August 27, 2019 MTV VMAs 2019: Miley Cyrus performed breakup song Slide Away after Liam Hemsworth split Miley Cyrus had a clear message for her ex, Liam Hemsworth, at the MTV Video Music Awards, as she held hands with her new love interest. By Nadia Salemme and Nathan Vass, News Corp Australia Network

... one of New York’s most prominent celebrity divorce lawyers — Dror Bikel, author of the book The 1% Divorce: When Titans Clash — says not all prenups are worth the paper they’re printed on.

If there’s a valid prenup, things can go quickly and smoothly.

A page from Hemsworth’s petition for divorce.

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ways, which Cyrus clearly in the US state of California Miley Cyrus had a clear blamed for their breakup. — where couples must be message for Liam Hemsworth separated for at least six months The lyrics? “Move on, we’re not after the MTV VMAs as she before a divorce is finalised. seventeen / I’m not who I used flaunted her new love, Kaitlynn to be / You say that everything This means the pair won’t Carter. changed / You’re right, we’re be officially divorced before The singer, 26, performed Slide grown now”. February 2020. Away — the breakup song she And it doesn’t stop there. “I Under California law, Miley released days after her split want my house in /Don’t Cyrus has 30 days to respond to from Hemsworth — and later, want the whiskey and pills/I Hemsworth’s petition to divorce, showed some serious PDA with don’t give up easily/But I don’t which his Hollywood lawyer, Carter, 30, in front of cameras at think I’m down.” Laura Wasser, said was based on a New York club. irreconcilable differences. One familiar face in the crowd Perhaps in a case of picking her was Cyrus’ dad, Old Town Road TMZ reported that the A-listers big moment, Cyrus and Carter singer Billy Ray Cyrus, who — had a prenup in place that kept appeared to snub the VMAs red along with the crowd — gave the money they made during carpet at the Prudential Centre Miley a standing ovation. their seven-month marriage in Newark, New Jersey, leaving separate. But one of New York’s it to Victoria’s Secret models Meantime, Taylor Swift stunned most prominent celebrity Gigi and Bella Hadid to turn during her performance to divorce lawyers — Dror Bikel, heads in near-naked outfits. open the Video Music Awards, author of the book The 1% wearing a pair of purple Versace But Cyrus and Carter well and Divorce: When Titans Clash — hotpants, a glittering gold truly made up for it after the says not all prenups are worth bustier and Christian Louboutin show. the paper they’re printed on. boots. Once the show was over, the “Absent a prenup, it can take She sang her new singles, You pair held hands as they swapped years to untangle assets, a Need to Calm Down and Lover, New Jersey for Manhattan, and family business, private equity off her new album of the same went to an after-party at A-list holdings and so on,” Mr Bikel name. club, Up & Down. told News Corp Australia. Earlier, Swift wore a baroque- Earlier, Carter had attended the “On the other hand, these print Versace blazer to walk the VMAs to support Cyrus but did agreements must be drafted red carpet. not sit in the audience. flawlessly and with full disclosure of all assets by both INSIDE LIAM AND MILEY’S The reality star and ex-wife DIVORCE parties for the agreement to be of The Hills’ Brody Jenner held valid by the court. was seen tenderly stroking If Liam Hemsworth was “It’s a shame to see any marriage Cyrus’ hair as the pair walked hoping for a quick exit from his backstage. on the rocks and unfortunately marriage to Miley Cyrus, it’s not the entertainment industry sees going to happen in 2019. Of course, Slide Away includes a high percentage of failures. lyrics aimed directly at The Australian actor, 29, filed ‘Blame’ probably won’t be Hemsworth and his partying for divorce from the pop singer relevant to the finances in the

2 Continued on next page Continued from previous page divorce here, it’s probably more the marriage and any assets further pressure on the bond. a strategic personal branding you purchased with it, will issue managed by each spouse’s be ‘community property’ in “In my experience working with management and PR people. California, it’s split down the high profile spouses, where middle. brand value is massive and if “If there’s a valid prenup, things kids are involved, we will often can go quickly and smoothly.” “Whatever you came into the work out a quick and quiet marriage with is typically settlement so as not to damage Cyrus is said to be worth about ‘separate property’ and not the brands.” $A300 million compared to subject to splitting.” her estranged husband’s $A40 million. But if Hemsworth had filed in Tennessee where they also lived, Hemsworth’s lawyer Laura the tales of philandering on Wasser is one of the big guns both sides could have made a when it comes to celebrity difference to the outcome. breakups, having represented Angelina Jolie in her divorce “In Tennessee, you can file from Brad Pitt. Her other either fault or no-fault, however famous clients include Kim the primary relevance in an Kardashian, Ashton Kutcher, adultery situation is whether or Jennifer Garner and Britney not the marital estate — their Spears. Her Divorce Sucks joint property — was diminished podcast has been host to the by the womanising which might likes of Khloe Kardashian, Anna affect the ultimate split of the Faris and . joint property,” Mr Bikel said.

The Hemsworth-Cyrus split “For example, if the has been notable for both sides philandering spouse bought art, using “sources” to accuse the real estate, high value jewellery other party of being less than and the like with joint funds, faithful in the marriage. there would, in Tennessee, likely be a reckoning in the form of the Yet, in the eyes of the courts value of the its being credited to in California, that doesn’t the innocent spouse.” even matter, says Dror Bikel, founding partner of Bikel & Mr Bikel said celebrity life was Schanfield. hard on a marriage.

“Every US state has its own “Celebrity marriages are tough, laws on divorce and they vary. especially in the entertainment California is a no-fault state industry. The spouses are apart meaning alleged ‘womanising’ often for months at a time as wouldn’t be relevant,” Mr Bikel tours and filming have gruelling said. schedules at far away locations.

“The general rule that whatever “The spotlight and separate money you earned during friend groups can add even

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