Denise Richards gets candid about difficult year as she welcomes 2026

After a challenging year, Denise Richards is looking ahead to 2026 with renewed hope.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star, 54, marked the New Year by sharing an emotional Instagram post on January 1, reflecting on what she described as “one of the most painful years I’ve lived.”

“Looking back at all the photos & videos I have of 2025, it feels like I’m looking at two different people & lived two different lives,” Richards wrote.

She referred to 2025 as “the year of the snake,” joking that it was “a year of shedding, literally,” while tagging facial plastic surgeon Dr Ben Talei and teasing that there would be “more on that” later with photos and videos.

“As painful as it is, I’m so grateful for the clarity. I shed alot of tears and felt pain & betrayal I never knew existed,” she continued.

“I couldn’t have gotten through this year if it weren’t for my family, old & new friends, this community, those of you I work with.”

Richards’ post comes amid her ongoing divorce from ex-husband Aaron Phypers, who filed for divorce in July 2025 after six years of marriage. 

Weeks later, Richards sought a restraining order, alleging physical abuse during their relationship. In November, she was granted a five-year restraining order.

Despite the hardships, Richards shared gratitude for positive moments, including meeting fans at BravoCon.

“I’m so grateful to all of you. I did have a lot of blessed happy moments in 2025 & especially the last couple months, I’m finally starting to feel like me again, only better. I’m looking forward to the year of the Horse. I feel very lucky that it starts on my birthday,” she wrote.

Richards recently starred in Denise Richards & Her Wild Things and will appear as a “friend of” on the current season of RHOBH, which returns January 8.