Douglas fighting ongoing implications of 10-year-old divorce

08/27/2010

Michael Douglas is once again embroiled in a bitter battle with his ex-wife, whom he divorced more than ten years ago.

Diandra Luker, who was married to Douglas for 23 years until their divorce in 2000, is claiming that she is entitled to half of the earnings the actor makes from the forthcoming sequel to his hit 1987 film, Wall Street.

Lawyers for the pair, parents to 31-year-old son, Cameron, have this week been squaring off in a New York courtroom over the money, which Luker is claiming through a clause in their divorce agreement. The clause stipulates that she is entitled to a share in proceeds from the actor's work while they were together.

As Douglas, 65, is reprising his infamous, Oscar-winning role of morally-bankrupt money-maker Gordon Gekko – conceived while the pair were married – her lawyers are claiming she is entitled to proceeds from the film.

The court battle comes as Douglas is preparing for another difficult fight – that against the throat cancer that he was diagnosed with this month. A lawyer for the actor said Ms Luker had already made $6.3m from her husband's other past projects and that, "It's time for Ms Douglas to move on and let Mr Douglas move on and enjoy his life without having to concern himself with someone trying to claw back moneys they're not entitled to."

A date has not been set for a ruling in the case.