Ioan Gruffudd was pictured without his wedding ring in West Hollywood, California, on Monday after filing for divorce from his wife Alice Evans.
The actor, 47, appeared to have finally ditched the band just hours after he was spotted still wearing it while spending quality time with their two daughters.
Ioan cut a low-key figure in a navy jacket and dark trousers while wearing a black facemask amid the coronavirus crisis.
Without: Ioan Gruffudd was pictured without his wedding ring in West Hollywood, California, on Monday after filing for divorce from his wife Alice Evans
The actor appeared to be enjoying a s troll in West Hollywood as he listened to music on his AirPods.
Just hours earlier, Ioan was pictured spending some quality time with the two daughters – Ella, 11, and Elsie, seven, he shares with estranged wife Alice in Los Angeles.
The Fantastic Four star was still wearing his wedding ring during the outing, which marked the second time he has been spotted wearing the band in recent days.
Ioan was seen arriving at a pal’s house with his daughters, as he was pictured with them for the first time since news of the divorce filing broke.
Hours earlier: The actor, 47, appeared to have finally ditched the band just hours after he was spotted still wearing it while spending quality time with their two daughters (pictured)
It comes days after Ioan was publicly photographed for the first time since filing for divorce.
Ioan’s divorce papers cite irreconcilable differences as the reason behind his split from his wife of 14 years, Alice.
The document, which was filed Los Angeles Superior Court on March 1, also reveals the former couple separated on New Year’s Day – a month before they went public with their relationship status.
The British-American actress, 49, recently called the Fantastic Four actor a ‘s**t’ for allegedly blindsiding her and going forward with legally ending their marriage in now-deleted posts.
The papers state the exes are in a ‘collaborative process and intend to resolve all issues including spousal support by written agreement’ – which mirrors their joint statement about their shock break-up.
Low-key: Ioan cut a low-key figure in a navy jacket and dark trousers while wearing a black facemask amid the coronavirus crisis
Last month, they said: ‘As you can imagine, this is an incredibly difficult time for our family and we remain committed to our children. Thank you for respecting our privacy.’
Just over a week ago, the mother-of-two shared a throwback snap of the exes and said ‘asking for a selfie’ could have sparked the breakdown of their relationship, before vowing to tell her ‘divorce story’.
The black and white photo showed Alice puckering up to a sombre Ioan as he stared down the camera, with the beauty writing: ‘Listen I am still sad and I am still heartbroken.
‘And I am still doing that awful thing you do when you remember something you’d planned to do together and realise you won’t be doing it together any more.
Family time: Just hours earlier, Ioan was pictured spending quality time with the two daughters – Ella, 11, and Elsie, seven, he shares with estranged wife Alice, with his wedding band on
‘But this photo did make me chortle somewhat. I can’t remember it at all but I imagine it must have gone like this: stinky little chipmunk in two/ day old nightie and VISIBLE TOOTHPASTE still on and around her lips, dares to ask the “MAN WHO IS ALL MAN” for a selfie.
‘Bad move. Really bad move. Possibly even divorce move.. we’ll see. Oh god. I do remember it now, come to think of it.
‘The eye roll, the sigh, and then the PERFECT moving into position looking straight down the camera, hitting his key light, smizing just that little..
‘I mean the guy’s a pro and he looks great. It’s just clear that I’m not the… oh no… Back soon with more #divorcestory.’
Alice also claimed Elsie had been left devastated by the divorce and that she was ‘scared’ of what Ioan’s response would be to her decision to comment publicly.
Making things official: Ioan’s divorce papers cite irreconcilable differences as the reason behind his split from his wife Alice (pictured in happier times)
She wrote: ‘I can’t sleep. Not a wink. I am terrified for what tomorrow will bring. Oh don’t worry, I’m fully aware of how pathetic that sounds. I’ll make it worse. Do you what I’m mostly scared of?
The star then appeared to allege that Ioan has a new love, saying: ‘It’s who the girl is. I know! Why? Why would it even matter?
‘I’m scared that my little girls will be disappointed by their Dad’s behaviour and model that in their future relations with the opposite sex.
