Bijou Phillips May Have Divorced Danny Masterson For 'Strategic Legal Reasons,' Sources Say

Bijou Phillips, 43, filed for divorce from That ’70s Show actor Danny Masterson, 47, after nearly 12 years of marriage in Santa Barbara Superior Court on Monday, September 18th. The filing has come less than two weeks after she stood by him in court as he was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for raping two women at his Hollywood Hills residence in separate incidents between 2001 and 2003.

Masterson was sentenced on September 7th, after a Los Angeles jury had found him guilty of two counts of rape in a re-trial back in May following an initial mistrial in 2022. A third case reviewed in May, involving a former girlfriend, could not be agreed at the time and led to another re-trial in September, which was eventually dismissed.

Bijou Phillips Files For Divorce From Danny Masterson

According to reports, Phillips, a former teenage model, singer, and actress, cited "irreconcilable differences" and has asked for full legal and physical custody of their nine-year-old daughter, as well as spousal support. People also reports that Phillips asked Masterson to pay her attorney's fees. Additionally, she reportedly requested to "terminate the court's ability to grant support" to Masterson, and asked that their assets be divided up as separate property.

Phillips' lawyer Peter Lauzon told People that her "priority" remains with their daughter, and as things currently stand, Phillips reportedly said she would still allow their daughter to visit her father in prison. Lauzon went on to say that Masterson "was always present for Phillips during her most difficult times," and "is a wonderful father," adding, "She hopes that everyone will respect her family's privacy in these difficult times."

Interestingly, Phillips has stood by Masterson throughout his trials on three rape counts (the third one resulted in a hung jury, as the jury could not reach a verdict on an allegation from November 2001 involving a former girlfriend.) According to NBC News, the three women were members of the Church of Scientology, which Masterson is reportedly also a member of. Two of the women testified that he had spiked their drinks before assaulting them, and also said that the church tried to silence them.

According to Variety, the three women told the judge that Masterson’s actions had ruined their lives, and asked the judge to give him a life sentence. Jane Doe 1 called him “a true coward and heartless monster.” Addressing Masterson directly, Jane Doe 2 said: “I still have to contend with what you did to me that night… That takes a life’s worth of therapy to repair. Every time I think I’m okay, that rape comes back to me.” Jane Doe 3 said that she had been diagnosed with PTSD.

In a letter to the judge before his September 7th sentencing, Phillips described her husband as "a life-saving partner," and said she was "heartbroken that he is not home with us." She was seen crying in court when the verdict was delivered, and Masterson blew her a kiss as he left the court and was led to prison.

Why Did Phillips File For Divorce After Supporting Masterson?

Phillips suddenly filing for divorce after so very publicly supporting her husband has raised a lot of questions, but there are a few theories as to why she has made the move. According to Insider, lawyers have hinted that Phillips may have filed for divorce for "strategic legal reasons," including to protect her assets from more lawsuits, among other things.

Family law attorney Holly Davis of Austin-based Kirker Davis LLP reportedly told Insider that the couple may have already "strategized" how to divide their assets before Masterson faces further legal action, which is actually quite "typical" in these scenarios.

"It is very typical for people who are married to get a divorce when one of them is imprisoned," Davis said. "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."