Did you know that Ali Wong and her ex-husband initially got a prenup to protect his assets but she ended up being the breadwinner? (Yes, it’s true!) If you’re a fan of Baby Cobra, her writing for Fresh Off the Boat, her role in Beef, or any one of her many other projects, you’ve probably already come to the conclusion that Ali Wong is one of the most talented stand-up comedians working today. If you’re already a fan, you might be aware that she recently got a divorce (you definitely are aware if you’ve watched her most recent Netflix special, Single Lady). Let’s talk about Ali Wong, her relationship history, her new boo, and all about her prenup.
Who is Ali Wong?
Ali Wong is, as previously mentioned, a stand-up comedian. She is also an actress, writer, producer, and director. She got her start in comedy at the age of 23, when she moved to New York City after graduating from UCLA. Her real breakthrough came in 2016 with her Netflix stand-up special Baby Cobra, which saw Wong performing at the Neptune Theater in Seattle while seven months pregnant. After the release of this special, Ali Wong’s career skyrocketed. More recently, in 2023, Ali Wong starred in and executive produced the Netflix series Beef, for which she won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress (Miniseries or Television Film) and a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. Remarkably, she was the first woman of Asian descent to win a Golden Globe in that category and the first woman of Asian descent to win any lead acting Emmy award. Ali Wong was named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People in both 2020 and 2023.
Ali’s marriage to Justin Hakuta
Ali Wong got married to Justin Hakuta in 2014. They first met in 2010 at a wedding, around the time Hakuta was a student at the Harvard Business School. Upon learning that he was a student at the Harvard Business School, Wong thought, “Oh my God, I’m going to trap his ass” (according to one of her stand-up specials). And she did! They got married in 2014 in San Francisco and had two daughters, one of whom was born in 2015 and the other in 2017. Of course, her marriage with Hakuta provided valuable material for her comedy, and she often affectionately mentioned him in her stand-up specials.
Justin and Ali’s divorce
After eight years of marriage, they split up in 2022. However, they continue to co-parent together and are reportedly good friends. In fact, she stated that despite their divorce, they continue to be “best friends” and that they all (Hakuta and their daughters) travel and play pickleball together. Isn’t that nice to think about? With all these popular stories of long, traumatic divorce proceedings and endless drama, it’s pleasant to imagine that getting a divorce is actually not the worst thing in the world for some people.
Ali’s new boyfriend, Bill Hader
After going a period without dating anyone, Ali Wong has reportedly been dating Bill Hader. According to Wong, after Hader found out that she was getting a divorce, he called her and told her that he had a longstanding crush on her and wanted her to be his girlfriend. She politely declined and went on a tour of Europe, but as she went from hotel to hotel during her tour, she was continually met by increasingly large and elaborate flower arrangements waiting for her at her door. Eventually, she decided to give Hader a chance, and as of October 2024, they are a couple.
So… does Ali Wong have a prenup?
Yes! In fact, Ali actually stated: “[B]eing forced to sign that prenup was one of the greatest things that ever happened to me and my career.” She mentioned that she felt she had to work harder since the prenup clearly stated that she couldn’t financially depend on her husband, according to People Magazine.
She explained in one of her standups (Hard Knock Wife) that at the time they were originally getting married, Hakuta was the more wealthy of the two (remember his enrollment in Harvard Business School?), and Hakuta’s parents were concerned about what could happen to his (Hakuta’s) wealth in the case of a possible divorce.
Because Hatuka was the more wealthy of the two at the time — and theoretically had greater earning potential, as he was already successful in the world of business and Wong was at the beginning of a risky creative career — Hakuta’s relatives probably thought that if he got divorced from Wong without a prenup and typical California state divorce laws went into effect, he could lose a lot of money.
@helloprenup Lets talk prenups: Ali Wong Edition #prenup #beef #aliwong #separateassets
Speculation on what was included in the prenup
Because Ali mentioned that she felt she needed to “work harder” because of the prenup, it makes us believe that this prenup likely kept everything separate. This means that anything her husband made in the marriage was 100% his. And anything she owned was 100% hers. There was likely no community property created, which likely means that any assets accumulated during the marriage stayed with the person who bought them or whose name the title was in. So, if Ali wanted to support herself, she had to “do it herself.” Luckily (actually, no luck here, she worked for this), Ali Wong became more successful than her ex, and the prenup was actually “one of the greatest things that ever happened to her.”
What would have happened if they didn’t get a prenup?
Since they resided in California, if they got a divorce there, then CA divorce laws would’ve applied. And in Cali, if you get a divorce, community property laws apply (see CA Fam Code § 760), which means all assets acquired during the marriage are split 50/50 in most cases. This is the case even if only one person made money in the marriage. So, as you can see, Hakuta’s parents were likely worried that he would make all of the money and then have to share it 50/50 with his “lower earning” partner, Ali. (Jokes on them!).
Bottom line on Ali Wong’s prenup
Remember, folks, this is the goal of the prenup: not to “protect” the higher earner from the lower earner, but to ensure that there is a mutually agreed upon division of assets and income that is fair to both partners and that protects them both in the unfortunate case that a divorce occurs.
Luckily, Wong and Hakuta had a quite amicable divorce and have a positive relationship to this day. Is the amicable nature of their divorce due to the fact that they got a prenup and, therefore, avoided a long, arduous legal battle over the division of their assets? Maybe! Ali Wong’s story shows how prenups can protect both partners, regardless of who earns more.
Nicole Sheehey is the Head of Legal Content at HelloPrenup, and an Illinois licensed attorney. She has a wealth of knowledge and experience when it comes to prenuptial agreements. Nicole has Juris Doctor from John Marshall Law School. She has a deep understanding of the legal and financial implications of prenuptial agreements, and enjoys writing and collaborating with other attorneys on the nuances of the law. Nicole is passionate about helping couples locate the information they need when it comes to prenuptial agreements. You can reach Nicole here: Nicole@Helloprenup.com
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