Denise Richards Granted Temporary Restraining Order From Aaron Phypers for Alleged Abuse
The former Bravo couple have been separated since Aaron filed for divorce from Denise in July 2025.
Published July 17 2025, 2:14 p.m. ET
Content Warning: This article mentions domestic violence and has graphic images.
Actor and reality TV star Denise Richards's divorce from Aaron Phypers just became even more complicated, as she has been granted a temporary restraining order against her estranged husband.
The Denise and Her Wild Things couple shocked fans when Aaron filed for divorce in early July after seven years of marriage, citing "irreconcilable differences." Now, Denise claims Aaron was physically abusive during their marriage. Here's what to know about the allegations.
Denise Richards says Aaron Phyphers threatened to kill her.
According to court documents shared with The New York Post, Denise's restraining order accused Aaron of being violent toward her multiple times during their marriage. She claimed her ex threatened to kill her if she ever reported any of his alleged physical abuse to the police.
“Throughout our relationship, 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," Denise stated.
The actor further alleged that an incident between them occurred at Aaron's workplace in 2022. Denise claimed he "became paranoid" that the potted plants at his workplace may have been tapped with "listening devices." He then allegedly struck his wife in the face, resulting in her having a black eye. Denise shared several images of her wound with the court to support her case. She also discussed him allegedly hurting her after she asked him to stay home while she went on a work trip.
"Aaron grabbed me by the back of my head by my hair and slammed me into the ground and screamed, ‘You are not cancelling my flight, I am going with you and I do not trust you.'"
Aaron and Denise's divorce proceedings happened just months after they starred on her reality show. The couple married in 2018 and didn't have any children together, though Denise had three daughters before the marriage, including two with her ex, Charlie Sheen, and her adopted daughter, Eloise.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.