Current:Home > ContactDanny Masterson's wife Bijou Phillips files for divorce after his 30-year rape sentence -Ascend Finance Compass
Danny Masterson's wife Bijou Phillips files for divorce after his 30-year rape sentence
View
Date:2025-04-14 21:26:13
Bijou Phillips Masterson has filed for divorce from husband Danny Masterson over a week after he was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for raping two women.
Phillips filed a petition to end their 11-year marriage on Monday in Santa Barbara court, according to court documents reviewed by USA TODAY. TMZ was first to report the news.
Phillips cited irreconcilable differences as the reason and listed the date of their separation as "TBD." Her petition, signed Sept. 15, requested spousal support as well as restoration of her name to Bijou Phillips and full legal and physical custody of their daughter, with Masterson receiving child visitation.
The two married October 2011 and share a 9-year-old daughter, Fianna Francis Masterson, together.
USA TODAY has reached out to representatives for Phillips and Masterson for further information.
Phillips stood by Masterson throughout his two trials. She wept when the guilty verdicts were read on May 31 and showed similar emotion at times during his Sept. 7 sentencing hearing, when a judge handed down the maximum sentence allowed by law to the 47-year-old actor. Masterson will be eligible for parole after serving 25½ years but can be held in prison for life.
A jury of seven women and five men had found Masterson guilty of two counts of rape after seven days of deliberations. Both attacks took place in Masterson's Hollywood-area home in 2003 when he was at the height of his fame on the Fox sitcom "That '70s Show." The jury could not reach a unanimous verdict on a third count, an allegation that Masterson also raped a longtime girlfriend.
Masterson maintains his innocence, and his attorneys have said they plan to appeal, contending there were problems with evidence and constitutional issues with his conviction.
Bijou Phillips called Danny Masterson an 'extraordinary husband' a month before divorce
In the character reference letter she wrote in support of her husband last month before his sentencing, Phillips said Masterson has been "a life-saving partner to me" over the course of 19 years together.
"Danny is an amazing father. Our daughter and I are heartbroken that he is not home with us. It has been very difficult without him here," she wrote. "We need him more than you can imagine. I know he has been convicted of serious crimes. But the man I married has only been an extraordinary husband to me and a devoted father to our daughter."
The letter, addressed to Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo and dated Aug. 14, was among dozens that Masterson's family and friends wrote — made public by The Hollywood Reporter — urging leniency in his sentencing.
Who is Bijou Phillips?
Phillips, daughter of "The Mamas and the Papas" singer-songwriter John Phillips and actor Genevieve Waite, was a model as a teenager and released an album before shifting to acting.
She has appeared in films including "Almost Famous" and television shows including "Raising Hopes" and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit."
Ashton Kutcherresigns from anti-child sex abuse nonprofit after supporting Danny Masterson
Contributing: Associated Press
veryGood! (773)
Related
- Taylor Swift Eras Archive site launches on singer's 35th birthday. What is it?
- Katie Ledecky makes Olympic history again, winning 800m freestyle gold for fourth time
- Judge rejects replacing counsel for man charged with shooting 3 Palestinian college students
- 2024 Olympics: Simone Biles Edges Out Rebeca Andrade for Gold in Women's Vault
- From family road trips to travel woes: Americans are navigating skyrocketing holiday costs
- Stephen ‘Pommel Horse Guy’ Nedoroscik adds another bronze medal to his Olympic tally
- The 'Tribal Chief' is back: Roman Reigns returns to WWE at SummerSlam, spears Solo Sikoa
- Michigan voters to choose party candidates for crucial Senate race in battleground state
- Selena Gomez engaged to Benny Blanco after 1 year together: 'Forever begins now'
- Aerosmith retires from touring permanently due to Steven Tyler injury: Read full statement
Ranking
- Sonya Massey's father decries possible release of former deputy charged with her death
- Olympic Athletes' Surprising Day Jobs, From Birthday Party Clown to Engineer
- Olympic fans cheer on Imane Khelif during win after she faced days of online abuse
- Stephen ‘Pommel Horse Guy’ Nedoroscik adds another bronze medal to his Olympic tally
- Realtor group picks top 10 housing hot spots for 2025: Did your city make the list?
- The 'Tribal Chief' is back: Roman Reigns returns to WWE at SummerSlam, spears Solo Sikoa
- How Noah Lyles plans to become track's greatest showman at Paris Olympics and beyond
- How Team USA's Daniela Moroz can put a bow on her parents' American dream
Recommendation
Spooky or not? Some Choa Chu Kang residents say community garden resembles cemetery
Indianapolis man sentenced to 145 years in prison for shooting ex-girlfriend, killings of 4 others
NFL Star Josh Allen Makes Rare Comment About Relationship With Hailee Steinfeld
Gleyber Torres benched by Yankees' manager Aaron Boone for lack of hustle
Man can't find second winning lottery ticket, sues over $394 million jackpot, lawsuit says
Tropical Glaciers in the Andes Are the Smallest They’ve Been in 11,700 Years
NHL Hall of Famer Hašek says owners should ban Russian athletes during speech in Paris
Terence Crawford vs. Israil Madrimov live updates: How to watch, predictions, analysis