Denise Richards is finally speaking out about the emotional toll her ongoing divorce from estranged husband Aaron Phypers has taken on her.
In a heartfelt video posted to Instagram on Thursday, August 21, the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum shared an unfiltered glimpse into her current emotional state, marking her first public comments since Phypers filed for divorce more than two months ago.
“I was just checking in to see how your summer’s been going,” Denise Richards, 54, began. “Mine’s been wonderful. It’s actually been s***, but I’m going to pretend like it’s all good.”
The actress admitted that she’d been trying to keep up appearances on social media, but could no longer stay silent: “I’ve actually been posting on Instagram like nothing is going on in my life, and I can’t do that anymore because there’s something obviously going on.”
“It’s So Hard to Go Through a Divorce”
Denise took a moment to thank her fans, saying their words of encouragement have not gone unnoticed: “I see all of your messages, I can’t comment because it’ll be taken out and put in the press, but I just wanted to, in all seriousness, say that this has been a very, very, very difficult time.”
She also reflected on the fact that this isn’t her first time navigating a divorce, having previously split from Charlie Sheen in 2006. “Many of you have gone through that. This isn’t my first one – this is my second one. I never thought I’d get divorced again. This is why I always say never say never.”
The actress was candid about the pain she’s currently experiencing. “It makes me want to cry seeing your messages because this is a very difficult time and you guys are all helping me through it,” she shared. “Thank you. Lots of love.”
A Private Battle, for Now
Though Denise didn’t go into detail about the reasons behind the divorce, she alluded to deeper issues. “There are circumstances around my divorce that are difficult to talk about — which one day I will talk about when the timing is right,” she said.
Richards has also been recovering from health challenges in the midst of this personal storm. “Some of you may know because it was put out there that I was having reconstructive surgery,” she explained. “I was open and honest about having reconstructive surgery for a TV show that I did. And then I had another surgery.”
Despite the timing, she emphasized that she didn’t want to appear insensitive by continuing to post online. “I didn’t want to post about it during this and look inappropriate… but I also want to live my life and share my life, so that’s what I’m going to do and continue doing.”
Legal Action and Abuse Allegations
Shortly after Phypers’ divorce filing, Richards accused him of multiple instances of physical abuse. A judge later granted her a temporary restraining order, adding further complexity to their high-profile split.
For now, Richards is focused on healing and processing. “I really just wanted to say thank you so much for all of your supportive, kind, thoughtful, encouraging messages because this has been a very difficult time,” she reiterated.
And she ended her message with a bit of warmth and lightness, turning the camera to her beloved dog: “Lily says thank you too.”
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