Mary-Kate Olsen surprised many when she filed for divorce seemingly out of the blue last week. The story continued to attract attention, especially as the emergency divorce petition she filed was denied by a judge in New York City. Many have wondered what happened to push the star to make such a bold move.
Sources close to the couple are talking, and they've cited the pair's different ideas about work and career as a big problem. A source told People, "She's super career-focused and he's very French and wanted her to be more available. You can't control a girl who has been on the billionaire track since her 20s."
Her estranged husband, Olivier Sarkozy, is the half-brother of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Olivier is an investment banker, while Mary-Kate runs two luxury fashion labels with her sister Ashley and also continues to reap the benefits of her childhood stardom in Hollywood.
But … it seems like differing work ethics may not be the whole story.
People who know the pair have had strong opinions about their relationship since it began. Olivier's first wife, Charlotte Bernard, definitely disapproved of the age difference. Mary-Kate was 25 when they started dating, and Olivier was 42.
Charlotte said, "That's not right. It's grotesque."
While details are still emerging about what is and isn't going on with the pair, we do know a few things. For starters, Mary-Kate filed her emergency plea because she fears being kicked out of her home and losing her possessions. In the documentation, she stated, "This application is an emergency because my husband expects me to move out of our home on Monday, May 18, 2020, in the middle of New York City being on pause."
"I am petrified that my husband is trying to deprive me of the home that we have lived in and if he is successful, I will not only lose my home but I risk losing my personal property as well. My husband is trying to force me out of our home by his failure to renew the lease on the Gramercy Apartment which he terminated without my consent."
While the two were always touted as being quite secretive, prior to their marriage they were all over the news and in the spotlight. French publications were incredibly obsessed with the couple and offered coverage of them nearly constantly. Mary-Kate generally took a calm attitude toward the attention, commenting, "Everyone has an opinion. I find it's better to focus on what's in front of you and to keep putting one foot in front of the other."
But now that everything has unraveled, Mary-Kate Olsen still seems to have plenty of options. While she is reportedly at her sister's home for now, she owns several properties. She also has been working since she was basically a baby, which has led to an incredibly giant net worth as an adult.
Mary-Kate and Ashley began working on Full House when they were tiny, and they started off making $2,400 an episode. This rose steadily, first to $25,000 an episode and then capping at $80,000 an episode (each). They also starred in their own movies, which were definitely fan favorites.
These days, the duo's primary source of income comes from their fashion labels. Forbes listed them among the richest women in the world back in 2006 based on their earnings from The Row, stating that their net worth was probably around $100 million that year. The Row continues to bring in revenue between $100 and $200 million a year.
However, the divorce is likely to muddy up a part of the life that Mary-Kate and Olivier built together: their many real estate investments. They reportedly own several townhouses in New York City, and at least a few are worth over $6 million.
But she should be OK: In 2020, Mary-Kate's net worth is estimated to be around $250 million.
While sources have also stated that Mary-Kate's financial investments are safe and that her "business interests and fortune are protected" due to an "iron-clad" prenup, it's not yet known what will become of the shared properties. New information will likely continue to circulate as the details are ironed out.
Meanwhile, attorneys for Olivier Sarkozy have so far been pretty quiet. While the French banker is estimated to be worth around $60 million, he filed paperwork that states that he is "not in a position to extend [the apartment's lease] and/or pay additional rent."
