Alice Evans created a disruption in a Los Angeles courtroom on Monday after being discovered taking photographs of her former husband, Ioan Gruffudd, known for his role in Fantastic Four, during their child support hearing.
The British-American actress, aged 56, was briefly ejected from the courtroom due to this violation of court protocol, which expressly prohibits such conduct and could have led to a contempt of court charge.
The incident occurred while the estranged couple sat apart, with Evans occasionally directing cold expressions at Gruffudd, who remained focused ahead as they awaited the commencement of proceedings regarding support payments for their two minor daughters.
During a conference between their attorneys and Judge Josh Freeman Stinn in chambers, Alice Evans—dressed entirely in black—was observed raising her cell phone to take photographs of Ioan Gruffudd. This act, a clear violation of court rules, is expressly forbidden within the Los Angeles Superior Court.
Dissatisfied with her initial distance from Gruffudd, Evans proceeded to cross the courtroom, positioning herself directly in front of him, where she continued to take photos at close range. Gruffudd, dressed in a dark blue suit with a tie, and sporting a mustache and goatee, looked visibly stunned by her actions.
Alice Evans’ actions prompted an immediate response from a visibly shocked LA County deputy on duty in the courtroom, who swiftly intervened. “Stop that. Delete those. I’m not asking you… I’m telling you,” the officer sternly commanded. Evans was then directed to exit the courtroom, where, under the supervision of the deputy, she nervously complied with his orders to delete all photographs taken of Ioan Gruffudd. The officer proceeded to caution Evans regarding the strict prohibition against taking photographs in the courtroom without judicial approval.
After the incident, Evans was briefly allowed to return to the courtroom. However, when she was seen holding her phone again shortly thereafter, the deputy escorted her outside for a second time to verify that no additional photos had been taken and to issue a further warning regarding the court’s rules.
This event is the latest in the contentious three-year legal battle between Evans and Gruffudd. Evans appeared in court dressed in a black jacket, blouse, and pants, along with black-rimmed glasses, her blonde hair tied back.
A face-to-face confrontation between Evans and Gruffudd’s fiancée, 32-year-old Bianca Wallace, was anticipated but did not occur. Instead, the matter has been postponed to a full hearing on February 13, where both child and spousal support will be addressed. Gruffudd is expected to call Wallace as a witness at that time.
During the proceedings, Judge Josh Freeman Stinn was informed that both parties had agreed to a temporary arrangement. Gruffudd will provide $3,000 per month in child support and $1,500 per month in spousal support until a permanent arrangement is determined at the February hearing for their two daughters, Ella (15) and Elsie (11).
On Monday, Ioan Gruffudd’s attorney, Joseph Langlois, suggested that Alice Evans should be making a more substantial effort to obtain gainful employment, implying that she should not solely rely on financial support from his client. In response, Evans’ attorney argued that her responsibilities in caring for their two children significantly limit her capacity to seek employment.
Judge Josh Freeman Stinn approved the temporary child and spousal support agreement until the February hearing but cautioned Evans that she is expected to make “reasonable efforts to become self-sufficient within a reasonable period of time,” which he clarified is generally considered to be around half the duration of the marriage (Evans and Gruffudd were married for 14 years).
Gruffudd has resisted Evans’ demands for increased financial support, stating that he has already paid approximately $400,000 more in spousal support than required under their prenuptial agreement. He has characterized her claims of financial hardship as “exaggerated and false.”
In recent court filings, Gruffudd accused Evans of presenting a “false narrative” that she and their children have been left destitute, alleging that she has misrepresented her income by failing to disclose thousands of dollars in unidentified monthly deposits. He further criticized her for maintaining “inflated” monthly expenses.
Gruffudd, whose latest film Bad Boys: Ride or Die grossed over $400 million globally, also expressed frustration with a court-ordered therapy scheme designed to reunite him with his daughters. He claimed that Evans sabotaged the program, resulting in him spending only nine hours with Ella and Elsie in 2024. Additionally, he accused Evans of engaging in a pattern of defamatory behavior intended to intimidate and harass both him and his fiancée, Bianca Wallace, while alienating their two young daughters from him.
Ioan Gruffudd asserted in court filings that Alice Evans has been engaged in a “long-standing smear campaign” against him, accusing her of spreading falsehoods and violating the Domestic Violence Restraining Order (DVRO) issued against her. Gruffudd stated he would present evidence of her continued violations.
In response, Evans filed her own legal statement, contending that Gruffudd had “totally mischaracterized” her financial situation. She maintained that she is genuinely broke and alleged that he abandoned her financially by cutting off access to their joint account. She further accused him of terminating her phone and internet services in January 2023 without notice, defaulting on their mortgage, and forcing the sale of their marital home.
Evans claimed she had been forced to pawn two watches to pay her rent in August and expressed uncertainty about how she would meet her financial obligations in September, alleging that Gruffudd had ignored her requests for assistance.
She also rejected Gruffudd’s assertion that she disrupted the reunification therapy with their daughters, declaring that he, not she, was responsible for the fractured relationship with their children. According to Evans, Gruffudd had distanced himself from their daughters and failed to communicate directly with the family about his decision to divorce or his relationship with his current fiancée, Bianca Wallace. She stated that he informed them of both his new relationship and subsequent engagement through Instagram rather than in person.
Alice Evans, in her recent court filing, criticized Ioan Gruffudd for failing to reflect on his own role in the estrangement between him and their children. She stated that instead of seeking to repair the relationship, he continues to blame her for the alienation, a claim he has maintained for three years. Evans expressed her desire for Gruffudd and their children to reconcile, but noted that this possibility is unlikely, given that Gruffudd allegedly communicated through a third party that he “no longer wants to be a part of their lives.”
Evans also denied ongoing violations of the restraining order against her, particularly the allegation that she continues to make derogatory posts about Gruffudd and his fiancée, Bianca Wallace, online. While admitting to past actions for which she expressed remorse, she emphasized that she has not engaged in such behavior “for years.” Evans further claimed that accusations of her using fake accounts to post on social media were investigated by the police and found to be baseless.
She concluded by expressing hope that Gruffudd could accept her apology for the past issues, for the sake of their children, and that they could move forward to resolve the remaining legal matters.
Evans and Gruffudd, who first met while filming 102 Dalmatians over two decades ago, fell in love and married in 2007. Gruffudd filed for divorce in March 2021, shortly after Evans publicly claimed that he was leaving her and their daughters. Their divorce was finalized in July 2023, with a sealed custody agreement, though Evans has asserted that she has full custody. Spousal and child support matters remain unresolved in court.
