Bijou Phillips has reportedly asked the court to remove “Masterson”from daughter Fianna’s last name as ex-husband Danny Masterson continues to serve his prison sentence.
According to court documents obtained by TMZ on Friday, October 24, Phillips, 45, submitted paperwork to change her 11-year-old daughter’s name from Fianna Francis Masterson to Fianna Francis Phillips. A judge has yet to sign off on the request.
The outlet also reported that Masterson and Phillips were declared legally single after Phillips filed for divorce in September 2023.
Us Weekly has reached out to Phillips and Masterson for comment.
Phillips and Masterson started dating in 2004 and got engaged five years later. The pair tied the knot in 2011. Three years later, Phillips and Masterson welcomed Fianna in February 2014.
In 2017, Masterson was accused of sexual assault by multiple women. He was arrested and charged with three counts of rape in 2020. The That ’70s Show alum has denied all the allegations against him.
Masterson went to trial multiple times for the allegations and Phillips remained by his side. His first case occurred in 2022 and resulted in a mistrial after the jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict. The retrial began in April 2023. During the case, Phillips wrote a letter on behalf of her then-husband.
“I am writing to you to ask that you consider this information when sentencing my husband, Danny Masterson,” she wrote in a letter obtained by The Underground Bunker, which specializes in news about Scientology. “I depended on Danny to take care of me and our daughter. I always felt that she would be okay because Danny is an amazing father. He was devoted to our daughter, would read her books, take her on walks and to ballet lessons. I never once heard him complain. The two were inseparable.”
Phillips added that Fianna was heartbroken to not have her father around.
“More than anything, she loves her father. When he calls us each day, she ends with ‘I love you too much Daddy,’” she continued. “We need him more than you can imagine. I know he has been convicted of serious crimes. But the man I married has only been an extraordinary husband to me and a devoted father to our daughter.”
One month later, Masterson was found guilty on two counts of forcible rape for incidents that occurred in the early 2000s. In August 2023, he was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison.
Days after his sentencing, Phillips filed for divorce from Masterson after 12 years of marriage. She requested full custody of their daughter.
“Ms. Phillips has decided to file for divorce from her husband during this unfortunate time. Her priority remains with her daughter,” her attorney Lauzon Paluch told TMZ at the time. “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. Ms. Phillips acknowledges that Mr. Masterson is a wonderful father to their daughter.”
Us confirmed two months later that Masterson awarded Phillips full custody of Fianna as he serves out his prison sentence. Masterson asked for visitation rights.
In March 2024, Phillips brought Fianna to visit Masterson behind bars. According to photos obtained by The Daily Mail at the time, the mother-daughter duo were photographed at the California Men’s Colony in San Luis Obispo three days after Masterson’s birthday.
