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Russell Brand's divorce settlement from Katy Perry could have him living on easy street -- but instead, he's taking the high road. TMZ reports that the comedian, who under California law is entitled to half of Perry's earnings, is not asking for a cent of her fortune.
"This divorce is as amicable as it gets, and Russell was a mensch," says the website's source. "He doesn't want Katy's money. He's happy to walk away with the money he earned -- which is far less than what Katy raked in."
So how much, exactly, is Brand giving up? Perry, 27, and Brand, 36, reportedly did not sign a pre-nuptial agreement, meaning that all of their earnings over the 14-month marriage are considered "community property." According to Forbes, Perry made about $44 million during this time period, while Brand's worth is estimated at around $6 million. These assets are split 50/50 under California community property law. Translation: By divorcing Perry, Brand could more than triple his net worth, walking away with approximately $20 million.
But true to his word, that's not what Brand -- who filed for divorce in late December -- wanted from his marriage to the eight-time Grammy nominee.
"We just love each other, and we want to get married in front of our friends and family and keep it very normal," Brand said in October 2010. "It ain't about selling the pictures; it ain't about doing the prenup."
Brand made his wishes known by not exercising community property rights in the final divorce papers, which he filed on Tuesday. The divorce becomes official on June 30, pending the mandatory six-month waiting period.
It's easy to speculate that Brand was the "bad guy" in the breakup, with his history of womanizing and outrageous behavior versus Katy's all-American image. But by refusing to take Perry's millions, Brand has shown that he has more integrity -- and will power -- than most men would in his shoes!
