Denise Richards and Aaron Phypers are officially ending their six-year marriage, as Aaron filed for divorce in Los Angeles on July 7, citing irreconcilable differences. He listed their separation date as July 4, a symbolic ending on Independence Day. According to reports, Aaron is seeking spousal support, signaling that the split might be more than just amicable. The two had been married since 2018, and while they once appeared to be a tight-knit pair, cracks in their relationship had become more noticeable in recent months.
The divorce news follows subtle signs that things weren’t perfect within the Richards-Phypers household. Denise’s oldest daughter, Sami Sheen, revealed in April during a podcast that she and Aaron were never particularly close. She described a lack of interaction between them, saying they didn’t hang out or talk, but acknowledged that her mother seemed happy with him. That small comment, in hindsight, now feels like a quiet foreshadowing of the split.
Despite the eventual breakdown, Denise had publicly spoken warmly about their relationship just weeks before the divorce filing. In an interview with Bravo’s The Daily Dish in March, she shared that Aaron was not only her husband but also her best friend. She had expressed that what kept them going strong was their shared enjoyment of each other’s company and the intentional time they made for themselves amid the chaos of parenting and busy work schedules. Her advice at the time to other couples was to take at least one night each month for a staycation—something she felt was vital in maintaining a connection.
Denise is the mother of three daughters: Sami, Lola, and Eloise. Balancing motherhood and a career in the public eye hasn’t always been easy for her, and she’s often spoken about the importance of staying grounded for the sake of her children. Her comments about how their girls still needed both parents suggest a desire to maintain family stability, even if the marriage itself couldn’t be sustained.
Ultimately, the divorce appears to mark the end of a chapter that once seemed grounded in friendship and mutual effort. The news is particularly surprising considering how recently Denise spoke about the relationship in glowing terms. For now, it’s unclear what their post-divorce dynamic will look like, especially with children still involved, but both appear to be navigating this change quietly and with legal clarity.