‘I did not find out my father was a s**t until I was about 32 years and I’m convinced that that made me the woman I am today.
‘After a certain age, they can’t take it away from you! I’m also scared of my ex-husband’s response to the fact that I had commented on his sudden decision to serve me.
Throwback: Earlier this month, the British-American actress, 49, shared a throwback snap of the exes and said ‘asking for a selfie’ could have sparked the breakdown of their relationship
Divorce story: The black and white photo showed Alice puckering up to a sombre Ioan as he stared down the camera, with the beauty writing: ‘Listen I am still sad’
‘I know he’ll be angry. (he is always angry – he was born angry) But, you see, I think this whole idea of keeping your private lives private is… well. What leads to child abuse. And domestic violence.
‘And mental abuse. I couldn’t believe how many people told me to accept it ‘with dignity’. What is dignity? I think ‘dignity is a way of covering up our own hurt. I think dignity is a way of others telling us to shut up, because THEY don’t want to think about our hurt.
‘Hundreds of thousands of women are abused by their own husbands in their own home but they never tell anyone.
‘At least the sane number of young children never mention their sexual abuse because they’re scared of what will happen or because it’s ‘simply not done’.
Fury: Alice also claimed her young daughter had been devastated by the news and appeared to allude her husband had a new love. There is no suggestion Ioan has been unfaithful
‘I to this day know of a man who was abused alongside a group of boys in his early teens and he still swears it never happened.’
The TV and film star then claimed her youngest child has ran away screaming ‘no’ as she broke the news to her of the divorce.
She wrote: ‘Just like tonight, when my 7 yo got home from her dads and kindly, almost jokingly, but with intent showed her the article where it said that her daddy had filed for a divorce form her Mommy in the High Court of Los Angeles.
‘And he hadn’t told us so he probably hadn’t told her either so we were just letting her know and she ran away screaming saying “no!!”
”No! My daddy would NEVER do that to my Mommy’ ( at this pinpoint I imagine some mothers who DON’T believe in telling their kids the truth about everything will object. That’s fine. My ex-husband believes in lying rather than harsh truths.’
Alice likened the heartbreak of her marital split to ‘suicide’ or ‘death’ as a further post read: ‘Sorry I didn’t get to finish, and the end I wanted to add to this was that yes, it is very sad and out if the blue and I am heartbroken not just because I’d do much future that we planned.
‘But my dad went through this at 57 when my mum died suddenly. My friend Ashley’s husband committed suicide one Friday night am just as she was opening a bottle of wine.
‘And worse, there are women across the world who will NEVER have a voice, who will be killed for speaking out.
‘So I’m sorry but f**k your discomfort about my lack of dignity. F**k your cheap quips about how ‘she didn’t know!’ Ha ha ha what a load of b******s’
‘I come here to share an experience that has all but broken me ( but won’t) and to be honest, with the x use, made me want to die).
Comments: Alice responded to supportive comments from fans where she said she had been blindsided by the divorce filing
‘LET WOMEN TALk! !! WE ALL HAVE RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH, not just the men.’
Alice once again alleged the Forsyte Saga actor had locked her out of her own Twitter, saying: ‘When my ex-husband Ioan Gruffudd finally tells me what he changed my twitter password to, (I can’t do instagram ITS BEYOND. (sic)
‘Will invite anybody who wants to come in to talk about this subject. Don’t ever think you’re alone. Don’t ever think your subject is to silly. wedeserveavoice !!!! Oh god, now I have worry about the morning!!
‘@cant Edit to hear your stories when the Ex let’s me in. I will FOLLOW YOU ALL!! Love all round, not hate. Alice Evans. Xxxxx.’
Family: The estranged couple married in 2007 and share daughters Ella, 11 and Elsie, seven, together (pictured in June 2018)
After the news of the divorce filing broke, Alice shared a screenshot of the reports as she cryptically penned: ‘Oh. Ok. Thanks for letting me know. I guess?’ followed by a teary-eyed emoji.
In January, she said the actor had walked out on the family in a shock Twitter statement, in which she accused the Liar star of ‘mentally torturing’ and ‘gaslighting’ her.
