Guy Ritchie On Madonna Marriage: 'I Stepped Into A Soap Opera'

Guy Ritchie opened up about his eight-year marriage to Madonna in Details' December issue, on newsstands Tuesday. Though he described his time with the singer rather positively, he notes that his marriage was a "soap opera":

"I enjoyed my first marriage. It's definitely not something I regret. The experience was ultimately very positive. I love the kids that came out of it, and I could see no other route to take. But you move on, don't you? You're right, I stepped into a soap opera, and I lived in it for quite a long period of my life. I'll probably be more eloquent on it 10 years from now."

The Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows director married Madonna in 2000, though they split eight years later in 2008. Despite their divorce, the former couple share custody of their two children -- adopted son, David Banda, and biological son, Rocco. Ritchie reportedly received between $76 and $92 million in the divorce settlement.

When asked about what he learned from his marriage, Richie gave a somewhat perplexing answer:

"When you end up with a lot of the things you set out to chase and find that you've stumbled into all sorts of hollow victories, then you become deeply philosophical. I'm quite happy that that experience was accelerated for me. I'm glad I made money, in other words. And I'm glad I got married," said Ritchie.

He welcomed a new baby in September with his girlfriend of nearly two years, Jacqui Ainsley. When asked if he had any advice for his new son, he said:

"You've got to work it out for yourself. What works for me might not work for anyone else. Because everyone told me that to be good at school was important, but for me it wasn't. So I am anti-school. And I'm anti people putting so much pressure on kids and robbing their childhood by giving them so much homework. I think if kids want to arse around, then they should."

Comments

[Dinosaur David B]

03:39 PM on 10/09/2012

Stepped into a soap opera, eh? Yeah. No one would have have seen THAT coming.

[kevvone]

11:54 PM on 04/09/2012

I heard their marriage became mundane. They'd go to bed with their blackberry's. Work-a-holics. He can retire and live the good life now. Thank his ex-wife.

[shellfish789]

08:33 AM on 01/03/2012

I don't know why ambitious women end up with losers....that trash them after they live with them for a while and learn all they can about them and then turn around and "belittle them"in the media.....

He got the money and that's what he wanted in the first place......I'm single and I enjoy my life and no man is going to take my money.......

[one1byke]

10:15 AM on 12/12/2011

Im sure when she did the 'pudgy face lift thing,' he had to fled.

I think she'll have to pay to play now.

[ok3apples]

12:18 AM on 12/05/2011

I think of his settlement as battle pay. I'm sure he earned every penny of it.

[abbyj]

02:30 PM on 12/03/2011

Why doesn't Guy Ritchie just shut the H up? His divorce from Madonna is yesterday's news, and it feels very much as if he's trashing her to put himself back in the public eye. He got something like $150 million out of her, so what else does he want to do, sticking it to her? It's very ungentlemanly of him to try to demean her in such a public way. Sometimes I think he'll never get over the fact that, no matter how many British faux-mob "B" films Ritchie turns out, he'll NEVER be the world-wide icon that Madonna is.

Love her or hate her, everyone has to admit that Madonna has been a phenomenon of a cultural change agent for decades, has had remarkable lasting power, and lives her life on her own terms. In a world of one-hit wonders and a thousand "flavors of the month," this woman has been able to adapt, survive, and prevail, and no one has the right to trash her, especially an ex-husband. She is the mother of his only child, his son, and he should have more respect for her, not to mention himself. Shame on Ritchie.

[one1byke]

10:14 AM on 12/12/2011

you love her... good. HE - knowing HER, has something to say.

There's tons more value in his assessment than a fanboy or girl.

[Jonnie Quilcy]

04:03 PM on 12/02/2011

Soap opera, guy? Really.

[bravissisima]

01:08 AM on 12/02/2011

Well, maybe his kids will get to horse around all their lives and use up his millions! What parent in their right mind sends a message that school is not important? What a spoiled rich kid and his kids will probably grow up to be just like him.

Most of my students live in poverty. They learn to read and write just to someday be able to obtain a 9-5 minimum wage job. The last thing a kid needs to believe is that it is ok to horse around in most aspects of life. Real working life includes too many responsibilities. Guy Richie obviously doesn't live the kind of life most of us do.

[realdealnyc]

11:55 PM on 12/01/2011

This guy sounds like a real piece of work. No wonder his marriage was like "a soap opera". He probably was the tempermental tenor.

He shld get a real job and see what it's like.

.

[Justgot2thinking]

04:49 PM on 12/01/2011

Why don't we Ever get the whole story, about anything?

[BBlaw16]

04:04 PM on 12/01/2011

"A soap Opera that paid like mad. Eff school, I got free dough."

[Imelda Hernandez]

12:14 PM on 12/01/2011

He doesn't regret the marriage because he made $$$ from it. What a standup guy!

[valeskas]

11:22 AM on 12/01/2011

Not a bad pay for 8 years work.

[janstewy]

10:32 AM on 12/01/2011

She is a self centred, snotty, rich b...ch, rude to her fans, snarky to the media. I hate people like this.

[jabreal00]

05:42 AM on 12/01/2011

I wouldn't want to be married to any woman that needs publicity like Madonna did during the height of her fame. No marriage can sustain that level of scrutiny.