Bijou Phillips accused of intimidation
Actor Daniel Franzese, best known for his role in “Mean Girls,” said on Facebook that the abuse took place on the set of the movie “Bully.”
Bijou Phillips filed for divorce from Danny Masterson on Monday after 12 years of marriage.
Phillips, 43, cited “irreconcilable differences” in court documents obtained by Fox News Digital.
The couple married in 2011 and have a daughter together. Phillips’ petition sought full legal and physical custody of their minor daughter, with Masterson receiving visitation from the children. Phillips also requested that she receive spousal support and asked the court to terminate any alimony paid to Masterson.
Depending on the filing, all of the couple’s assets must be determined and divided. There is no mention of a prenuptial agreement.
DANNY MASTERSON’S WIFE, JEWEL PHILLIPS, IS ‘HEARTBROKEN’, IMPLIES MERCY IN ACTOR’S CONVICTION FOR RAPE
Bijou Phillips has filed for divorce from Danny Masterson. (Paul Redmond/WireImage)
Two weeks ago, the “That ’70s Show” actor was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison after being convicted in May of two counts of forcible rape. A jury was hung on a third charge.
DANNY MASTERSON’S WIFE, BIJOU PHILLIPS, DEMANDS SUPPORT AFTER DIVORCE FILING
Masterson, 47, initially faced up to 45 years in prison for three counts of rape by force or fear, which occurred between 2001 and 2003 at his Hollywood Hills home.
“The Ranch” actor was on trial for the second time, less than six months after his first trial was canceled in November.
Bijou Phillips filed for sole custody of her and Danny Masterson’s daughter. (Victor Hugo/Getty Images)
Phillips was present throughout the retrial, and court sketches showed Masterson blowing Phillips a kiss before being led away after his sentencing.
Last week, it was reported that Phillips was said to be “distraught” by Masterson’s conviction, but had “no plans” to leave the disgraced actor.
“She has been going through a very difficult time since her conviction,” a source told People. “She loves Danny and has no plans to file for divorce. She will be by his side through all of this.”
DANNY MASTERSON’S WIFE, BIJOU PHILLIPS, FILE FOR DIVORCE
Following the divorce filing, Phillips’ lawyer said in a statement: “Ms. Phillips has decided to file for divorce from her husband during this unfortunate time. Her priority remains with her daughter.”
The lawyer added: “This time has been incredibly hard on the marriage and the family. Mr. Masterson has always been there for Ms. Phillips during the most difficult times of her life. Ms. Phillips recognizes that Mr. Masterson is a father wonderful for their daughter.”
Here’s what you need to know about Masterson’s soon-to-be ex-wife.
Phillips met Masterson at a celebrity poker game
Masterson and Phillips first met at a celebrity poker game in 2004.
“Every guy at the table was flirting with me except Danny,” the actress told Paper magazine in 2009. “He wasn’t laughing at my jokes. I was like, ‘Who is this Danny Masterson and what do you think- What does he do?’ ‘”
Danny Masterson, Bijou Phillips and Lukas Haas during a celebrity poker game in 2004. (J.Vespa)
Masterson remembers hearing about Phillips’ reputation before meeting her.
“After Vegas and talking to him several times, I was shocked by his incredible intelligence,” Masterson told the magazine. “She knew every book I had read. I was like, ‘This girl is amazing.'”
According to the Daily Mail, “Bijou is treating the results of the trial against her husband as a death,” a source told the outlet in June. “The devastation and reality of it all is on a level you never imagined.”
A sumptuous Irish wedding
The couple got engaged in 2009 and married in October 2011 after seven years together. According to Us Weekly, the couple got married in a castle in Ireland.
Before getting married, Phillips shared with Us Weekly that she wasn’t sure if an engagement to Masterson was in her future.
Danny Masterson and Bijou Phillips married in 2011. (Michael Buckner/Getty Images for Samsung)
“It’s not a yes. It’s not a no. It just kind of is, you know?” Phillips told the outlet in 2008.
Fast forward to 2014, the couple welcomed a child together, daughter Fianna Francis Masterson.
