Bijou Phillips Reportedly Made a Bold Move Against Scientology Amid Danny Masterson's Conviction
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Bijou Phillips spent much of 2023 navigating then-husband Danny Masterson’s sexual assault case in Los Angeles. After he was convicted of two counts of rape and sentenced to 30 years in prison, the 43-year-old actress filed for divorce and reportedly made a bold move against the Church of Scientology.
Phillips didn’t make a big announcement, but she reportedly exited the controversial religion shortly after Masterson’s conviction. The That ’70s Show actor was labelled a Suppressive Person by the church after the court’s decision. This would have forced Phillips and their daughter, Fianna, 9, to cut ties with him for good, which was something she wasn’t willing to do. “Bijou left a few weeks after she found out that Danny had been declared an SP [Suppressive Person] for not living up to the standards of the church,” a source told the Daily Mail. They noted that “it’s never an easy decision to leave Scientology because you face being ripped apart from your family and friends who are still members.”
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For Phillips, it might have been easier for her because she was the only one in her family who was a member of the Church of Scientology. Her sister, Wilson Phillips singer Chynna Phillips, “has been a rock for Bijou” and is supporting her through this very difficult time in her life. The situation is much more difficult for Masterson, who grew up in the church, thanks to his stepfather Joe Reaiche and mother Carole Masterson’s longtime membership. “The Masterson family has been tight lipped on whether or not they have left the church. But I can’t imagine them cutting ties with Danny,” the source added. “It’s a toxic mess. The whole thing.”
Masterson’s criminal suit isn’t the only issue the Church of Scientology faces, they are also a part of several civil suits from the actor’s conviction. The insider believes that Masterson could become a big “threat” to the organization because he has nothing to lose. It’s a possibility that “he will blow the lid on the church and its secrets, meaning what they told him to do, how to handle the rape allegations. It’s far from over.”
Phillips supported her former husband throughout his trial and it’s been alleged that her divorce filing was solely to protect the couple’s assets. Family law attorney Holly Davis told Business Insider that it’s “very typical for people who are married to get a divorce when one of them is imprisoned.” She added, “Danny and Bijou are going to divide their estate and once the divorce is finalized, certain bank accounts, real estate, and other assets are going to be Bijou’s separate property. “Any future lawsuits against Danny won’t be able to look to joint assets for payment, because Bijou will no longer be married to Danny.”
Before you go, click here to see celebrities who have left the Church of Scientology.
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