Denise Richards has been ordered to pay her estranged husband, Aaron Phypers, $5,000 a month in temporary spousal support as their contentious divorce continues.

The 55-year-old "Wild Things" actress was also instructed to cover $30,000 in attorney fees, with the first $10,000 installment due at the end of March.

Judge Nicole Bershon clarified that the support is strictly for divorce proceedings and does not cover Phypers' pending criminal defense.

The monthly amount was broken down as $2,000 for rent, $1,000 for his car, $1,000 for food, and the remainder for miscellaneous expenses, Page Six reported.

Phypers, who claimed to have only $200 to his name, said the funds would "certainly help" and that he is taking things "one day at a time."

Richards, who was married to Phypers from 2018 until their separation last year, expressed financial strain during the hearing.

She explained she could "barely pay for [her] attorney" and had been "blowing through everything" she earned while married.

Denise Richards Defends Daughter Eloise

Her lawyer, Mark Gross, also highlighted the "pretty extraordinary" costs of caring for her 14-year-old daughter, Eloise, who has a rare chromosomal disorder causing developmental delays.

"Victims of abuse shouldn't be required to support their abuser," Gross added, referencing the permanent restraining order granted to Richards against Phypers in November 2025.

Phypers, 53, faces four felony counts, including two for injuring a spouse and two for dissuading a witness, all of which he has denied. His lawyer noted that he has yet to be convicted.

The temporary spousal support is part of a broader legal battle between the former couple, who filed for divorce citing irreconcilable differences.

According to Daily Mail, Richards has three daughters: Eloise, and two older daughters, Sami, 21, and Lola, 20, from her previous marriage to actor Charlie Sheen.

Phypers had intended to adopt Eloise in 2019, but the paperwork was never finalized.

During a recent appearance on Tori Spelling's podcast, Richards criticized Phypers' parents for attempting to raise funds through a GoFundMe that referenced her daughter.

"To go to this level, to bring my daughter into it—it's more a personal thing. It is shocking, but whatever," she said.

Richards emphasized that she would handle other claims about her after the divorce is finalized.

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