Dean McDermott Brands Tori Spelling A 'Highly Evolved' & 'Loving Person' Amid Divorce Battle

Dean McDermott recently defended his estranged wife, Tori Spelling, after a troll criticized her for liking his Instagram photo showing off his girlfriend.

The former couple, who share five children, separated last June after 18 years of marriage. Spelling filed for divorce in March, citing "irreconcilable differences," and McDermott sought joint custody and spousal support.

Dean McDermott Defends Tori Spelling From Trolls

McDermott stood up for Spelling after an internet troll criticized her for liking an Instagram photo of the actor with his new girlfriend, Lily Calo.

When a social media user remarked, "The fact Tori liked this is mind-boggling," McDermott promptly responded: "It's because she is a highly evolved and compassionate, loving person, which is a lot more [than] I can say for the trolls commenting on this post."

He continued, "Tori has a boyfriend. People get divorced and are better apart [than] together. That's life. I'll pray for happiness for all the haters."

Dean McDermott Went Instagram Official With Lily Calo

The troll comment comes after McDermott made his relationship with Calo's Instagram official by sharing two photos from their date night at Magic Castle.

In the photo, the 57-year-old actor looks dapper in a dark pinstripe suit and white button-up shirt, while Calo compliments him in a black dress with pinstripes. Another photo shows Calo kissing her beau on the cheek.

The lovebirds were first in October 2023, holding hands during a Los Angeles outing. By January, McDermott appeared to be moving in with her, as he was spotted carrying boxes into her home.

Tori Spelling And Dean McDermott Divorce Battle

McDermott and Spelling were married for 18 years and share five children: Liam, 17, Stella, 15, Hattie, 12, Finn, 11, and Beau, 7 before they announced their separation last June. Spelling officially filed for divorce in March, citing "irreconcilable differences."

Following her divorce filing, the "Slasher" actor submitted his legal documents and opposed Spelling's bid for sole custody of their children, seeking joint physical and legal custody instead.

According to court documents obtained by The Blast, McDermott also requested spousal support while asking the court to terminate his estranged wife's request for spousal support. Both parties are seeking to have the other cover their attorneys' fees.

Tori Spelling Muses About Finding A Future Partner That Doesn't Feel 'Less' Than Her

In a discussion with Shannen Doherty on her "misSpelling" podcast, Spelling explained that preconceived notions about her character made it hard to move forward before she filed for divorce in March after 18 years of marriage.

She shared: "One of my biggest fears, and this perhaps did make me stay longer, is I feel like in our world it's difficult to be with a man and have him not feel emasculated."

Spelling continued: "Not by our doing, but by who we are and have been labeled by society. We're not just women who make money, we're women who have power, and we're women who have fame, I don't know any different. I feel guilty."

During the podcast episode, Spelling also expressed her concerns about finding a future partner, revealing her feelings of uncertainty and vulnerability.

She told Doherty, "Like, how am I ever gonna be with a man and he doesn't feel like less than me just because of my status?"

Despite staying in her marriage beyond its breaking point, the "Beverly Hills, 90210" alum shared that she remains on good terms with McDermott and his new girlfriend.

She mentioned enjoying family meals with them, stating, "I like Lily a lot. It's not bad. It's just, you know, it's different. Right?" Spelling added: 'We're co-parenting very well right now."

The Actress Recalls The Last Fight That Ended Her Marriage To Dean McDermott

Reflecting on her failed marriage, Spelling recounted the explosive argument with McDermott that led to their split. She shared that the fight erupted after a day on set in June 2023, when McDermott made a comment "he knew would really be hurtful to hear."

Although the 50-year-old didn't reveal McDermott's exact words, she described the impact as so profound that she angrily threw a well-prepared baked potato onto the kitchen floor.

"This guttural scream came out of me," Spelling recalled. "It wasn't even like a sexy scream, like running in a horror film. It was beast-like. It wasn't pretty at all."

She added: "And I was like, 'F-ck you!' And I took my most prized possession at that moment, my baked potato. It was loaded to perfection, and I smashed it on the ground."