Ioan Gruffudd and Alice Evans court trial will decide child support and safety rules

This legal fight has lasted 5 years, which is much longer than most celebrity divorces. The new trial will last 9 days to decide on $6,500 rent and child safety.
By Newsroom | Legal, Los Angeles |

After five years of legal disputes, actor Ioan Gruffudd and his former wife Alice Evans have failed to reach a private agreement. A final meeting on Tuesday ended without a deal, which means the pair will now face a nine-day trial in a Los Angeles court. The trial is set to address several serious issues, including child support, accusations of stalking, and the future of a domestic violence restraining order.

The stakes for both individuals are high. Ioan Gruffudd is asking the court to stop all spousal support payments and make a restraining order against Alice Evans permanent. Alice Evans argues that she is in "financial distress" and has recently been evicted from her home because she could not pay the $6,500 monthly rent. With no settlement in place, a judge will now decide the truth of these conflicting claims.

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The relationship between the two actors began over 20 years ago when they met on the set of the movie 102 Dalmatians. They married and had two daughters, Ella (now 16) and Elsie (now 12).

  • 2021: The couple separated, followed by a public and high-conflict breakup.

  • 2022: A three-year restraining order was issued against Alice Evans after Ioan Gruffudd claimed she was harassing him and his new partner, Bianca Wallace.

  • 2023: Their divorce was finalized, but legal fights over money and the children continued.

  • April 2024: Ioan Gruffudd married Bianca Wallace.

  • November 2024: Gruffudd and Wallace welcomed their first child together, a daughter named Mila.

  • July – December 2025: Several court hearings took place where both sides refused to compromise on money or custody rules.

The primary conflict focuses on whether Evans has followed court orders and if her claims of poverty are accurate compared to her actual lifestyle.

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Evidence and Claims

The court has received a large amount of documentation from both sides. This evidence includes social media posts, financial records, and witness statements.

  • Financial Records: Alice Evans filed documents stating she is broke and was evicted from her Los Angeles home. However, Ioan Gruffudd submitted evidence suggesting Evans has been "jet-setting" across Europe on expensive trips while claiming she has no money.

  • Communication Logs: Gruffudd claims that Evans has conducted a "relentless five-year campaign" of abuse. He provided messages and social media posts as proof of her alleged stalking and harassment of him and Bianca Wallace.

  • Custody Arguments: Gruffudd is seeking joint legal and physical custody of their two daughters. Evans is strongly opposing this request. She has claimed that Gruffudd rarely sees his children, while he argues that she is the reason he cannot see them.

Analysis of the Core Issues

1. The Financial Paradox

The court must decide if Alice Evans is truly unable to support herself. She appeared in court wearing simple clothes and stated that her children are "well aware" of their money problems. On the other side, Gruffudd argues that her poverty is a "manipulation" to get more money from him.

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Does the evidence of travel and spending match the claim of being evicted for unpaid rent? This is a central question for the judge.

2. The Restraining Order and Safety

Ioan Gruffudd is not just asking for money to stop; he is asking for protection. He claims the harassment has not stopped despite the previous court order. His lawyer, Langlois, has indicated that Bianca Wallace will testify about the harassment she has faced.

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If the court finds that Evans violated the previous restraining order, it could legally allow Gruffudd to stop paying her spousal support entirely.

3. The Welfare of the Children

The two daughters, Ella and Elsie, are at the center of the custody fight. Evans portrays herself as a single mother left to fend for herself. Gruffudd portrays himself as a father being blocked from his children by an angry ex-wife. The court must look past the parents' feelings to see what is best for the teenagers.

Legal filings show that Ioan Gruffudd’s legal team is using a "strategic" approach. They noted that Alice Evans tried to file her own court papers just one minute before his, which they argued was a "void and invalid" attempt to gain a legal advantage.

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"The children are well aware of our financial distress and the eviction." — Alice Evans in court documents.

Ioan Gruffudd intends to "request to terminate support based on Evans's continued violations of the restraining order," according to court filings.

Legal observers note that if Gruffudd's claims are proven, Evans could lose her financial support and her credibility in future custody hearings.

Conclusion and Next Steps

The failure to settle this week means the case will go to a full trial. This process will be long and expensive for both people.

  • The Trial: A nine-day trial is scheduled to begin next week.

  • Witnesses: Both Ioan Gruffudd and Bianca Wallace are expected to testify against Alice Evans.

  • Potential Outcome: The judge will decide if the restraining order becomes permanent and will set a final amount for child and spousal support.

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The findings of this trial will likely end the five-year legal battle, but the emotional impact on the family remains a major concern for those involved.

Sources and Context

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why did the legal settlement fail between Ioan Gruffudd and Alice Evans on Tuesday?
The two actors met to try and agree on money and custody rules without a judge, but they could not reach a deal. Because they did not agree, they must now go to a full trial to solve their problems.
Q: What will the nine-day trial between Ioan Gruffudd and Alice Evans decide?
The judge will decide how much child support Ioan must pay and if Alice should keep receiving spousal support. The court will also look at safety rules and whether a restraining order against Alice should stay in place forever.
Q: Why is Alice Evans claiming she is in financial distress during the court case?
Alice says she is broke and was recently forced to leave her home because she could not pay the $6,500 monthly rent. She told the court that her two daughters are aware of these money problems.
Q: What evidence did Ioan Gruffudd give to the court about Alice Evans' spending?
Ioan showed the court records that suggest Alice has been taking expensive trips to Europe while claiming she has no money. He argues that her claims of being poor are not true and are meant to get more money from him.
Q: How does the domestic violence restraining order affect the court case between Gruffudd and Evans?
Ioan claims that Alice has not stopped harassing him and his new wife, Bianca Wallace, for five years. If the judge finds that Alice broke the safety rules, Ioan may be allowed to stop paying her any support money.