The turbulent divorce between Denise Richards and Aaron Phypers has taken another dramatic turn.
Over the weekend, Richards was involved in a confrontation at Phypers’ Calabasas home, which escalated to the point where police were called. According to the Lost Hills Sheriff’s Department, deputies responded to a call at approximately 4:40 p.m. on Sunday, August 3, but ultimately reported “no evidence that a crime occurred.”
The incident comes amid Richards’ temporary restraining order (TRO) against Phypers, granted after she alleged multiple instances of domestic violence throughout their six-year marriage.
Why Denise Showed Up
According to Richards’ attorney, Brett Berman, the 54-year-old actress did not violate the restraining order. He told PEOPLE,
“On August 3, 2025, after confirming that Mr. Phypers was not present in her home, Ms. Richards entered the home to retrieve her dogs after learning that Mr. Phypers had put down one of her other dogs without her knowledge or permission.”
That claim, however, is strongly disputed by a source close to Phypers, who called the accusation “100 percent, absolutely false.” The insider alleged that Richards was “screaming and banging on the door”, and that Phypers left through a side entrance upon hearing her voice.
Unconventional Living Arrangement
Their complicated living situation had already raised eyebrows, with Richards revealing on her Bravo reality show Denise Richards & Her Wild Things earlier this year:
“I don’t live in our house… Aaron’s mom and dad and his brother, they were gonna stay for a few months; it’s been over three years.”
“I needed some space, so I rented a townhouse, and then I rented another one and another one,” she continued. “So I have three of them. One’s an office, one’s a studio, one’s for Lola and Eloise and for us to sleep in… we’re all over the place.”
Despite those arrangements, the couple insisted at the time that divorce wasn’t an option. Richards had said,
“Even if we hate each other, I’m not gonna f—— get divorced.”
To which Phypers had replied,
“No, we’ll just have different homes or something. But we’re not gonna hate each other.”
Yet, things clearly changed. Phypers filed for divorce on July 7, and shortly after, Richards submitted court documents alleging graphic abuse, including photos of a black eye.
Allegations of Domestic Violence
In her court filings, Richards claimed:
“Aaron would frequently violently choke me, violently squeeze my head with both hands, tightly squeeze my arms, violently slap me in my face and head, aggressively slam my head into the bathroom towel rack… hold me down with his knee on my back to the point where I would have to plead with him to get off me.”
She also accused him of hacking into her laptop and phone, downloading private messages, and threatening to “break [her] jaw.”
Phypers has denied all allegations, saying in a statement:
“Let me be unequivocally clear: I have never physically or emotionally abused Denise — or anyone… These accusations are completely false and deeply hurtful… I have always tried to approach our marriage with love, patience, and respect.”
Ongoing Legal Conflict
Tensions have continued to rise. On July 29, Richards’ attorney accused Phypers of violating the TRO by allegedly leaking private data from her stolen laptop and phone.
Berman said Phypers has been giving interviews claiming to have photos and texts proving Richards had an affair and physically abused him, claims the attorney dismissed as “false.”
“We have warned Mr. Phypers in writing not to disseminate any information from Ms. Richards’ stolen cell phone and laptop,” Berman stated, “but he continues to do so.”
With a messy divorce, public accusations, and law enforcement involvement, the Denise Richards–Aaron Phypers split continues to unfold in full view of the public eye.
