Celebrity Divorce

Usher has changed his tune and now wants to up his ante to settle his epic child support/custody war with Tameka Raymond after the jet ski accident that left his stepson Kyle brain dead ... TMZ has learned.

Sources connected with the couple tell TMZ ... Usher spoke with Tameka over the weekend and suggested that they settle up, but he did not significantly change his offer -- 50/50 custody with a very slight increase in child support. Tameka said no way.

But apparently Usher softened after the conversation, because our sources say he met with his lawyers earlier this week and instructed them to craft a new proposal that would give Tameka "a majority" of custody, though the sources did not specify the exact breakdown. We're told Usher is also raising his child support offer "significantly."

As for Usher's motivation ... we're told he's very conscious that Tameka is suffering and it's not a good move to continue the fight under the circumstances.

We're told the offer has not been presented to Tameka yet, but our sources say she's open to a "reasonable settlement."

"L Word" star Laurel Holloman's divorce has gone the way of her lady-loving TV show -- KAPUT -- because TMZ has learned, her divorce from her real-life husband has just been finalized.

TMZ broke the story ... Laurel -- who played the sexy Tina Kennard on the show -- filed for divorce from her husband last year, citing irreconcilable differences. Laurel and her now ex-husband were married in 2002, and have two young daughters.

Now, the divorce has officially been finalized, with a judge signing the divorce order on June 18th.

According to the docs, Laurel gets the house (mortgage included). Meanwhile, Laurel's husband gets to walk away with ... an $80,000 student loan.

Laurel and her ex will share joint legal and physical custody of their daughters.

Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise went from zero to nuclear war in an instant when she filed divorce papers, but it was little Suri who became the peacemaker ... sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ.

Our sources say ... a week ago Thursday, after Katie filed, the hostility between the two was palpable and Suri became a weapon. Katie wanted to strip Tom of all decision-making power in Suri's life, and Tom responded by unleashing the biggest legal guns around to fight her.

We're told what turned everything around was a series of conversations that Suri would be irreparably damaged by parental warfare. It registered big time with both Tom and Katie, and it allowed their lawyers to strike a deal in what could be record time for this type of divorce.

Fact is ... it generally takes celebs in these high-profile divorces a lot longer to realize how bitterness affects small kids, so credit to both.

It got bumpy for a while ... but Tom Cruise has finally returned to Earth.

Moments after Tom and Katie announced they reached a settlement in their divorce ... Cruise touched down in Mammoth, CA looking ... more single than usual.

Tom is reportedly in Mammoth to film scenes for his upcoming movie, "Oblivion."

TMZ has learned, the divorce settlement between Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes is extremely complicated, outlining things both Tom and Katie can and cannot do with Suri.

Here's what we know.

-- Katie will have what amounts to primary physical custody, but Tom has significant custodial time with his daughter.

-- A report claiming that Suri must be in the presence of Katie's bodyguard and nanny when she is around Tom is "absolutely, 100% false."

-- The custodial provisions of the agreement are extremely detailed, and religion is one of the topics. We're told there are restrictions on what Tom and Katie can discuss with Suri on the subject of religion, including Scientology, however, those restrictions are eased the older Suri gets.

10:44 AM PST: Tom's longtime lawyer, Bert Fields, just told TMZ, "The Tom Cruise-Katie Holmes case has been settled with a signed agreement. Tom is really pleased we got there, and so am I."

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes have SETTLED their divorce ... this according to Katie's lawyer.

Jonathan Wolfe tells TMZ, "This case has been settled and the agreement has been signed. We are thrilled for Katie and her family and are excited to watch as she embarks on the next chapter of her life."

TMZ reported in the last few days lawyers for both sides were in a marathon negotiation -- trying to end what began as a divorce war.

As we reported, one condition Tom had for settling was "meaningful, significant" contact with Suri.

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes have released a joint statement about their split ... insisting they are committed to working together to do what's best for Suri.

The statement reads, "We are committed to working together as parents to accomplish what is in our daughter Suri's best interests."

"We want to keep matters affecting our family private and express our respect for each other's commitment to each of our respective beliefs and support each other's roles as parents."

Tom Cruise has made one thing VERY clear -- Suri is the deal-maker and the deal-breaker in his divorce with Katie Holmes ... this according to sources very familiar with the situation.

As we first reported, lawyers for both sides are trying to pound out a settlement. We're told Tom has insisted that the settlement provide "meaningful, significant contact with his daughter." As one source put it, "She is the primary concern in his life."

Sources connected with Katie tell us they have made it clear that Tom will be able to spend time with his daughter when he finishes his movie shoot in the Rockies.

Lawyers for both sides have been meeting for hours a day. Sources say they even met for a full business day on Saturday. And, we're told, they are not just trying to hash out a temporary truce -- these are settlement negotiations for the entire divorce.

Sources say both sides are negotiating custody, visitation, support and property settlement.

One caution -- we're told the negotiations are still "in flux" and it's possible things could fall apart. But for now, no one is rushing to court.

Laura Dern has thrown in the towel in her marriage to Ben Harper – she has filed legal papers reactivating the dormant divorce ... TMZ has learned.

Dern filed her formal legal response to Harper’s divorce petition Friday in LA County Superior Court. In the docs, filed by Disso Queen Laura Wasser, Dern is asking for primary physical custody of the couple’s two kids and joint legal custody. She is also seeking spousal support, child support, and attorneys fees.

