Robert De Niro's estranged wife, Grace Hightower, estimates that the actor has a $500 million fortune, and she wants half of it.
A contentious scene, chronicled by Page Six, played out in Manhattan Supreme Court Thursday during a divorce hearing in which Grace's team fought against a prenuptial agreement she signed in 2004. De Niro's lawyers have said the prenup limits her to a $6 million apartment, $500,000 cash and $1 million a year in alimony. They agreed that she gets half the value of a second apartment, as well.
However, Grace's side said she should get half of what he's made since 2004, when the couple got married for the second time (the couple first married in 1997, but divorced in 1999). In court, their teams have been arguing over the wording of the prenup.
In addition to his film career, De Niro has a large stake in several businesses, including the Nobu sushi chain, The Greenwich Hotel in New York City and Canal Productions.
"Mr. De Niro has made $300 million since 2004 via 35 businesses, and 38 movies," his attorney told the judge. With a hint of anger in his voice, he added, "His total income is more than $500 million. He gets it all."
The judge actually invoked some humor into the tense hearing.
"Now his income will fall, now that Special Counsel Robert Mueller is out of the picture on 'Saturday Night Live,'" the judge quipped, according to Page Six.
De Niro's half-billon dollar worth has been a large topic of conversation during the divorce. His ex and her team have issued six subpoenas for his financial records, De Niro's team argued, implying the whole thing is overkill.
"She is seeking essentially every piece of paper of De Niro's receipts for meals on movie sets, wardrobe, payroll records of every employee at Nobu, credit card charges. This all goes back 15 years," his attorney said.
Earlier this year, De Niro's camp said Grace was dragging the divorce out and pushing it into the public eye.
In February, a source close to the actor said, "This could be resolved very privately and quietly behind closed doors."
The former duo has been battling over custody of their 7-year-old daughter, Helen.