Actor and comedian Faizon Love, known for his roles in Elf, Couples Retreat and Mr Bones, has been released from a Florida jail after a long-running child support dispute exposed his dramatic fall from Hollywood prosperity to homelessness and poverty.
The 58-year-old actor was freed on Friday, June 19, three days after he was booked into a Tampa jail on two counts of contempt of court. Records show he had previously served a 16-day sentence in California before being transported to Florida to face the contempt charges.
Love’s legal troubles stem from a reopened paternity case filed by Tiffany Lee, identified by multiple outlets as his ex-partner. Lee claims Love owes approximately $250,000 in unpaid child support at a court-ordered rate of $2,500 per month, and told the court he had failed to make payments for years. She further alleged that Love once told her she “wasn’t going to get a dime” and that he intended to stop working to avoid the obligations.
During a court hearing, Love appeared in a wheelchair and told the judge he simply could not afford the payments. When asked whether he could currently pay $2,500 per month, he replied: “Right now? No”.
His attorney, Glen Lansky, painted a stark picture of the actor’s financial reality. “He was homeless. He lived in his car,” Lansky told the court. “That’s how the mighty have fallen”.
Love told the court he survives largely on annual royalty payments from Elf – the beloved 2003 Christmas comedy starring Will Ferrell – which amount to approximately $10,000 per year. According to court documents, his highest gross annual income over the past five years was just $13,000, while his income for 2025 was listed as zero. The actor also reportedly drives a 1999 vehicle and has no savings.
Lansky later clarified that Love is no longer homeless and currently lives with a friend in California. The attorney also noted that Love missed a scheduled movie role while jailed and expressed his client’s desire to continue acting and writing.
“He wants to act. He wants to write. He has contacts in the business, and hopefully he’s able to get more gigs,” Lansky said. The attorney also argued that previous lawyers had failed to properly file paperwork regarding Love’s lack of income, and accused Lee’s legal team of “painting him as a complete villain”.
Lee’s attorneys disputed Love’s claims in court, arguing that he had ignored court orders and failed to pay child support for years.
A judge has granted Love until July 1 to submit financial records proving his inability to meet the child support obligations. Lansky said he plans to file a petition seeking a modification of the support order and expressed confidence in the outcome of the case.
The child support battle adds to a series of legal woes for the embattled comedian. Last year, he was sued for assault and battery by a San Diego woman who alleged he threw a credit card machine at her during a hotel dispute, breaking her glasses and causing a concussion.
Love – who also appeared in Friday and The Replacements – has been open about his frustrations with the child support system in the past. In a February 2025 interview, he called the payments “ridiculous” and expressed regret over missing time with his daughter.
“Tiffany is making it difficult because I’m missing a lot of precious time with my daughter,” Love said in a previous interview.