The Blast claims that it is ‘unclear’ whether Ioan and Alice signed a prenuptial agreement or if the actress will ask for child or spousal support.
‘I don’t have any close friends in LA. I’ve looked after my kids for half their lives alone. My husband knows that.
Uncertain: It is ‘unclear’ whether Ioan and Alice signed a prenuptial agreement or if the actress will ask for child or spousal support (pictured in happier times)
Cryptic: Alice took to Instagram after the news broke, Alice shared a screenshot of the reports as she cryptically penned: ‘Oh. Ok. Thanks for letting me know. I guess?’
‘We are indeed discussing legal separation, but we are still friends. You can say what you want about me being an attention seeker but you know it’s not true. You just want a reason to put me down. Please – go ahead. I’m impenetrable.’
Addressing the split, Ioan said: ‘Look, as I said before, it’s an extremely difficult time for the family, our thoughts are with our children obviously right now and I’d really respect a little bit of privacy right now, thank you.’
News of the split came following Ioan’s return from Australia, where he has been shooting season three of Harrow alongside Ella Newton, 30, and Anna Lise Phillips, 46, who plays his ex-wife.
Still friends: In February, Alice insisted she and the actor ‘are still friends’ and confirmed that they were pressing ahead with discussions over a ‘legal separation’ (pictured in 2018)
Ioan has spent three long spells in Australia filming the TV drama Harrow.
He was in Brisbane over the summer of 2020, making the third series with his co-stars. When he returned, all seemed well — on the surface.
Alice posted a picture of the two of them cuddling up reunited in August with the fond caption: ‘He’s back and he’s grumpier than ever (shhh!).’
Earlier this year, Ioan’s mother insisted ‘no one else’ was involved in the breakdown of his 13-year marriage to Alice.
Split: In January, Alice claimed the actor had walked out on the family in a shock Twitter statement, in which she accused the Liar star of ‘mentally torturing’ and ‘gaslighting’ her
Alice took to Twitter to share the ‘sad news’, stating Ioan said he ‘no longer loves her’ and has left her young daughters feeling ‘very sad’.
The original statement was later deleted, with Alice alleging that it was her estranged husband who had taken to her account and removed the message.
She posted another Twitter message, reading: ‘Hi there. I didn’t delete the tweet from a few hours ago about him leaving. He did. From my account…
‘And hell yes when I am being gaslit and mentally tortured then hell yes I will wash my linen in public’, however this tweet was also deleted later on.
‘Our young daughters and I are very confused and sad’: Alice first took to Twitter in January to share the ‘sad news’, stating the Welsh star said he ‘no longer loves her’
After the now-deleted message, she was then criticised by a follower, who penned: ‘Seems like a weird thing to be posting on Twitter’.
Alice responded, writing: ‘Why? I have lost my mind’.
One follower then penned: ‘I did the same when this happened to me. I think it’s how one acknowledges there’s no returning to what existed before. Accepting it by stating it publicly helps you to recognise the impossibility [of] reconciliation.’
She then responded: ‘This is exactly why. And than you. Six months of harrassment: yes/no/maybe. I cannot live like this anymore’.
Another: The statement was later deleted before Alice sent another tweet reading: ‘Hi there. I didn’t delete the tweet from a few hours ago about him leaving. He did. From my account’
In the original shock statement, Alice penned: ‘Sad news. My beloved husband/soulmate of 20 years, Ioan Gruffudd, has announced he is to leave his family, starting next week.
‘Me and our young daughters girls are very confused and sad. We haven’t been given a reason except that he ‘no longer loves me’. I’m so sorry.’
Ioan’s father claimed his marriage to Alice had been in trouble for some time prior to their split.
Comments: Alice defended her messages in a duo of exchanges with followers
Peter Griffiths, 72, said news of the couple’s separation did not come as a ‘complete surprise’ and that he had been ‘aware’ of problems between the pair.
Speaking to MailOnline from his home in Pentyrch near Cardiff, South Wales, the retired headteacher said: ‘As a family you are aware of these things going on.
‘I have spoken to Ioan and we are of course incredibly sad but I do not want to go into too much detail. We are very sad, particularly for our two granddaughters. It is just very sad, but these things do happen and marriages do end.’
