Denise Richards Rules Out Marriage After Two Painful Divorces

Denise Richards has declared that she will never walk down the aisle again. The actress and former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star, 55, said flatly during a new podcast appearance that marriage is no longer in her future, following two divorces that left her disillusioned with the institution but not with love itself.

“Will I ever get married again? Abso-f—ing-lutely not,” Richards told host Jenny McCarthy on The Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg Show in an episode this week. “I don’t want that piece of paper.”

The candid declaration came as Richards continues to navigate a contentious and painful divorce from her second husband, Aaron Phypers, while also reflecting on her first high-profile marriage to actor Charlie Sheen. “I’m 0 for 2,” she said with a rueful laugh.

But Richards was clear that ruling out marriage does not mean ruling out romance. “I would have a partner,” she said. “I want to fall in love again, so I don’t want to be bitter.”

Here is a breakdown of Denise Richards’ two marriages, why she has sworn off a third, and where she stands today.

Also Read: Florence Pugh Family Life: The Creative Roots Behind Her Rise

Denise Richards on Why She Will Never Marry Again

Richards used her appearance on McCarthy’s podcast to deliver her most definitive statement yet on the subject of marriage.

Her objection, she made clear, is not to relationships or companionship but to the legal and emotional framework of marriage itself. “I don’t want that piece of paper,” she said, suggesting that the formal institution of marriage has caused her more pain than protection.

Richards characterized her second marriage to Aaron Phypers in particularly disillusioning terms. “What I’m having to unravel and learning, that to him I was a product and it was a business arrangement, this was not a marriage,” she said.

When asked about forgiveness, Richards was equally blunt. “I will never say I forgive him,” she said of Phypers. McCarthy suggested during the conversation that perhaps it was okay for Richards to feel anger, to which Richards agreed. She also acknowledged the emotional weight of the moment, making clear that her decision is not coming from a place of cynicism about love but from exhaustion with what marriage put her through.

Her desire to remain open to partnership while firmly closing the door on marriage reflects a distinction that many people who have been through painful divorces will recognize: the difference between wanting connection and trusting a contract.

The First Marriage: Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen

Richards’ first marriage, to actor Charlie Sheen, was one of the most publicly scrutinized relationships in Hollywood during its time.

The two began dating in 2000 after meeting on the set of the film Good Advice. They became engaged in December 2001 and married in June 2002. Together they had two daughters: Sami, born in 2004, and Lola, born in 2005.

The marriage was turbulent almost from the start. In March 2005, while six months pregnant with Lola, Richards filed for divorce, citing Sheen’s alleged substance abuse and threats of violence. She obtained a restraining order during the proceedings. The divorce was finalized in 2006 after a difficult custody battle.

Richards has since described the marriage as “very toxic” but has also said she has no regrets about marrying Sheen, because the relationship gave her their daughters. “I really do feel that he and I were brought together to have our daughters,” she has said.

Despite the turmoil of their marriage and divorce, Richards and Sheen eventually developed a more functional co-parenting relationship over the years. Richards also took in Sheen’s twin sons with his subsequent wife, Brooke Mueller, during one of Mueller’s periods of treatment, demonstrating a generosity that surprised many observers.

The Second Marriage: Denise Richards and Aaron Phypers

Richards found love again more than a decade after her divorce from Sheen, beginning a relationship with Aaron Phypers in December 2017.

Phypers, a wellness practitioner, and Richards married in September 2018 in Malibu, California, after a whirlwind courtship. Their wedding was featured on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, where Richards had become a cast member. Phypers also began the process of adopting Richards’ youngest daughter, Eloise, whom she had adopted as a single mother in 2011.

For several years, the marriage appeared stable and the family unit settled. However, in July 2025, Phypers filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. What followed was a rapid and painful public unraveling.

Days after the filing, Richards sought a temporary restraining order against Phypers, accusing him of physical and verbal abuse throughout their marriage. In her court filing, she stated that Phypers “repeatedly abused me during the marriage” and “threatened to kill me and himself and the police.” She also showed the court photos she said documented her injuries.