APP USERS CLICK HERE
Masterson announced the news on Instagram at the time, saying, “mom and baby are doing wonderful.”
Phillips was seen throughout both trials – the first which was declared a mistrial in November – supporting her husband.
“She supported Danny throughout this process and never thought this would be the outcome,” the source told the Daily Mail.
DANNY MASTERSON SENTENCED TO 30 YEARS IN PRISON FOR FORCED RAPE
Masterson’s first month-long trial began in October. Masterson, while out on bail, was accompanied to court by a large group of friends and family members with ties to both Scientology and the entertainment industry, including Bijou.
Danny Masterson rose to fame on “That ’70s Show.” (Peacock YouTube Channel/Getty Images)
In the retrial, a jury of seven men and five women deliberated for eight days before returning their verdict in May. Masterson initially faced up to 45 years in prison if convicted of three counts of rape by force or fear for alleged sexual assaults that occurred between 2001 and 2003 at his Hollywood Hills home.
Masterson’s legal team argued the acts were consensual and attempted to discredit the women’s accounts by pointing out changes and inconsistencies over time, which the defense argued showed signs of coordination.
Bijou’s sister is married to Billy Baldwin
Bijou’s sister, Chynna Phillips, married Billy Baldwin in 1995. Billy, who is Alec Baldwin’s younger brother, was also present during Masterson’s trial.
According to Deadline, when Masterson was taken away, “Baldwin and his friends remained in the courtroom in an obvious state of shock.”
Bijou’s sister, Chynna Phillips, is married to Billy Baldwin. (Jeff Kravitz)
Bijou and Chynna Phillips come from famous parents. Genevieve Waite, the late South African actress, and John Phillips, the late singer of the Mamas and The Papas, were married in 1972 before separating in 1985.
Chynna is active on social media.
APP USERS CLICK HERE
In May, Chynna took to Instagram to share a photo of Billy standing in a lake with the caption, “Peace of Christ.”
Phillips has a kidney transplant
In 2017, Masterson shared that his wife had a “100% successful” kidney transplant.
DO YOU LIKE WHAT YOU READ ? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
“My lady has been dying (slowly) for 7 years from incurable kidney disease. A great angel gave her a reminder,” Masterson wrote on Instagram at the time. “Our daughter will have a mother.”
APP USERS CLICK HERE
“We don’t take lightly how incredibly lucky we are. A 100% successful transplant. Now the real work begins for her to silence any risk of rejection. Our deepest gratitude to a transplant team perfect. And a life owed to a big glass of water,” he concluded. “Slainte!” »
She is a model-actress-singer
Bijou previously modeled for Calvin Klein and appeared on the covers of Italian Vogue and Interview magazine.
In 1999, she released her first studio album, “I’d Rather Eat Glass.” The same year, she made her film debut in “Black & White”.
Phillips next appeared in “Bully” in 2001, with her most recent film being “Chelsea on the Rocks” in 2008.
In 2017, Phillips’ “Bully” co-star Daniel Franzese went public with accusations of assault and bullying.
Franzese took to Facebook and wrote in a lengthy post that the alleged mistreatment allegedly took place on the set of their film “Bully.”
CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
“She shamed and ridiculed me about my sexuality and physically assaulted me,” Franzese said of filming the 2001 film. “I was scared and closed off and feared for my job. It started with a lot of attention. She rolled every time we spoke, but intensified when we were casting for the poster. While we were filming, she kept telling loudly “Are you gay?!” and laughing while the producers and photographer did nothing to stop it.”
In a statement to TMZ at the time, Phillips said she “doesn’t remember that time well, those years are a blur.”
Daniel Franzese accused Phillips of abuse in 2017. (Rodin Eckenroth)
“I was a teenager and my behavior was reckless. … I know Daniel is a trustworthy and honest person, and finding out through social media that I was not the friend I thought I was to him made me very sad,” she added.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“I am so mortified by this behavior that I contacted Daniel and apologized to him privately. I am not and have never been homophobic. I have nothing but love for the LGBTQ community and Daniel .”
Tracy Wright of Fox News Digital and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Fox