In a telling sign, Ioan spoke of their relationship struggling in February 2020.
Pained: After her Twitter statement, Alice shared a heartbreaking update on her marital woes and admitted she ‘still loves’ the actor
He told The Guardian: ‘I think we’ve struggled the past four years, making time for each other because physically we’re apart.’
The couple’s daughters were conceived through IVF after discovering Alice had a low antral follicle count at the age of 38.
Marriage has been ‘in trouble for some time’, says Ioan’s father
Ioan Gruffudd’s father has claimed his 13-year marriage to Alice Evans had been in trouble for some time.
Peter Griffiths, 72, said news of the couple’s separation did not come as a ‘complete surprise’ and that he had been ‘aware’ of problems between the pair.
Speaking exclusively to MailOnline from his home in Pentyrch near Cardiff, South Wales, the retired headteacher said: ‘As a family you are aware of these things going on.
‘I have spoken to Ioan and we are of course incredibly sad but I do not want to go into too much detail.
‘We are very sad, particularly for our two granddaughters. It is just very sad, but these things do happen and marriages do end.’
They welcomed their first child after one round of IVF, while their youngest girl arrived after eight rounds of treatment – which costs upwards of £7,000.
Alice wrote in the Daily Mail in 2016: ‘Extremely high blood pressure earned me total bed rest for the last two months of the [first] pregnancy and then there I was, in a hospital bed, sweating and screaming and writhing about – just like on television.
‘A mere 40 hours later Ella arrived, a 6lb 2oz lobster-red baby-alien. Instantly none of my other plans mattered. This was the thing I should have done years ago. The only thing. It was as close to being in heaven as I’d ever get.
‘This time our first cycle failed. As did our second. Our third didn’t even produce any eggs to fertilise. Our fourth gave us a few to freeze. It wasn’t working.
‘Finally, physically, mentally (not to mention financially) depleted, we decided sadly that cycle eight would be our last. Elsie Marigold Evans-Griffith was born on September 13, 2013.
‘She has her dad’s big brown eyes but not his unfeasibly long tongue, thank goodness. I know how lucky I am. I won the lottery. I get to kiss goodnight to the two most precious human beings I’ve ever met. My goal now is to get the word out. Don’t wait until it’s too late.’
The couple met on the set of 102 Dalmatians in 2000, when Alice was in a relationship with Pablo Picasso’s grandson Olivier.
The pair became engaged six years later after she gave him an ultimatum about their relationship, and tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in Mexico in September 2007. Ioan previously gushed about their strong bond and ‘fantastic relationship’.
He stated in an interview with Who: ‘When we first got engaged, there were a lot of people who were like, ”Oh actors who are married can get quite difficult because there’s too many egos involved.” But we’ve just had a fantastic relationship.’
Alice was born in New Jersey to British parents, teacher Janet and university lecturer and mathematician David.
Early beginnings: The couple met on the set of 102 Dalmatians in 2000 (pictured), when Alice was in a relationship with Pablo Picasso’s grandson Olivier
She was raised in Bristol with her brothers Anthony and Philip, and temporarily worked in Paris after studying Italian and French at the University College London.
Alice frequently updates fans with images of her family and credits Piers Morgan’s journalist wife Celia Walden, actress Joanne Froggatt and socialite Lady Victoria Hervey as her close friends.
Ioan’s parents were also educators, and the Amazing Grace star grew up in a Protestant non-conformist household with his younger siblings Alun, 45, and Siwan, 40, in Cardiff.
He first featured in Welsh TV film Austin at the age of 13, before he attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and appeared in TV shows and films such as Poldark, Titanic and Hornblower.
During the early stages of his career, the star lived with fellow actor Matthew Rhys – who served as best man at his wedding – for nearly 10 years. Ioan is best known for his roles in Fantastic 4, W. and Horrible Bosses, while Alice has starred in The Vampire Diaries, The Originals and Dangerous Parking.
Actors: Ioan is best known for his roles in Fantastic 4, W. and Horrible Bosses, while Alice has starred in The Vampire Diaries, The Originals and Dangerous Parking (pictured in 2000)