Denise Richards isn’t giving up on love. Marriage, however, is another story.
The former “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star is opening up about her romantic future as she continues navigating her divorce from Aaron Phypers. And after two marriages, Richards has reached a firm conclusion about whether she would ever walk down the aisle again.
During a recent appearance on “The Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg Show,” Richards, 55, didn’t hesitate when asked about the possibility of another marriage.
“Will I ever get married again? Abso-f***ing-lutely not. I don’t want that piece of paper,” she declared.
But while the actress has ruled out another wedding, she made an important distinction: She still hopes to fall in love again.
Denise Richards Says She’s Open to Love, but Not Another Marriage
Richards explained that her experiences with marriage have changed how she views the institution itself, not necessarily romantic relationships.
Reflecting on her marriages to Phypers and her first husband, Charlie Sheen, Richards described feeling like “a product” during her marriage to Phypers and characterized the relationship as a “business arrangement.”
“That part, I can’t do again. I’m 0 for 2. I am,” she said.
Her feelings about marriage may be settled, but Richards doesn’t want the difficulties of her past relationships to determine what comes next.
“I would have a partner, and I want to fall in love again… I don’t want to be bitter, I don’t want to be cold,” she told host Jenny McCarthy.
It’s a revealing distinction from Richards, who has spent much of the past year dealing with the fallout from her separation.
Rather than closing herself off to another relationship, she seems determined to separate the possibility of finding happiness with someone from the legal commitment of marriage.
For Richards, a future relationship doesn’t necessarily need to come with a wedding.
Denise Richards Reflects on Her Marriage to Aaron Phypers
Richards also spoke candidly about the relationship she’s leaving behind, describing her marriage to Phypers as an experience she wishes she could undo.
“I wasn’t looking for a relationship, but it happened,” she recalled.
She explained that the relationship began during a period when her daughters were getting older and she felt she had moved beyond some of the challenges associated with her previous marriage to Sheen.
Looking back, however, Richards said she wishes she had never entered Phypers’ wellness business, where their paths first crossed.
“I don’t have any regrets in my life. I’ve always been the type that everything’s a lesson — the challenges, as painful as they can be, I don’t regret it. This, I regret. I’ve never regretted anything,” she said.
The actress also acknowledged that revisiting memories of the relationship remains difficult. She said she struggles to look at old photographs of herself and Phypers, even those taken during happier moments.
Richards described experiencing profound pain and betrayal and said she believes she learned more about her marriage during the separation than she knew while they were together.
She also indicated that she doesn’t anticipate maintaining a friendship with Phypers, despite remaining friendly with her other former partners.
Richards and Phypers’ divorce proceedings began in July 2025. The former couple’s separation has since drawn considerable public attention, including competing allegations surrounding their relationship.
Phypers has disputed allegations made against him.
For now, Richards is looking toward a future that could still include romance, companionship and another meaningful relationship.
She just doesn’t see another marriage certificate being part of it.
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Denise Richards Reveals Whether She’ll Ever Marry Again After Aaron Phypers Split