It's no secret that most of Nicolas Cage's relationships have been troubled, but one of the most talked-about was a marriage that lasted only four days.
To be fair, Erika Koike and Nic Cage were together for about a year before they tied the knot one drunken night in Vegas. Still, after only four days (was it even four full days?) of marriage, Nicolas filed for an annulment.
What happened next might have been a surprise to Cage, but most fans only rolled their eyes: Erika Koike asked for an actual divorce, rather than an annulment, and requested spousal support.
Fans (and even critics of Cage's not-so-shiny acting career) were angry on his behalf because the move definitely looked like a money grab. But after that, radio silence had fans wondering what happened.
The couple was officially separated, and Nic later moved on, marrying Riko Shibata in early 2021. But did Erika get any cash out of him, and what did their separation look like?
Why Did Nicolas Cage Divorce Erika Koike?
Most fans already know that Nic Cage had some legal issues in the past, but it turns out that Erika had some of her own that Nic claimed she hadn't revealed to him. Essentially, his annulment request was accompanied by claims that Erika had committed fraud.
For one thing, she didn't inform Cage about her criminal history, reports note, but Cage also accused Koike of having a questionable relationship with another person (rumored to be some kind of dealer of illicit substances).
Cage also stated he was too drunk to consent to marriage in Las Vegas, although most fans would even agree that's not entirely a valid reason to request an annulment (especially if the former couple was sober when filling out their marriage license...).
The thing is, Cage's claims of fraud could have been what saved him from having to pay spousal support because Koike hiding things about her past would reflect poorly on her. But legal experts suggested that Nicolas didn't have a leg to stand on, unfortunately.
An Attorney Argued Nicolas May Have To Pay
At the time of Cage's legal troubles with Koike, a family law attorney not involved in the case told Fox News that things weren't looking good for the actor. The attorney noted that because Erika Koike disagreed with the motion for an annulment, that would mean some arbitration would have to happen in court.
If both halves of the couple agreed the marriage was a sham, in essence, an annulment would be a simple way to nix the marriage altogether. But because Erika wanted to ask for spousal support -- which isn't available with an annulment -- she pressed for an actual divorce.
That meant Nic would probably have to give Koike "something that she wants in return" for signing the divorce papers: cold hard cash.
The attorney also scoffed at Nicolas' claims that Erika Koike deceived him in some way, saying that the court essentially takes the position of "buyer beware" when it comes to agreeing to marriage. People shouldn't marry other people they don't know much about, in essence. And because Nic and Erika dated for over a year before getting married, the attorney wasn't sure if Cage's claim would stand up in court.
Did Nic Cage Pay Erika Koike Spousal Support?
After all the publicity following Erika Koike and Nicolas Cage's marriage and subsequent split, fans were chomping at the bit to find out how it was all resolved. But no official statement ever came, no details were leaked, and Erika Koike apparently rode off into the sunset -- and no one knows whether she took any of Cage's cash with her.
Though critics often joke about Nic working on terrible films because he needs the paycheck, the man is worth at least $25 million, so there's clearly enough monetary incentive for Koike to go to court against him.
Plus, Fox News noted, the "makeup artist" (her actual profession is apparently unconfirmed) claimed that Nic's accusations against her would cause her to lose potential gigs. She also claimed she'd missed out on opportunities simply because of dating and then marrying him.
Clearly, Erika Koike didn't plan to go to divorce court without a fight, and lawyers commenting on the case suggested that Nic would eventually wind up caving and paying her something.
So while her "spousal support" claims were likely unsubstantiated, fans can assume that Nic Cage paid his ex-wife of four days an amount in "damages." The only real question is, how much did he have to shell out?