Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur behind Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, and The Boring Company, is known for his high-risk, high-reward mentality—not just in business but also in his personal life.
His romantic relationships have been as intense and unconventional as his career, none more so than his relationship with actress Talulah Riley, whom he married twice and ultimately paid over $20 million in divorce settlements.
Despite the high-profile nature of their on-again, off-again relationship, Musk and Riley have remained close friends, with Musk even attending her wedding in 2024 to actor Thomas Brodie-Sangster.
Their story is one of love, separation, reconciliation, and a lasting bond that defies conventional expectations—even as it involved significant financial settlements.
The Beginning of Elon Musk and Talulah Riley’s Relationship
Elon Musk and Talulah Riley’s love story began in 2008, at a time when Musk was going through a challenging divorce from his first wife, Justine Musk. Justine and Elon had been married since 2000 and shared five children, but their marriage ended amid personal and professional turmoil for Musk.
Shortly after his divorce, Musk met Talulah Riley in a London bar. Riley, a British actress known for her roles in films like Pride & Prejudice (2005) and Inception (2010), quickly connected with Musk. Their chemistry was instantaneous, and within just ten days, they were engaged.
Their wedding in 2010 was a grand affair, taking place at Skibo Castle in Scotland, the same location where Madonna had her son baptized. Fireworks illuminated the night sky as the newlyweds celebrated their union in spectacular fashion.
However, much like Musk’s fast-paced business ventures, their marriage moved at an intense speed—and just as quickly as it began, it started unraveling.
The First Divorce: 2012 Settlement
By 2012, just two years after their wedding, Musk and Riley’s marriage came to an end. Musk took to social media to announce the split, stating:
“It was an amazing four years. I will love you forever. You will make someone very happy one day.”
Despite the emotional separation, Riley did not leave empty-handed. As part of their first divorce settlement, Musk paid her $4.2 million.
At the time, this sum was significant but relatively modest compared to Musk’s growing fortune. Tesla was still in its early stages of profitability, and SpaceX was struggling to stay afloat. However, as with many things in Musk’s life, this wasn’t the end of the story.
The Remarriage: Why Did Musk and Riley Get Married Again?
Following their divorce in 2012, Musk and Riley remained in close contact. Just one year later, in 2013, they surprised the world by remarrying.
Riley later explained that after being married, it felt unnatural to be together without the formalities of marriage. In a 2022 interview with The Independent, she said:
“It was like a habit.”
Their decision to reunite legally suggested that their bond was deeper than a simple romance—it was a partnership that had evolved into something uniquely their own. However, despite their best efforts, the second marriage would also be short-lived.
The Second Divorce: 2016 Settlement
By 2016, Riley and Musk’s relationship had reached its breaking point once again. This time, their divorce settlement was far more significant. Riley received a $16 million payout, bringing her total divorce settlements from Musk to over $20 million.
The larger sum in the second divorce likely reflected Musk’s exponential rise in wealth between 2013 and 2016. Tesla had grown into a major force in the electric vehicle industry, and SpaceX had begun securing major government contracts, significantly increasing Musk’s net worth.
Despite the financial settlement, Riley had no regrets about their relationship. She later described Musk as the “perfect ex-husband”, stating that while their romance ended, their mutual respect and support for one another remained intact.
Life with Musk: More Than Just a Trophy Wife
During their time together, Riley had an inside view of Musk’s chaotic world. She wasn’t just the spouse of a billionaire entrepreneur—she was actively involved in the daily whirlwind of Tesla, SpaceX, and Musk’s personal life.
She lived in a household filled with engineers, scientists, and five children from Musk’s first marriage, all of whom played a role in his vision for the future. In interviews, Riley has emphasized that her life wasn’t limited to the clichés of being a billionaire’s wife. Instead, she described it as an intellectually stimulating environment where she was an active participant in Musk’s ambitious projects.
Musk and Riley’s Unusual Friendship
Despite their two divorces, Musk and Riley have remained close friends and confidants. Even after their second split, Riley continued to publicly support Musk and even encouraged him to buy Twitter in a series of private messages.
When Riley married actor Thomas Brodie-Sangster in 2024, Musk was present as a guest at the wedding, demonstrating the unusual but enduring nature of their bond.
In an August 2024 interview with The Times, Riley was asked why her perception of Musk was so different from the critical view many in the public hold. She responded:
“Well, you know more than anyone how what we read in the mainstream media is not necessarily an absolute truth.”
She compared the public’s perception of Musk to “kayfabe”, a term used in professional wrestling to describe the illusion of staged performances. Riley suggested that the world often sees a crafted version of Musk, rather than the real person she knew and loved.
When asked if the public truly understood Musk, she reflected:
“I loved/love the guy, so I’m incredibly subjective in my opinion, cannot be unbiased and shouldn’t be expected to be either. I’m sure, well … You know what being in love is, right?”
Elon Musk’s two divorces from Talulah Riley resulted in financial settlements totaling over $20 million-2012 divorce settlement: $4.2 million and 2016 divorce settlement: $16 million.
While these figures are substantial, they are relatively small compared to Musk’s immense fortune, which has fluctuated between tens of billions to over $300 billion in recent years.
Despite the financial costs of their divorces, Musk and Riley’s relationship transcended conventional expectations. Their story proves that even amid the chaos of billion-dollar empires and high-profile separations, some relationships endure—not as romantic partnerships but as lifelong friendships built on mutual respect and understanding.