Danny Masterson is taking steps to ensure that his estranged wife Bijou Phillips and their daughter Fianna are ‘protected’ as he finally faces up to the ‘reality’ of spending the rest of his live in prison for raping two women, according to insiders.
The That ’70s Show star, 47, was sentenced for the crimes last month, just days before his wife of 12 years filed for divorce on September 18.
The convicted rapist, who was expelled from the Church of Scientology following his conviction, has since agreed to give his ex, 43, both legal and physical custody of their nine-year-old daughter.
Now, the actor has set about making sure ‘everything is being done for the overall benefit of their daughter,’ according to insiders, who claim he has comes to terms with spending the rest of his life behind bars.
‘When it comes to Danny and Bijou’s divorce, everything is being done for the overall benefit of their daughter,’ a source told DailyMail.com exclusively. ‘Bijou still has tremendous respect for Danny as a father and is happy that they are agreeing for her to have full custody.’
Convicted rapist Danny Masterson is making sure his estranged wife Bijou Phillips and their daughter Fianna are ‘protected’ while he is in prison (pictured 2016)
The shamed actor has agreed to give his estranged wife both legal and physical custody of the couple’s daughter – as he serves a 30 year sentence for rape
Revealing the actor’s current mind frame in the weeks since he was sentenced, the insider continued: ‘For Danny, he continues to believe he is fully innocent, but he also realizes that reality is seeping in, and he will likely spend the rest of his life in prison. It is an agonizing ordeal for everyone. But this is their new reality.’
The source added: ‘Danny is making sure that Bijou and his daughter are fully protected while he goes through everything he will continue to go through in the courts.
‘Through all this adversity, they are working together to make what they can make right, right.’
As for how Phillips, who was recently pictured without her wedding ring, is planning to move forward, the source explained that the former socialite is focused on finding the ‘positives’.
‘Bijou is living the rest of her life for her daughter, she is fully devoted to protecting her in every aspect imaginable,’ the insider said.
‘She is turning the stress of Masterson’s sentence into all the positives that can come from it.’
In legal documents obtained by TMZ, it was revealed that Masterson has requested visitation with his daughter – which will be under prison supervision, if granted.
Masterson also listed the couple’s date of separation as September 15 – one week after he was sentenced to 30 years to life for attacking two women in 2003.
The actor was sentenced last month, for raping two women in 2003, and just days later Phillips filed for divorce (pictured in 2015)
Sources have since revealed to DailyMail.com that the actor has been making sure ‘everything is being done for the overall benefit of their daughter’
Phillips was seen looking strained on Tuesday, as she was pictured for the first time since her estranged husband was expelled from Scientology and declared a ‘suppressive person’
The former socialite was pictured pushing her cart, which had a number of brown grocery bags inside
Phillips was pictured grabbing groceries with a friend in Santa Ynez, California, on Tuesday, marking the first time she has emerged since her estranged husband was expelled from Scientology and declared a ‘suppressive person’.
The label – defined by the church as someone whose behavior seeks to impede the spiritual progress of those around him – means fellow Scientologists, including his wife and his family, will be required to cut all ties with him.
Phillips’ split from Masterson came as a surprise to some, as she had remained by his side throughout the trial – which came six months after a different jury were hopelessly deadlocked on all three rape charges, leading to a mistrial.
Masterson was freed on a $3.3million bail throughout both, but that freedom ended with his double conviction on May 31, which saw him locked up in the notorious Men’s Central Jail in downtown Los Angeles.
His victims, known to the court as Jane Doe #1, #2 and #3, shared disturbing details of the sexual assaults and described how they were intimidated and driven from their community as the church of Scientology punished them for speaking up against the The Ranch star.
While Masterton was convicted of raping the first two, the jury was deadlocked over a third charge for the rape of Jane Doe #3, who is his ex-girlfriend Chrissie Carnell-Bixler.
Elsewhere, a source previously opened up about Phillips reasons for deciding to file for divorce when she did, stating: ‘A few reasons she has sought a divorce are twofold.
In legal documents obtained by TMZ , it was revealed that Masterson has requested visitation with his daughter – which will be under prison supervision if granted
‘Recently friends and family have told her to be a mom first and to consider divorce because it really shows her daughter that eventually people need to be held accountable for what they do, even if it is someone they love.
‘Bijou also is doing it to protect her assets and protect her future.
‘She doesn’t want to lose money and land and housing over a future civil lawsuit against Danny, she is looking to protect her future and that is one big reason she has pursued divorce.’
The source continued: ‘Bijou will never say anything negative about Danny’s parenting skills, he is incredible in that department.
‘Bijou loves Danny, always will, and really hopes that his sentence is eventually lessened and or reversed.’
The pair started dating in 2004 after meeting at a poker tournament in Las Vegas, and they got engaged in 2009 before saying ‘I do’ at a castle in Ireland in 2011.
Phillips has asked that the court divide up the couple’s assets amid their divorce, indicating that they never signed a prenuptial agreement.
