Denise Richards is preparing to introduce footage from her time on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills as evidence in a bid to convert a temporary restraining order against her ex-husband, Aaron Phypers, into a permanent one, according to multiple reports.
Court documents and media reports indicate Richards plans to submit a controversial 2020 episode of the Bravo series that captured a heated exchange between the couple, along with a compilation of text messages and photographs she says support her claims. Richards is scheduled to appear at a hearing Monday that could formalize the temporary protections she requested.
In the scene from the Bravo episode that Richards intends to offer, the pair are shown leaving the home of castmate Kyle Richards. As Denise warned her then-husband, "Baby, don't say a f—ing word. We're on camera," Aaron allegedly responded, "Don't tell me what to say, or I'm going to crush your f—ing hand. Stop it." Fans and other cast members reacted to the moment when it first aired; at the reunion, Richards said Aaron did not recall making the alleged threat and described him as "afraid" of her.
Richards's filings seek testimony from both Aaron Phypers and his mother, Patricia Phypers. In the paperwork cited by TMZ, Richards estimated that Patricia would take roughly an hour on the stand and that Aaron's testimony could last about four hours; Richards said she expects to testify for approximately six hours. The actress also asked the court to have Aaron and his mother testify in connection with her abuse allegations, according to reports.
The filings follow a series of court actions after the marriage ended. Phypers filed for divorce in July after six years of marriage, listing July 4 as the date of separation, according to the documents. Richards filed for protection on July 16, asserting that the alleged abuse she described spanned their relationship. Court papers obtained by DailyMail.com included graphic photos that Richards said showed a black eye.
In her Request for Domestic Violence Restraining Order, Richards alleged a pattern of physical abuse, saying 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, threaten to kill me, [and] hold me down with his knee on my back." She said he hacked into her laptop and phone and downloaded her text messages, and that he told her he had placed recording devices to surveil her in hotel rooms and at their townhouses. Richards also alleged Aaron told her he would "break my jaw" and that she believes she suffered at least three concussions while married to him.
Richards has also submitted photographs to the court that she says show the Calabasas home she shared with Phypers in disarray. She sought an order temporarily barring Phypers and several family members from the leased house so she could retrieve dogs and personal items, according to People. Richards said she arrived at the home unannounced on Aug. 3 to collect a dog and was questioned by Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies; the department determined that no crime had been committed and no arrests were made.
Phypers has denied the allegations. "Let me be unequivocally clear: I have never physically or emotionally abused Denise — or anyone," he told Daily Mail. "These accusations are completely false and deeply hurtful. Denise and I, like many couples, have faced our share of challenges, but any suggestion of abuse is categorically untrue." An insider close to Phypers told TMZ that he is willing to testify and called Richards a "liar," saying he "never laid a hand on her."
In divorce filings, Phypers listed his income as none and requested spousal support of about $105,000 per month, according to reports. The couple began dating in December 2017 before Phypers's previous divorce was finalized in 2018; they married in September 2018. Richards, 54, was a full-time cast member on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills from 2019 to 2020 and has appeared on other reality projects since.
The dispute has included competing descriptions of the condition of the home and the conduct of family members. Richards's filings allege that Aaron and his parents left the residence "in a state of disarray," while a source close to Phypers told Us Weekly that the family had cleaned the house after Richards left in 2023.
Daily Mail and other outlets have reported on the filings and the scheduled hearing. Daily Mail said it reached out to both Richards and Phypers for comment. The outcome of Monday's hearing could determine whether Richards's temporary restraining order is converted to a permanent order as the divorce and associated claims proceed through the Los Angeles-area courts.