Phypers has denied the abuse allegations. At a court hearing in July 2025, he stated, “I never physically harmed Denise Richards. I never threatened to harm her. I did not threaten to kill anybody.”

At a subsequent court hearing to extend the restraining order, Phypers was arrested and charged with two felony counts of injuring a spouse and two felony counts of dissuading a witness by force or threat. On November 7, 2025, Richards was granted a five-year restraining order against him.

Those felony charges represent the legal system’s formal response to the allegations. The divorce proceedings remain ongoing, and the case has become one of the most closely followed celebrity legal battles.

A Mother of Three

Throughout both marriages and their aftermaths, Richards’ role as a mother has been a consistent anchor in her public narrative.

She is the mother of three daughters. Sami, now 22, and Lola, now in her early twenties, are her children with Charlie Sheen. Eloise Joni Richards, now a teenager, was adopted by Richards as a single mother in 2011, between her two marriages.

Richards has been open about the challenges of raising Eloise, who has special needs, disclosing in 2019 that her youngest daughter requires additional care and support. Phypers had been in the process of adopting Eloise during their marriage, a detail that has added another layer of complexity to their divorce.

Her daughters have grown up largely in the public eye, a reality Richards has navigated with varying degrees of comfort over the years. Sami, in particular, has stepped into her own public profile as a young adult.

Reflecting on ‘One of the Most Painful Years’

Richards’ decision to rule out marriage came after what she herself described as one of the most difficult periods of her life.

In a reflective Instagram post at the turn of the year, Richards wrote: “Looking back at all the photos and videos I have of 2025, it feels like I’m looking at two different people and lived two different lives. I will never forget this year, one of the most painful years I’ve lived.”

The statement underscored the toll that the divorce, the restraining order, the court proceedings, and the public scrutiny have taken on her.

Yet her podcast comments also made clear that she does not intend to stay in that pain indefinitely. Her stated desire to find love again and to avoid becoming bitter reflects a forward-looking orientation, even as she firmly shuts the door on the specific institution that has twice hurt her.

Who Is Denise Richards

Denise Lee Richards was born on February 17, 1971, in Downers Grove, Illinois. She is 55 years old.

Richards rose to fame as an actress in the 1990s and 2000s, with roles in Wild Things, Starship Troopers, and The World Is Not Enough, in which she played Bond girl Christmas Jones. She later appeared in Love Actually and numerous television projects before joining the cast of Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills in 2019, bringing her personal life into the reality-television spotlight.

More recently, Richards and her family appeared in the reality show Denise Richards and the Wild Things, which aired in 2026.

Denise Richards Marriage Timeline

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Denise Richards say she won’t marry again?

Richards said on The Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg Show that she will never marry again after two painful divorces, saying, “I don’t want that piece of paper.” She described her second marriage to Aaron Phypers as a “business arrangement” and called herself “0 for 2.”

Is Denise Richards open to dating?

Yes. While she has ruled out marriage, Richards said she is open to love and partnership. “I would have a partner. I want to fall in love again, so I don’t want to be bitter,” she said.

Who was Denise Richards married to?

Richards was married twice: first to actor Charlie Sheen from 2002 to 2006, and then to wellness practitioner Aaron Phypers from 2018. Phypers filed for divorce in July 2025, and the proceedings are ongoing.

Does Denise Richards have children?

Yes. Richards has three daughters: Sami and Lola from her marriage to Charlie Sheen, and Eloise, whom she adopted as a single mother in 2011.

What happened with Aaron Phypers?

Phypers filed for divorce in July 2025. Richards subsequently accused him of domestic abuse during their marriage and obtained a restraining order. Phypers was charged with two felony counts of injuring a spouse and two felony counts of dissuading a witness. He has denied the abuse allegations. The divorce is ongoing.

Did Denise Richards forgive Aaron Phypers?

No. On the podcast, Richards said bluntly, “I will never say I forgive him,” when asked about Phypers.

How old is Denise Richards?

Denise Richards is 55 years old. She was born on February 17, 1971, in Downers Grove, Illinois.

Also Read: Billy Joel Health Update: Recovery Delays Stage Return

Last Updated on October 16, 2026 by 247 News Around The World