Denise Richards and Aaron Phypers’ divorce might have come as a shock to the public, but those close to them reportedly saw it coming.
“All they were doing was fighting. It was very toxic,” a source told the Daily Mail Friday.
Phypers filed for divorce on Monday after nearly seven years of marriage and listed July 4 as the date of separation.
“They have been having trouble for some time, but they had a row over the weekend where they basically were like, ‘F–k you,’ and he marched off to file for divorce,” the source claimed.
As for Richards, she is reportedly “devastated and relieved at the same time,” as the source said she’s “mentally exhausted from the fighting” and “glad that’s over.”
However, the 54-year-old actress is reportedly “100% not looking forward to the divorce because [Phypers has] made it clear that he won’t go quietly, and she now has to gear up for a battle, which isn’t what she wants.”
Both Richards and Phypers, 49, vowed in a March episode of her since-canceled reality show, “Denise Richards & Her Wild Things,” that they would “never” get divorced.
“Even if we hate each other, I’m not gonna f–king get divorced,” Richards (who was previously married to Charlie Sheen) insisted, as Phypers (who was previously married to Nicollette Sheridan) added, “No, we’ll just have different homes or something. … But we’re not gonna hate each other.”
The Daily Mail’s source noted that the estranged couple’s finances played a role in their issues, claiming that their marriage was based on the philosophy that “She earns, and he spends.”
Phypers — who admitted in his petition that he has “not made income since” shutting down his wellness business in 2024 — claimed Richards earns more than $250,000 per month via her OnlyFans account, TV appearances and brand deals.
He went on to break down the pair’s monthly expenses as a family of three (Richards’ adopted daughter, 14-year-old Eloise, lives with them), claiming they spend a total of $105,000 per month on rent, bills, food, clothes and entertainment.
Richards has not yet responded to the divorce petition, nor has she addressed it publicly.
Reps for the duo have not yet responded to Page Six’s requests for comment.
