Danny Masterson’s wife, Bijou Phillips, files for divorce after rape convictions

(KTLA) — Danny Masterson’s wife, Bijou Phillips, has filed for divorce less than two weeks after the former “That ’70s Show” actor was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for raping two women in 2003.

The filing was submitted on Monday in Santa Barbara, with Philips citing “irreconcilable differences” as the reason behind their split, People Magazine reported.

The two got married in 2011 and have a 9-year-old daughter together.

News of the divorce filing was first reported by TMZ.

“Ms. Phillips has decided to file for divorce from her husband during this unfortunate time. Her priority remains with her daughter. This period has been unimaginably hard on the marriage and the family. Mr. Masterson was always present for Ms. Phillips during her most difficult times of her life,” Peter Lauzon, Phillips’ lawyer, told The Hollywood Reporter in a statement.

“Ms. Phillips acknowledges that Mr. Masterson is a wonderful father to their daughter.”

After her husband’s sentencing, a source told People that Phillips “has had a very difficult time” since he was convicted, but a split was not expected.

“She loves Danny and has no plans to file for divorce. She will be by his side for it all.”

A representative for Masterson declined to comment, the Associated Press reported.

News of the divorce filing sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry since many assumed Philips would stay with Masterson, as she did during his years-long legal battles.

Phillips sat with other Masterson family members in court throughout two long trials, the first of which ended in a mistrial, the second of which ended in a conviction on two of three rape counts from 2003.

She wept when in court when the guilty verdicts were read on May 31, and showed similar emotion at times during his Sept. 7 sentencing hearing, when a judge gave Masterson a prison term that will require him to be held for 25 1/2 years before he is eligible for parole.

In a letter to the judge prior to Masterson’s sentencing, Phillips praised him as a husband and father.

“I can say that Danny has literally been a life-saving partner to me,” Phillips wrote, an apparent reference to Masterson’s care for her and their daughter after Phillips had a kidney transplant in 2017.

The letter, which was heavily redacted before becoming public after the sentencing, said she and Masterson bought a farm that he turned into a vineyard in rural Santa Barbara County after the revelation of the police investigation led to his losing all his acting work.

Masterson maintains his innocence and his attorneys have said they plan to appeal, contending there were problems with evidence and constitutional issues with his conviction.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.