Danny Masterson's wife, Bijou Phillips, has filed for divorce less than two weeks after her husband was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for rape. Phillips filed for divorce on Monday in Santa Barbara Superior Court, per court records. She cited "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for the couple's split after nearly 12 years of marriage and is seeking spousal support and legal fees. In her filing, Phillips also petitioned to have her legal name changed to Bijou Phillips.
"Ms. Phillips has decided to file for divorce from her husband during this unfortunate time. Her priority remains with her daughter," her attorney Peter A. Lauzon said in a statement obtained by NBC News. "This period has been unimaginably hard on the marriage and the family. . . . Ms. Phillips acknowledges that Mr. Masterson is a wonderful father to their daughter. She hopes that everyone will respect her family's privacy in these difficult times."
Phillips' filing comes after she penned a letter of support for Masterson amid his trial. She described her husband as "an amazing father," who "was devoted to our daughter, would read her books, take her on walks and to ballet lessons." She also praised Masterson for being a hard worker — even after he was accused of sexual abuse back in 2017 and fired from "The Ranch," Masterson "devoted himself to finding other ways to earn a living."
Masterson was convicted of raping two women at his Los Angeles residence two decades ago. He was accused of and tried for the rape of a third woman, but there was no verdict due to a hung jury.
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