EXCLUSIVE: Bijou Phillips’ Mamas & Papas singer stepmother Michelle, 79, is seen in Santa Monica, as friends say she’s reached out to her stepdaughter after Danny Masterson’s sentencing
Bijou Phillips’ stepmother Michelle Phillips is hoping to strengthen her “strained” relationship with her stepdaughter after Danny Masterson has been sentenced to 30 years to life behind bars.
“Michelle didn’t really like Danny from the start,” sources told DailyMail.com. ‘The relationship is tense. Michelle is not her mother, but as a crazy teenager she tried to take Bijou under her wing.
‘Michelle has now contacted Bijou. Chynna (her sister) encourages Michelle to do that.”
DailyMail.com spotted the 79-year-old, who co-founded The Mamas & the Papas with her then-husband John Phillips in the 1960s, at the chic Ivy on the Shore restaurant in Santa Monica, where she enjoyed lunch and dinner with a friend drank a drink. on a glass of wine.
DailyMail.com spotted Michelle Phillips, 79, having lunch at an upscale restaurant in Santa Monica last week
Bijou and Michelle are pictured together in 2007 with Michelle’s son Austin. A source told DailyMail.com: ‘Relationships have been tense lately. Michelle has now contacted Bijou. Michelle didn’t really like Danny from the start
During Michelle’s outing, she wore a blue top, blue and white patterned pants and white shoes
Michelle (second from right) is the last surviving member of folk group The Mamas & the Papas
During Michelle’s outing, she wore a blue top, blue and white patterned pants and white shoes.
“Michelle didn’t really like Danny from the start,” sources told DailyMail.com
As the last surviving member of The Mamas & the Papas, Michelle appeared to be in good health and drove herself to and from lunch in a vintage Mercedes.
On her way out, she gazed fondly at a printed photo of a young child, perhaps one of her relatives.
Michelle and John Phillips, who died in 2001, were married for seven years until their divorce in 1993 and had one child together: Chynna Phillips, now 55, who is married to actor Billy Baldwin.
In 2009, Michelle defended her ex-husband following allegations of incest by another of his daughters – Michelle’s stepdaughter – Mackenzie Phillips.
Bijou said at the time that she knew her half-sister Mackenzie had a consensual sexual relationship with their father.
Bijou claimed she was 13 years old when Mackenzie told her about the relationship, calling the news “confusing and scary.”
Bijou added that it was “heartbreaking” to think that her family knew about the incest and yet left her alone with her father.
“Michelle has now contacted Bijou,” the source said. “Chynna (her sister) encourages Michelle to do that.” (L-R) Chynna Phillips, Bijou Phillips, Owen Elliot-Kugell, Mackenzie Phillips, Michelle Phillips attended a ceremony for ‘Mama’ Cass Elliot’s posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in October
Michelle appeared to be in good health and drove herself to and from lunch in a vintage Mercedes
On her way out, she gazed fondly at a printed photo of a young child, perhaps one of her relatives
Michelle enjoyed lunch with a friend and sipped a glass of wine
Michelle and John’s relationship was marred by infidelity and Michelle had affairs with bandmate Denny Doherty, along with Roman Polansky at the time the director was expecting a child with Sharon Tate.
At the height of her fame, Michelle had a whirlwind marriage to actor Dennis Hopper that lasted just eight days, as well as high-profile romances with Jack Nicholson and Warren Beatty.
She divorced her third husband, radio producer John Burch, in 1979 after a year.
Stepdaughter Bijou, 43, has had similar luck in love after filing for divorce from devout Scientologist Masterson last week.
Bijou, who appeared devastated when Masterson was sentenced to the harsh prison term after being convicted of raping two women, was seen without her wedding ring at a restaurant on Wednesday.
The blonde mother-of-one dressed in baggy jeans and a black tank top for an hour-long lunch with a friend and smiled broadly during the outing.
The lunch came less than two days after she filed to end her marriage, citing irreconcilable differences and asking for full custody of her daughter and spousal support.
By contrast, Masterson is currently inmate number 6614941 at the LA County Men’s Central Jail, awaiting a transfer to an as-yet-undecided state prison.