In Brief:
- Denise Richards, 55, told "The Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg Show" she discussed her facelift publicly after her ex raised it in court.
- She had a deep plane facelift with Dr. Ben Talei in June 2025, detailed in Allure on March 20.
- Aaron Phypers filed for divorce July 7, 2025; the case is unresolved, and he denies her abuse allegations.
Denise Richards Facelift: Denise Richards says she refused to let her estranged husband control the story. So she told it herself.
The 55-year-old former "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star opened up on "The Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg Show."
The new podcast is hosted by "The Masked Singer" judge Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg.
A Court Remark Sparked the Decision
Richards said her ex, Aaron Phypers, mentioned her facelift in court. She believes he did it on purpose.
Reporters were in the courtroom. They did not print the comment. Richards said she was pleasantly surprised.
Still, she made a choice. "I think I just need to just be honest," she said. "And I didn't want to give him that power."
Four months later, her publicist arranged an interview with Allure. Richards used it to discuss the procedure.
Attitudes Have Changed
Richards said the culture around cosmetic surgery looks very different today. She pointed to the 1990s, when she got breast implants.
"We didn't have social media, and I feel that a lot of us were much more private," she said. McCarthy Wahlberg agreed.
Richards said she was surprised by how open many people are now.
What She Had Done
In the Allure interview, published March 20, Richards said she had surgery in late June 2025. Her surgeon was Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Ben Talei.
The procedures included a deep plane facelift, a temporal brow lift, an eyelid lift, a lip corner lift and fat transfer.
It was her first cosmetic procedure on her face. She got breast implants at 19, more than three decades ago.
Richards also told the magazine that Phypers revealed the facelift during the divorce.
She said he sent a photographer to an appointment where she was getting microneedling on her scars.
She said he claimed the surgery was botched. She called that claim ridiculous.
No Regrets About Speaking Out
Richards told McCarthy Wahlberg she is glad she shared her story. She admitted she was unsure how people would react.
She also said she is curious about what everyone else is doing. "What's peptides, what this, what that," she said.
She wanted to credit her surgeon, too. "I feel he did such a great job on me that I wanted to share the information," she said.
The Divorce Battle Continues
Phypers, 53, filed for divorce on July 7, 2025. He filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
He cited irreconcilable differences and asked for spousal support. The couple married in September 2018.
Court documents list July 4, 2025, as the separation date. That was about 10 days after the facelift.
Richards later obtained a temporary restraining order against Phypers.
She accused him of domestic violence. Phypers has denied the allegations.
At an Oct. 6, 2025, hearing, Richards testified that she was still healing.
She had stitches behind her ears when the couple split. She said she felt extremely vulnerable.
The divorce is still unresolved. In a recent ruling, a judge ordered Phypers to pay Richards $25,762.
That total includes $14,775 in sanctions. The judge found he had not properly answered written questions from her legal team, Page Six reported.
Other Revelations From the Interview
Richards said she wishes she had never visited the wellness center Phypers ran. That is where the two first got to know each other.
She said she had never regretted anything before. "This I regret," she said.
She also said she unknowingly paid the salary and severance of a woman she alleges had an affair with Phypers.
Asked if she would marry again, Richards said no. She added that she would still like to fall in love.
About the Podcast
McCarthy Wahlberg launched the show on Oct. 6. New episodes arrive every Tuesday and Thursday on major podcast platforms.
Upcoming guests include Selma Blair, Teddi Mellencamp and plastic surgeon Dr. Terry Dubrow.
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