of the 15-year age gap, but also because he was not that much older than her own three daughters from her previous marriage to Bruce Willis, 57.
In the wake of the breakup there were also fears for her wellbeing after she appeared in public looking extremely thin and was rushed to hospital after suffering an apparent seizure.
