For the average person, becoming embroiled in litigation can be a stressful experience, to say the least. For high-profile Hollywood celebrities, litigation has some additional costs. While affordability is not as great a concern, stars who take their battles to court can expect unpleasant details of their personal lives to make big headlines. Whether you’re rich and famous or not, that’s not a fun experience for anyone.  

It’s no surprise, then, that feuding celebrities often hire mediators in a bid to sweep their unsightly quarrels under the rug. Much to the chagrin of sensationalist gossip enthusiasts everywhere, the legal battles of Hollywood stars end with confidential settlements more often than not. 

Variety Magazine recently interviewed a handful of entertainment mediators to get the latest scoop on the special considerations in play when resolving disputes between such high-profile litigants. Some of their key musings are highlighted below:

• Although the Los Angeles Superior Court offers free mediation services, celebrities will invariably retain the services of a private mediator;

• Some L.A.-based mediators specialize in resolving celebrity disputes. They often have a background in entertainment law or have worked in roles that put them in contact with industry players;

• Ego handling is a necessary skill. Parties at both the executive level and the talent level are accustomed to preferential treatment in every other aspect of life, so the mediator needs to convince them that their celebrity status won’t give them any advantages in a judicial setting; and

• Divorce actions for celebrities tend to have some unusual complexities. The uncertainty with estimating future income based on film and TV participation and music royalties makes splitting assets and determining child support especially difficult. Custody battles also become more complicated when one parent could end up on film sets in foreign countries for months at a time. 

Considering the fervor of modern media, the widespread backlogs in court systems, and the rising popularity of alternative dispute resolution, entertainment mediation seems like a match made in heaven.  

Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Suzana Popovic-Montag and James Macfarlane.