Married once, Brendan Fraser moved on from his former wife Afton Smith after a heated divorce. Today, the exes lead different paths, linked only by their kids.
Brendan Fraser once had it all; a successful career, a solid claim to Hollywood stardom, massive fortune, a beautiful wife, and three kids. However, it all went down the drain within a blink. Interestingly, one of the culprits responsible for the actor’s fate was none other than his former wife Afton Smith.
For one, the onset of his Hollywood spiral coincided with the end of their 10-year marriage in 2008. The decision of the couple, who shared three children, to go their separate ways shook fans as until then, it all seemed rosy within the Fraser household.
It all became clear when the duo ended up entangled in a bitter legal feud that ended with the court ordering Fraser to pay alimony of $50,000 monthly to his wife. In addition, he was required to pay child support of $25,000 for the monthly upkeep of their three children.
Admittedly, the divorce and the court settlement left Brendan in a state of depression for years. He fulfilled those obligations until he seemingly ran low on money due to his dwindling career. Then in 2013, Brendan Fraser petitioned the court to reduce the sum due to his former wife, alleging that his earnings and net worth had reduced drastically.
However, Afton accused him of hiding his assets to avoid payment. Ultimately, the actor filed for bankruptcy, gaining the sympathy of fans, who in turn set out to antagonise the mother of three, tagging her a gold digger.
Thankfully, Brendan Fraser has since staged a career comeback and reclaimed his fortune with a lineup of movies including the 2022 film, “The Whales.” But can the same be said about Afton Smith?
Who Is Afton Smith, The Former Wife of Brendan Fraser?
Afton Smith is a retired actress, book author and former wife of “George of the Jungle” star Brendan Fraser. She has three children, Holden Fletcher Fraser, Griffin Arthur Fraser and Leland Francis Fraser with her ex-husband.
Long before the world knew her as the wife of Brendan Fraser, she was an aspiring actress from New York. Smith landed the planet on December 3, 1967, in Northport, New York, where she spent her early years nursing her acting dreams. Eventually, those dreams led to her meeting with Fraser.
The former power couple met through actress Winona Ryder at a fourth of July Barbecue in 1993. They hit it off immediately, eventually tying the knot in 1998, after four years of dating.
Afton Smith’s Career
Smith began acting as early as twelve years old, following her childhood dreams of becoming an actress. She starred in various Broadway shows and theatre plays, eventually landing a minor role in the 1987 film, “Less Than Zero,” marking her film debut.
She landed more acting roles, but soon lost her interest in the art, admitting in an interview that the passion died along the way. As a result, she decided to leave acting for those who were really great at it.
Before dropping the bat, she was credited with nine movie appearances, including “George Of the Jungle,” which starred Fraser in the titular role.
After exiting the movie scenes, Brendan decided to embrace her knack for writing. She released her first book, “Hollywood Picks the Classics: A Guide for Beginner and Aficionado” in 2004.
Smith authored another book in 2011 titled “Point to Happy: For Children on the Autism Spectrum. Notably, she collaborated with her mom Miriam smith to write her second publication.
Another book under her name is “The Tiger: Class of January 1922,” released in August 2018. However, her recent works seem less successful than her first two books.
What Is Afton Smith Up To Now?
After a short-lived acting career and an even shorter stint as an author, Afton Smith seems to take a step back from the arts. These days, she spends time parenting her children, who opted to live with her over Fraser following their divorce.
The doting mom resides in Greenwich, Connecticut with her kids now teenage kids. More recently, she took part in a fundraiser to assist ABILIS, an acronym for Advancing Abilities for People with Special Needs. The event, which took place in September 2018 marked the first annual Dancing Stars of Greenwich Gala.
Although not as successful as Brendan Fraser, the actor’s former wife seems to be faring relatively well with her major and minor pursuits. And with no recent scandals involving their kids, one could say she is certainly doing a great job at parenting.