When you’re deep in a messy divorce, the last thing you want floating around the internet is your paycheck. Denise Richards, the“Wild Things”star currently locked in a contentious split from estranged husband Aaron Phypers, is taking no chances.
She’s asking a judge to slap a protective order on her financial records before handing them over in court. The sticking point? Richards says Aaron wants access to her bank statements and salary details from“The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,”but she fears he’ll leak that information to the media if there’s nothing legally stopping him. It’s a smart move—she’s already caught Aaron spreading private details about her since their separation, so the distrust is grounded in real behavior, not paranoia.
The twist is that much of what Aaron’s requesting falls under confidentiality agreements with production companies. Richards argues that if her RHOBH pay figures go public, it won’t just breach those contracts—it could torpedo her relationships with producers and cast members. Nobody wants their salary exposed to the world, let alone broadcast to your colleagues. Imagine the awkwardness of someone making more or less than you suddenly becoming common knowledge on set.
The couple has been battling in court for over a year, with Richards having secured a permanent restraining order against Aaron due to alleged abuse. Now Aaron’s fishing for financial ammunition, and Richards is determined to keep those numbers locked down. It’s the kind of legal chess move that speaks to how fractured their relationship has become—so fractured that she can’t trust him with information most partners would share without hesitation.
The question lurking underneath all this? How do you divide assets fairly when one party is terrified the other will weaponize the details?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.