Ioan Gruffudd and his ex-wife Alice Evans were handed one last opportunity Tuesday to resolve their long-running legal battle before heading to trial — but the effort ended in deadlock.
With neither side willing to compromise, their contentious nine-day courtroom showdown is now scheduled to begin February 23 at Los Angeles Superior Court, where a judge will ultimately decide the outcome.
Gruffudd, 52, attended the trial readiness conference in person wearing a navy suit, while Evans, 57, appeared remotely via audio link. Judge Michael Convey made it clear the hearing marked “the last stop” before trial.
At the heart of the dispute is Gruffudd’s request for a permanent restraining order against Evans, alleging ongoing harassment and abuse directed at him and his new wife, Bianca Wallace, 33, whom he intends to call as a witness. The former couple are also battling over spousal and child support for their daughters, Ella, 16, and Elsie, 12.
Although previous court-ordered settlement conferences resolved minor issues, the restraining order and financial support remain major sticking points. After learning that further “meet-and-confer” attempts had failed, the judge urged both parties to remain civil and focus on their children rather than escalating tensions.
Gruffudd claims Evans has carried out a prolonged campaign of harassment, even after a prior three-year restraining order. Evans denies the allegations, calling them unreasonable and insisting her social media comments were simply reflections on her personal circumstances — not harassment.
Evans is seeking an increase in monthly spousal support from $1,500 to $1,850 and child support from $3,000 to $4,650. Gruffudd, however, is asking the court to terminate spousal support entirely, arguing he has already overpaid by approximately $400,000 and citing what he describes as repeated violations of the restraining order.
Evans has claimed financial hardship, alleging she and her daughters were evicted after falling behind on rent and that she has sold belongings and launched a GoFundMe to make ends meet. Gruffudd disputes that version of events, asserting she earns more than $130,000 annually and is capable of full-time work. He reports making roughly $575,000 per year, though Evans contends his income was closer to $588,000 prior to their split.
The former couple, who met while filming 102 Dalmatians and married in 2007, finalized their divorce in July 2023 after Gruffudd filed in March 2021.
Now, with settlement talks exhausted, their deeply personal conflict is set to play out in court — unless an unexpected breakthrough occurs before proceedings begin.
