On Monday, August 29, the divorce proceedings between actor Tyrese Gibson and his estranged wife, Samantha Lee, took an unexpected turn.
According to TMZ, tensions rose in court as Samantha faced intense questioning from Tyrese’s attorney, Tanya Mitchell Graham, regarding some of her expenses from two years ago, including a $1,740 bill for cosmetics.
Tyrese made it clear during the hearing that he is adamant about not providing spousal support to 31-year-old Samantha. He also pressed for the enforcement of their prenuptial agreement and requested joint physical and legal custody of their three-year-old daughter, Soraya Gibson. Additionally, he asked for the final say on non-medical emergencies involving their child.
Tyrese contested Samantha’s request for $20,000 in monthly child support, deeming it “unreasonably high” in court documents. He also expressed his desire to retain their 2016 Range Rover while offering to let Samantha keep their 2017 Land Rover Discovery.
Samantha filed for divorce from the six-time Grammy nominee in September 2020, alleging that Tyrese had locked her out of their house, an accusation he has denied.
In response to the divorce and its challenges, Tyrese, who is also a musician, attributed the breakdown of his second marriage to his upbringing in broken homes where he had no role models for being a husband or father. He also highlighted his belief that black families and marriages are under attack.
In a separate statement, he emphasized that despite the divorce, he and Samantha, whom he met in 2015, intend to “remain the best of friends and strong co-parents.”