Tyrese Gibson Blames Actors Strike, No Recent ‘Fast & Furious’ Check as Reason He's Unable to Pay $10k Per Month Child Support
Gibson said he should not be found in contempt of court.
March 8 2024, Published 11:45 a.m. ET
Tyrese Gibson denied he was malicious when he failed to pay his ex-wife Samantha Lee the full amount in child support recently — claiming the recent writer and actor strikes messed with his finances.
According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, Gibson admitted he could not pay “all amounts owed.”
Gibson admits he's been unable to pay the full $10 per month.
Gibson explained he had been singing since 1994 and acting since 2001. He said he makes the majority of his income as an actor. He said his income “fluctuates wildly.”
He said that during, “the years in which he films [a Fast & Furious] franchise movie, his income is the highest in those years. In 2022, [Gibson] filmed the franchise movie in question, and he has not filmed any segment in that franchise movie since 2022. Consequently, [Gibson’s] income has fluctuated downward since the trial in this case, and as expected, [Gibson] does not earn the same amount that he earned in August 2022.”
Gibson's ex wants him found in contempt.
Further, Gibson’s lawyer added, “Neither [Gibson] nor anyone else in Hollywood could have predicted the major strikes in 2023 that affected everyone’s income who earns a living from the movie industry.”
His lawyer continued, “[Gibson] was gravely impacted just as everyone who works in Hollywood. Because of the six-month work stoppage in the film industry in 2023, and because [Gibson] has not shot a major film since 2022, [Gibson’s] income has decreased to less than twenty percent (20%) of what [Gibson] was earning in August 2022, which [Gibson] would like to prove at a hearing on this matter.”
Gibson said that his inability to pay the full amount of child support is not willful. He said he has “not had the ability to pay.”
A judge has yet to rule.
The actor said his income fluctuates.
Earlier this year, Gibson’s ex-wife Samantha Lee accused him of being in contempt of court. She claimed he started paying her only a portion of the court-ordered $10,690 per month in child support.
Lee claimed the actor paid her less than half the required amount in December 2023 and January 2024.
The exes share a 4-year-old daughter Soraya. Lee pointed out that Gibson had paid her the $10k for November 2023.
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, in 2023, Lee accused Gibson of failing to pay the court-ordered support. She said he had started paying her $2,236 instead of the $10k.
He said the actors strike hurt his income.
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In response, Gibson claimed the child support amount was excessive. He accused the judge of deciding due to a bias against him.
At the time, the judge ended up ordering Gibson to pay $237k in back child support and another $400k for Lee’s legal bills.
The judge refused to recuse himself despite Gibson’s demands. The actor said he planned to appeal the decision.
On top of the child support battle, Gibson sued Home Depot for alleged racial discrimination.