As TMZ first reported, Harper blindsided Dern with divorce papers back in 2010 after 5 years of marriage and two children. But the divorce was never finalized and earlier this year they tried reconciling.

Sources tell us that the reconciliation was “very rocky” and Dern now wants out.

FYI – Dern is already the primary caregiver for the couple’s two kids. But we're told she also plays a significant role in raising Harper's two other children from a prior marriage.

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes have called a temporary truce while their lawyers try to negotiate a full divorce settlement ... TMZ has learned.

Sources very familiar with the situation tell us ... there are NO immediate plans for either side to go to court. There will be no court hearing Monday, Tuesday or in the foreseeable future, unless the negotiations fall apart.

Sources tell us the lawyers are negotiating child custody, visitation, child support and a property settlement.

We're also told the whole settlement could be ratified in New York if all goes well. In other words, there may not be a move by Tom's camp to transfer the case to California, where judges are more likely to award joint custody.

One source described the emotional state of the negotiations as "calm."

Katie was spotted this morning in NYC, heading into her lawyer's office.

Tom Cruise controlled Katie Holmes like a puppetmaster ... making every major and even minor decision in her personal and professional life ... and in the end, she felt like she couldn't breathe without his permission ... this according to sources close to the actress.

Movie studio-connected sources tell us Tom executed an "Art Kill" way back when Katie was doing "Thank You for Smoking" in 2005 ... when the 2 first started dating.

Sources tell us Tom instructed producers to "kill" any promotional photos which showed Katie and Aaron Eckhart engaged in kissing or "anything else compromising."

We're told Tom also imposed his will during "Batman Begins" ... prohibiting Katie from flying with the rest of the cast. Instead, Katie would only travel on Tom's private jet. One source tells us Morgan Freeman was "disgusted" by the situation. On the other side, however, one source scoffed and said, "Wow, Tom offered her his private jet. How terrible for Katie."

Ultimately, our Katie sources say she grew sick and tired of playing Pinocchio to Tom's Geppetto ... and decided it was time to cut the strings.

Morgan Freeman tells us, claims he was "disgusted" by Tom and Katie's situation are "BS."

Kris Humphries may not be the sharpest tool, but he sure is potent, because TMZ has learned his ex-girlfriend, Myla Sinanaj is PREGNANT.

Sources directly connected with Myla tell us Myla confirmed Monday that she's 3 months pregnant and says Kris is definitely the father.

This could be used in Kris' divorce with Kim Kardashian, because Kris has claimed he was devastated by the break-up and suffered emotionally. This development further cements the fact that Kris moved on quickly.

We're told Myla plans to have the baby but wants to raise it alone, because she believes Kris has betrayed her by talking crap about their relationship.

But here's the rub ... We're told for the past 3 weeks, Kris and Myla have been communicating regularly.

Oh yeah, here's the other rub -- she hasn't told Kris yet.

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes barely looked each other in the eyes on what we're told was their final meal together as a couple.

The photo was snapped on June 16th in Reykjavik, Iceland, where Tom was shooting his new movie. Katie filed for divorce in New York less than two weeks later on June 28th.

TMZ broke the story ... Tom and Katie were sleeping apart in the weeks leading up to the divorce filing. And according to her divorce docs, Katie insists her marriage had been "irretrievably broken" for at least 6 months before that.

Katie Holmes may say her decision to divorce Tom Cruise is over Scientology, but it's NOT ... so say sources directly connected to Tom.

Our sources tell us ... they believe Katie and her team are leaking false stories to the media by maintaining she was trying to save Suri from the grips of Scientology, and that's why she left Tom.

As one well-connected Tom source put it, "She [Katie] was totally committed to Scientology. She had enthusiasm for it and would voluntarily and gladly participate in it when Tom was off shooting movies."

The source adds, "This is not a fight over religion. It's being used as a way to hurt Tom."

And on the subject of hurting Tom, as we first reported, sources connected with the actor tell us Katie's people have made it difficult for him to speak with Suri by phone, but he's talked to her every day. He has no immediate plans to see his daughter because he's leaving today or tomorrow to shoot his new movie in the Rockies.

Tom's lawyers have not filed any docs in court -- yet -- to establish his custodial rights. If that happens, we're told they will file in New York, although it's pretty clear they will ask to have the case sent to California.

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes have cut off all contact with each other, and her people are making it difficult for Tom to have contact with his daughter ... sources very familiar with the situation tell TMZ.

Although Tom now has "absolutely no contact with Katie," his people are negotiating/bickering with Katie's people over when and how Tom can talk to Suri. We're told Tom does speak with his daughter by phone at least once a day, but sources connected with Tom say it hasn't been easy.

We're told when Tom's on the phone with Suri, there is one place he has not gone ... he has NOT discussed the breakup of his marriage with his daughter.

As for when Tom will attempt to see Suri ... sources say it's not going to happen for awhile. We're told Tom was in L.A. for the 4th but he's leaving before the weekend to shoot his new movie in the Rockies.

Our sources say things are "really bitter now" between Tom and Katie. He feels betrayed by her and thinks she is using Suri as a weapon.

Katie Holmes is officially happy -- at least that's the way it appeared in NYC yesterday, when the actress dropped by an ice cream parlor with her daughter Suri ... and finally had a good laugh.

It's the first time Katie's smiled that big since she filed for divorce last week. In fact, it's the first time we've seen her smile that big in a while.

Of course, Katie and Suri weren't alone -- they stopped by the East Village ice cream shop with some friends. Oh yeah, and 4 hulking bodyguards.