(CNN Philippines) — Remember Kelly Rutherford, Blake Lively’s onscreen mom in the hit show Gossip Girl?
All eyes are on her again, but this time, it’s because of a real-life struggle — the heartbreaking result of a longstanding international custody battle.
Rutherford has been fighting with ex-husband Daniel Giersch for the custody of her children, eight-year-old Hermes and five-year-old Helena, for six years now.
Both children are American-born, but just last week, a federal court ruled that the two should continue to live with their father in Monaco.
Initially, Rutherford and Giersch shared the custody of their offspring after they split in 2009. But when Giersch, a German businessman, was asked to leave the U.S. because his visa was revoked, things turned ugly.
According to a report by HLNtv.com, a California judge in 2012 ordered the children’s move to Monaco, where Giersch resided.
But Rutherford questioned the court’s ruling then and she continues to do so until now.
According to HLNtv.com, the Hollywood actress said that “she is baffled why a judge would not want the couple’s children in the United States.”
For now, the Hollywood star will be forced to visit her children in Monaco despite her efforts to make the U.S. government review her case.
Giersch, on the other hand, will supposedly provide Rutherford with roundtrip tickets, a car, and a place to stay during her visits to Monaco and should work on getting a new visa, the report added.
Rutherford has participated in several media guestings to share her story to the public and to spread awareness about injustices in children’s custody rulings in U.S. courts.
