Danny Masterson and Bijou Phillips: A Relationship Journey Through Triumph and Tragedy
Danny Masterson, best known for his role as Steven Hyde in “That ’70s Show,” and actress Bijou Phillips embarked on their relationship journey in 2009 after meeting at a celebrity poker tournament. Their connection was immediate and powerful, leading to marriage in 2011 and the birth of their daughter Fianna in 2014. For several years, they appeared to be a picture-perfect Hollywood couple, balancing their entertainment careers with family life and their shared commitment to Scientology. Their public appearances showed a united front, with Phillips often expressing her deep love and admiration for Masterson in interviews, while he spoke of how she brought stability and joy to his life.
However, their relationship would face unprecedented challenges beginning in March 2017, when multiple women came forward accusing Masterson of sexual assault allegedly occurring in the early 2000s. The allegations sent shockwaves through Hollywood and immediately impacted Masterson’s career, resulting in his dismissal from Netflix’s “The Ranch.” Throughout this initial period of public scrutiny, Masterson maintained his innocence, and Phillips stood firmly by his side. Their relationship appeared to grow even more insular as they navigated the intense media attention and public judgment. Friends close to the couple reported that Phillips never wavered in her support, believing wholeheartedly in her husband’s innocence and viewing the allegations as attacks not just on him but on their family unit and religious community.
The situation escalated dramatically in June 2020 when Masterson was arrested and formally charged with three counts of rape. Despite being released on a $3.3 million bail, the gravity of the charges cast a dark shadow over the couple’s life. During this difficult period, sources close to the couple described Phillips as “a total rock,” completely devoted to supporting her husband through the legal proceedings. “She fully supports him and says they’ll get through this nightmare together and come out stronger,” one insider revealed to Us Weekly in January 2022. Phillips was frequently seen accompanying Masterson to court appearances, holding his hand and presenting a united front to the world. Their daughter, then around eight years old, became the center of their focus as they attempted to maintain some sense of normalcy in their home life despite the extraordinary circumstances.
The couple faced another significant blow when Masterson’s first criminal trial began in August 2022. Throughout the emotionally charged proceedings, Phillips remained a constant presence in the courtroom, often displaying visible emotion during particularly difficult testimony. When the trial concluded in November with a hung jury and mistrial declaration, there was perhaps a moment of relief, though it would prove short-lived. Friends of the couple reported that this period was particularly stressful, with Phillips struggling to balance her unwavering support for her husband with the increasing social isolation they experienced as more details of the allegations became public. The strain reportedly affected her health, with Phillips, who had previously undergone a kidney transplant in 2017, experiencing renewed health challenges under the extreme stress.
The retrial, beginning in April 2023, would prove decisive and devastating for the couple. On May 31, 2023, Masterson was found guilty of raping two women in the early 2000s. The verdict sent shockwaves through their lives, and Phillips was reportedly visibly distraught as the decision was read. Despite the guilty verdict, she continued to attend court proceedings, including the September sentencing where Masterson received 30 years to life in prison. Witnesses described her as appearing shell-shocked during the sentencing, the reality of their new future seemingly setting in as her husband was led away. Throughout this period, Phillips had to contend not only with the public condemnation of her husband but also criticism for her continued support of him, placing her in an almost impossible position between loyalty to her marriage and the serious nature of the crimes of which Masterson had been convicted.
In a surprising turn that signaled the final chapter of their relationship, less than two weeks after Masterson’s sentencing, Phillips filed for divorce, ending their marriage of more than a decade. The filing marked a dramatic shift from her previous unwavering support and suggested that the finality of the conviction and sentence had perhaps forced a painful reassessment of their future together. Sources close to Phillips indicated that the decision came after intense soul-searching and consideration for their daughter’s wellbeing. As she begins this new chapter as a single mother, Phillips faces the challenging task of rebuilding her life and identity separate from Masterson while helping their young daughter navigate the complicated reality of her father’s crimes and incarceration. Their relationship, which began with such promise at a poker tournament in 2009, concluded in circumstances neither could have imagined, a stark reminder of how dramatically lives can change when hidden truths come to light.
