"Our marriage was like shaking two volatile chemicals in a jar", Wayne said. Esperanza accused Wayne of having an affair with Gail Russell, his leading lady in Angel and the Badman, which he denied. There were charges and counter-charges of unfaithfulness, drunken violence, emotional cruelty, and "clobbering".
Wayne likened their marriage to a volatile mixture, saying it was like shaking two highly reactive substances together. Esperanza accused Wayne of cheating on her with Gail Russell, his co-star in Angel and the Badman, which he vehemently denied. The couple exchanged heated accusations of infidelity, drunken violence, emotional abuse, and physical assault.