British actor, comedian, and screenwriter John Cleese, 84, says his finances are not what they seem despite a long career. The actor blames a hefty divorce settlement for his need to keep working, according to The Metro.
Cleese was married to psychotherapist Alyce Faye Eichelberger for 16 years before their split in 2008. Eichelberger received a $20 million (Rs 166.62 crore) settlement, which Cleese has called "absurd."
"Can you believe that when I met her, I had a beautiful house in Holland Park with no mortgage, and when I broke up with her, I had a flat in Sloane Square with a full mortgage? How they figured out she was worth $20 million, I have no idea," Cleese said in a recent interview.
Cleese says he has moved on from the anger of the divorce but admits it has impacted his lifestyle. He reportedly does not own a car or property, despite an estimated net worth of $25 million, as reported by The Metro.
'I'm surprisingly poor; I never thought it was necessary to own a great deal,' Cleese added. 'The most important thing is to have enough money to have some really good food, buy clothes twice a year, and have nice holidays.'
Despite the huge sum, Cleese insists he's moved on from the anger of the divorce, helped by how 'absurd' and 'ridiculous' the amount was.
The pair had married each other in 1992, two years after he divorced his second wife of 10 years, Barbara Trentham.
Cleese is a founding member of Monty Python and starred in the classic BBC show Fawlty Towers. He is currently involved in a stage revival of Fawlty Towers.
