Sir Elton John In Massive Trouble Due To Memoir, Biopic
Legendary singer Elton John is facing a massive legal issue involving his ex-wife Renate Blauel.
According to BBC, the "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" hitmaker violated the terms of their divorce deal. Now, Blauel is suing him for an estimated $3.8 million for damages, as cited in the documents filed at the High Court in London.
Blauel, who is a sound engineer, tied the knot with the British singer in 1984. Unfortunately, the couple called it quits after four years of marriage and officially divorced in 1988.
The music icon went on to marry Canadian filmmaker and former advertising executive David Furnish, with whom he has two children.
Elton John Violated Divorce Agreement With Renate Blauel
Elton John's ex-wife is claiming that as part of their settlement, they both agreed to keep personal details about their marriage private.
However, the Grammy Hall of Famer appears to have breached their agreement after he released his 2019 memoir "Me" and his biographical musical film "Rocketman."
In his book, Elton John mentioned that he married Blauel without the intention of having kids -- something which the latter opposed, revealing that they "did attempt to have children during their relationship but were unable to do so".
She also cited that she previously requested this passage to be taken out of the memoir but was rejected by the high courts.
Through her legal representatives, Blauel mentioned that the biopic depicted their marriage as fake and that her privacy was compromised.
"In her mind, the film seeks to portray their marriage as a sham, which she wholeheartedly disputes and considers a false and disrespectful portrayal of their time together," her legal counsel, Yisrael Hiller, told BBC. "Renate wants the privacy that was promised to her -- that is why she is seeking an injunction. Any claim for monetary relief is secondary, and would just cover damages and future expenses caused by Elton's breaches."
John's ex-wife, who has been living a low-profile life since their divorce, also pointed out that this triggered her long-standing mental health problems.
In addition, the German-born sound engineer pointed out that she was not consulted before making the 2019 biopic, in which she was portrayed by Dutch theatre actress Celinde Schoenmaker.
Elton John "Shocked And Saddened" By Ex-Wife's Accusations
Following this, the legendary singer was reportedly affected by Blauel's claims since he never said anything negative towards his ex-wife.
"Elton is shocked and saddened by Renate's claim after 30 years of a mutually amicable and respectful divorce, especially as he has only ever praised her publicly," a source told the outlet.
Furthermore, his biopic has bagged two major recognitions such as Golden Globe Awards for Best Actor and two Academy Awards for Best Original Song.