Yes — and it has been one of the messiest celebrity divorces Hollywood has seen in years. If you’ve been searching “did Denise Richards get divorced,” the answer is absolutely yes. Her husband of six years, Aaron Phypers, filed for divorce on July 7, 2025, in Los Angeles, citing irreconcilable differences and listing July 4 — Independence Day — as their official separation date. What started as a quiet filing has since spiraled into a full-blown legal and personal storm that has kept tabloids, fans, and courts equally busy.
If you’ve been following this story from afar, now is the time to catch up — because the details are far more dramatic than the initial headlines suggested.
How the Marriage Began and Why It Seemed to Work
Denise Richards and Aaron Phypers first met in Malibu, California, where Aaron worked as a wellness practitioner. They began dating in June 2017, kept their engagement private, and married in September 2018 in an intimate ceremony attended by close friends and family, including actress Rebecca Romijn and her husband Jerry O’Connell. Denise’s three daughters served as bridesmaids.
In the early years, Denise regularly described Aaron as her best friend and credited their mutual respect as the backbone of the relationship. “We don’t try to change each other,” she said publicly. “We like being with each other.”
Even on her Bravo reality series, Denise Richards & Her Wild Things, which debuted in early 2025, Denise stated boldly, “Yeah, I’m never getting divorced again.” Those words aged poorly in a matter of months.
Who Filed and Why
Aaron Phypers filed for divorce in Los Angeles on July 7, 2025, listing irreconcilable differences as the reason for their split and noting July 4 as the date of separation. E! News He also requested spousal support from Denise in the filing — a detail that drew significant public attention.
In the court documents, Phypers claimed that Richards was earning over $250,000 per month from her OnlyFans account, TV appearances, and brand deals, while noting that he had no income in the last 12 months after closing his wellness business, Quantum 360 Club, in 2024. Global News
Aaron also asked the court to classify their assets and debts as separate property, specifically requesting to keep his 2018 Indian Dark Horse motorcycle and a Shelby GT500 sports car.
The Restraining Order That Changed Everything
What began as a divorce filing became significantly more serious by August 2025. Richards was granted a temporary restraining order against Phypers in August after alleging a series of violent incidents that included strangulation, threats, and physical assault. According to her filing, she feared for her safety and the well-being of her children. Long Island Guide
Phypers denied all of the allegations, calling them fabrications designed to gain legal advantage. He countered with his own claims, alleging that Denise had damaged his phone, harassed him, and interfered with his work and income. As hearings continued in Los Angeles Superior Court, both Richards and Phypers remained under judicial order to refrain from direct contact. Long Island Guide
The back-and-forth filings painted a picture of a marriage that had been quietly deteriorating long before the public knew anything was wrong.
The Housing Mess Nobody Saw Coming
Layered on top of the legal drama was a housing situation that turned into its own headline. Denise and Aaron had rented a home in Calabasas since 2020, but their divorce proceedings led to chaos surrounding the property. Their landlord filed a lawsuit demanding $84,000 in back rent, which neither Denise nor Aaron responded to, resulting in an eviction order being granted in December 2025. Yahoo!
In August 2025, police were called to the house when Denise arrived unannounced to retrieve belongings. Because of the restraining order, it required a separate court arrangement to facilitate the pickup. Yahoo! Aaron also took a media outlet on a tour of the property, claiming Denise had left it in disarray — a claim she disputed.
The eviction marked yet another messy chapter in a split that showed no signs of cooling down.
Denise’s Emotional Reckoning
Through all of it, Denise has spoken openly about the toll the year took on her. In a deeply personal Instagram post as 2025 came to a close, she wrote that looking back at photos from the year felt like seeing two different people. She called it one of the most painful years of her life — a year of “shedding, letting go, truths being exposed” — but also said she was finally starting to feel like herself again. HELLO!
She credited her family, longtime friends, and medical professionals for helping her get through it. She also pointed to appearances at fan events like Comic-Cons and BravoCon as unexpectedly healing moments that reminded her of the impact her work has had on people.
Her resilience has been evident throughout the process. Despite undergoing surgery in December 2025 while simultaneously managing active court motions, Denise continued to show up publicly and keep moving forward.
Her History With Divorce — Including Charlie Sheen
This is not the first time Denise Richards has navigated the end of a marriage in the public eye. She was previously married to actor Charlie Sheen from 2002 to 2006. Denise filed for divorce from Sheen in March 2005 while pregnant with their second child together. The divorce was finalized in November 2006. Global News The two share daughters Sami and Lola Sheen.
In a notable turn, Denise and Charlie reunited publicly in September 2025 at the Los Angeles premiere of his Netflix documentary, their first red carpet appearance together in nearly two decades. Lola, their daughter, had appeared on Denise Richards & Her Wild Things expressing how strange it was to think of her parents ever being married.
Denise also adopted her third daughter, Eloise, in 2011 as a single mother. Aaron had legally adopted Eloise in 2019.
Where Things Stand Now
As of early 2026, the divorce proceedings between Denise Richards and Aaron Phypers are ongoing. Financial matters, including spousal support and asset division, have not been fully resolved. The eviction from their Calabasas rental home has been finalized. The restraining order remains in effect. And Denise has publicly stated she is looking forward to 2026 as a new chapter — one defined by clarity, personal growth, and getting back to who she is at her core.
For a woman who once said on national television that she would never get divorced again, 2025 proved that life rarely follows a script. Did Denise Richards get divorced? Yes. And the story that unfolded around that divorce reveals far more about strength, survival, and starting over than a simple yes or no ever could.
What do you think about how Denise Richards has handled her very public split — drop your thoughts in the comments and follow along as this story continues to develop.
