Tragic Details About Tori Spelling's Life Since Her Separation From Dean McDermott
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Trigger warning: The following article contains references to substance abuse.
Tori Spelling's life and career have been a hot topic of conversation for as long as she's been in the spotlight. Born into luxury as the daughter of renowned Hollywood producer Aaron Spelling, Tori's upbringing opened many doors for her. Leveraging her father's connections, she secured the iconic role of Donna Martin in "Beverly Hills, 90210," which catapulted her into stardom. However, despite her privileged background, Tori's mogul dad didn't leave her with much of his wealth. To make matters worse, when Aaron passed in 2006, Tori was already married to Dean McDermott, a fellow actor who wasn't contributing much financially.
Over the years, Tori and McDermott shared their financial difficulties and personal hardships with the public. McDermott's highly publicized cheating scandal in 2014 tested their relationship, but they ultimately found a way to move past the tumultuous period. Nonetheless, after spending 18 years together, Tori and McDermott decided to call it quits, resulting in a messy separation and a number of complications for Tori and the former couple's five children.
After McDermott announced their divorce in a since-deleted Instagram post, it seemed it was only downhill for Tori. The actor faced a series of trials and tribulations after their separation, including battles with health issues, financial struggles, and feelings of low self-worth. Still, Tori hasn't held back when it comes to sharing the tragic details of her life post-split, and here's everything we know about it.
McDermott's split announcement left Spelling 'traumatized'
Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott had been fueling rumors of marital trouble since 2021, but despite the challenges, the couple attempted to work on their marriage. However, McDermott's impulsive and substance-fueled behavior aired the family's dirty laundry in June 2023, when he decided to announce that he was splitting from Spelling in a now-deleted Instagram post, catching Spelling and their five children off guard with the news. "It's with great sadness and a very, very heavy heart that, after 18 years together and five amazing children, @torispelling and I have decided to go our separate ways and start a new journey of our own," McDermott's post read (via Entertainment Tonight).
According to the actor himself, the incident left Spelling and their kids shocked and emotionally wounded, he told the Daily Mail. "I was literally at my wit's end. That night, I was drinking, and I was into my pills," McDermott explained. Nonetheless, it was the final straw for Spelling, despite McDermott's public efforts to make amends.
After McDermott's split announcement, he and Spelling made the definitive decision to separate, leading McDermott to enter rehab. A few months later, he was photographed kissing another woman named Lily Calo, while Spelling was seen cozying up to McDermott's lookalike, Ryan Cramer.
If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Spelling's behavior caused concern within her close friend circle
Sources close to Tori Spelling revealed that Dean McDermott's abrupt split announcement shocked the "Scary Movie 2" star to the point that she went into hiding. In July 2023, about a month after McDermott's impromptu post, the Daily Mail reported that Spelling's inner circle was worried about her well-being. "Tori has not been returning calls and has kind of gone AWOL, which has her close friends worried sick," an insider shared.
The following month, Spelling was admitted to a Los Angeles hospital for four days. While she shared the news on her social media, the "Beverly Hills, 90210" actor opted not to disclose the reason publicly. "Grateful and so proud of my strong, brave, resilient, and kind-to-the-core children who remain positive no matter what comes their way," she cryptically wrote on her Instagram Stories, as reported by Page Six.
However, according to McDermott, Spelling's actions were fueled by a desire for attention. A source quoted by the Daily Mail stated that McDermott's efforts to get their family's life back on track fell flat as Spelling appeared to take advantage of the hardships that have come her way since their split. The insider explained, "Dean wants to figure everything out behind closed doors, and Tori is interested in making everything public and having people feel bad for her."
The star lived in a motel and a RV following the separation
Throughout the years, Tori Spelling's financial struggles have been well documented, and her situation only took a turn for the worse following her separation from Dean McDermott. Soon after the pair split, Spelling took their five children and moved into a $100-per-night motel.
Although the move coincided with Spelling and McDermott's very public breakup, an insider cited by Us Weekly clarified that it was not directly linked to their separation. "They decided to stay there because of the ongoing mold problem at their house. Tori is taking this issue very seriously and isn't going to subject herself or her kids to that," the source explained. Notably, in May 2023, Spelling took to her Instagram to raise awareness about the dangers of mold infestation, which was discovered in the home she shared with McDermott and their children.
Due to ongoing financial challenges, Spelling soon relocated from the motel to an RV during the summer of 2023. "Tori is staying in an RV with her kids as a mini vacation rather than a living situation, but her financial troubles are real," a source close to the star told Entertainment Tonight. In her 2013 memoir, "Spelling It Like It Is," Spelling admitted to being bad with money, writing, "I have a terrible habit of going into denial about my finances. I think that if I don't deal with it, then it's not real."
She admitted to struggling with feelings of inadequacy
Amidst the turmoil of her separation from Dean McDermott, Tori Spelling grappled with coming to terms with the situation, often turning to Instagram Stories to share cryptic quotes reflecting her inner struggles. In July 2023, the actor described the period as "the darkest [of] times" in an Instagram Stories post shared by the Daily Mail, featuring her second son, Finn McDermott.
The "Trick" star officially filed for divorce from McDermott in late March 2024, citing "irreconcilable differences," according to court documents obtained by E! News. Days later, Spelling opened up about the emotionally charged process in the inaugural episode of her podcast, "misSPELLING." The mother of five admitted to struggling with her sense of self-worth, stating, "I don't feel worth loving. That's the truth. And that's something that's just in you. It's not something I wanted or created." She added, "I've never felt more alone in 50 years."
Spelling shared a similar sentiment after McDermott cheated on her in 2014, telling People that when her biggest relationship fear came to life, which was infidelity, she believed it was her fault. "It wasn't about him; that was about me. I was like, 'Okay, I know I'm not good enough,'" Spelling explained. Despite McDermott acknowledging the pain he caused her over the years in a 2023 interview with the Daily Mail, Spelling seems to still struggle with how she sees herself.
Spelling couldn't afford to keep her storage units
Tori Spelling's financial troubles don't seem to have an end in sight, as the star revealed on "misSPELLING" that she didn't have enough money to open all her storage units in a Los Angeles facility. In the podcast episode from April 2024, accompanied by video footage posted to Spelling's social media accounts, the famous host explained that she had a hard time parting with some belongings — specifically her children's things, which is why she decided to store them away. However, when Spelling, who called herself "a collector," couldn't continue paying for the four units, she lost access to them.
Fortunately, Amy Sugarman, iHeartRadio producer and Spelling's friend, stepped in to pay for two of the spaces, totaling just over $970. "[We] didn't know what was in any of them. We can only do two right now because Amy helped me out with two," Spelling explained.
As shared in the podcast installment, Spelling didn't end up picking the two units that she was hoping for. Instead, she got hold of the ones storing McDermott's things for the most part, which was disappointing for the mother of five. "I am so sad right now. I just wanted to get my memorabilia and my kids' stuff, and this is nothing that we need," she said. Spelling then poignantly admitted that she was having a hard time, stating, "I have five kids to pay for in LA. I'm doing the best I can."