Faizon Love, widely recognised for his role as Victor in Elf, has appeared in court after being arrested in a child support case tied to an ongoing paternity dispute.
The 58-year-old actor was released from the Hillsborough County jail on Friday, June 19, after spending several days in custody. He had been taken into custody on Tuesday, June 16, on two counts of contempt of court, according to jail records and comments from his attorney, Glen Lansky.
Love’s arrest came after court records showed that Tiffany Lee reopened a declaration-of-paternity case on June 11. The matter has been linked to a long-running child support fight in Florida.
Lee alleges that Love is behind by roughly $250,000 in child support, according to PEOPLE.
At the hearing, Lee and her lawyer argued that he had failed to make court-ordered payments for years. They also said he had once told her she “wasn’t going to get a dime.”
Love’s attorney disputed that portrayal, telling the court that Lee and her legal team were “painting him as a complete villain,” while arguing that periods of homelessness and financial struggles played a major role in the missed payments.
Love told the judge that he does not earn enough to cover the $2,500 monthly obligation. Appearing in a wheelchair during the hearing, he said he depends on about $10,000 a year in Elf royalty payments, and his attorney later said the actor had at one stage been forced to sleep in his car.
Court filings also reportedly state that Love said his highest gross yearly income over the past five years was $13,000, and that his income for 2025 so far stands at $0.
Lansky told the court that his client still intends to pursue work despite his current financial problems.
“He wants to write. He has contacts in the business, and hopefully he’s able to get more gigs,” the attorney said.
After the hearing, Lansky released a statement saying Love is not homeless at present, adding that the actor “was only homeless for a very brief period of time and currently lives with a friend in California.”
The judge gave Love until July 1 to file a financial statement showing that he cannot afford the required child support payments.
Lansky also said he was satisfied with the result of the hearing and confirmed that he is now handling all remaining issues tied to the case. He added that he plans to submit a petition seeking changes to the current child support order.
Lansky said:
“He was released and we were extremely pleased with the outcome. He has fallen on hard times financially but will continue to try and find roles and hopefully resume the stand up comedy shows. He will be residing in California with friends.”