Denise Richards says she disclosed facelift after ex mentioned it in court

Updated 18:38 15 Oct 2026 GMT+1Published 15:37 15 Oct 2026 GMT+1

The Bond girl opened up about why she decided to go public with her facelift results

Earlier this year, Denise Richards went public with the reveal of the facelift she had done in 2025.

The former Bond girl said she'd initially told herself she would 'never' get one, but after sharing incredible before-and-after photos, she called it the ‘best thing’ she’s done.

And to be honest, we’re still not over the results of the reported $200,000 facelift, as some have even compared it to a total ‘head transplant’.

Already known for her stunning looks before it, Richards previously said she had it done to get a brighter and tighter complexion in a bid to ‘put things back up where they were before’.

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The 55-year-old trusted her face with celebrity plastic surgeon Dr Ben Talei, who specialises in ‘natural, long-lasting facelift and neck lift surgery'. His site explains that facelifts 'aim to address signs of aging in the lower face and neck by lifting and tightening sagging skin and muscles'.

She opened up more on a recent podcast. (YouTube/The Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg Show)

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star appeared on The Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg Show earlier this week when she explained the announcement.

Richards had the facelift back in June 2025, a month before her ex Aaron Phypers filed for divorce.

Denise Richards in 2023 (left) and 2026 (right) (YouTube/Bethenny Frankel/The Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg Show)

She alleged that during proceedings, he ‘said something in court about it on purpose’.

“I was so pleasantly surprised because there was media in there that didn't print it, which was nice,” Richards explained on the podcast.

“But I figured, you know what, I think I just need to be honest. And I didn't want to give him that power and have to say it then."

Denise Richards pictured in 2024 (left) and last month (right) (Charles Sykes/Bravo via Getty Images/JC Olivera/Variety via Getty Images)

Now, she’s ‘so glad’ that she’s been open about the facelift.

“I didn't know how people would react, but I think I want to know what everyone's doing. What's peptides, what's this, what's that,” she said.

Plus, she was so pleased with Dr Talei’s work that she ‘wanted to share the information’.

She told Allure last year when she first opened up about the facelift: "I always said I would never get a facelift, because that's my face. This is how I make my money.

"If things go a little sideways when you do some other part of your body, you could cover it. So I was always scared of a facelift."

But, after thinking about it for two years, she took the plunge and went under the knife.

It really is amazing work (Instagram/@drbentalei)

Richards appearance on the podcast this week has led to the images of her facelift going viral again.

One user wrote on X: “The new face lifts are literally insane it’s like basically a head transplant.”

Another wrote: “The surgeon put his foot on the back of Denise Richards’ neck and YANKED her back to 1998, she looks absolutely incredible (although she also looked great before), flawless work.”

Simply amazing (Instagram/@drbentalei)

It’s been widely agreed that it’s one of the ‘best facelifts’ people have ever seen as one wrote online: “It really is. She still looks like herself, only younger but also still not really young, if that makes sense? No weird distortions.”

"She looks amazing," plenty have said as another wrote: "I'm not a fan of cosmetic surgery but the doctor did do a good job on her."

"Denise really got yanked back to 1998 and I’m lowkey taking notes cause that glow is everything right now babe," one put.

LADbible has contacted a representative for Aaron Phypers for a comment.

Featured Image Credit: JB Lacroix/WireImage

Topics: Denise Richards, Celebrity News, Entertainment