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The 7 Nastiest Celebrity Custody Battles of All Time

By Cynthia Hsu, Esq. | Last updated on

Ah, babies. They're so adorable that not even A-list celebrities can resist their cherub-like faces. Maybe that's why celebrity custody battles can get so heated. There's usually name-calling, insults, and high-powered attorneys involved. Oh, and don't forget an illicit affair.

Some of the nastiest celebrity custody battles have involved many of our favorite veteran actors, famous directors, and reality stars. Below is a list of what we consider the 7 ugliest custody battles:

1. Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger

Alec Baldwin and ex-wife Kim Basinger separated in 2000. The custody battle over their daughter Ireland raged on for years. The case returned to the spotlight in 2007 when Baldwin left his daughter a voicemail calling her a "rude, thoughtless little pig." He temporarily lost visitation rights.

2. Woody Allen and Mia Farrow

Woody Allen had an affair with then-wife Mia Farrow's adopted daughter, Soon-Yi Previn. Previn is now Allen's wife. It was quite a scandalous relationship, even in Hollywood. No wonder the custody suit over Farrow and Allen's kids got heated when the couple split.

3. Charlie Sheen and Brooke Mueller

Sheen's split from Mueller was so nasty that a longtime friend of Sheen said he found it hard to imagine the couple was ever in love. The ensuing custody battle wasn't a pretty sight.

4. Mel Gibson and Oksana Grigorieva

The Braveheart actor was embroiled in a very public dispute with Grigorieva that included accusations of abuse. Gibson was eventually granted joint custody, and had to pay his ex $750,000.

5. Kate Gosselin and Jon Gosselin

Jon & Kate Plus 8 ... plus a child custody battle. Things turned sour for the TLC reality stars. The ensuing legal battle was far from family-friendly.

6. Christie Brinkley and Peter Cook

Hell hath no fury like a former supermodel scorned. Brinkley's split from her hubby of 10 years, Peter Cook, was one of the ugliest in recent memory. The custody fight was just as ugly.

7. Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee

The former Baywatch babe accused Tommy of giving her Hepatitis C when they were married. She also claimed he was abusive. They finally agreed to share custody of their kids.

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