The Broadway actress claims that she is 'worried' for her and her 10-month-old daughter's safety following her estranged husband Philip Wakefield's 'bizarre, unstable and threatening conduct.'
- Apr 26, 2022
AceShowbiz - Lindsay Mendez wants to be legally protected by the court from her estranged husband Philip Wakefield. The actress portraying Elphaba in "Wicked" has filed for an emergency restraining order following her ex's "murder-suicide" remarks amid their nasty divorce.
In court documents obtained by The Blast on Monday, April 25, the Broadway actress asked the judge to grant her a protective order as well as full custody of their 10-month-old daughter Lucille Roselind Wakefield. In her petition, she claimed that she's "worried" for their safety.
"My requests are based upon [Philip's] disturbing and frightening behavior which culminated in his recent comment to my friend, during our daughter's first birthday party," read the filing. "I presently have physical custody of Lucy and worry that he would somehow try to harm one or both of us as a result of my seeking court protection. Based on Philip's bizarre, unstable and threatening conduct, I believe he poses an imminent risk of harm to our daughter's physical and emotional safety."
Transcription of the voicemail revealed he described the "murder-suicide" comment as "tongue-in-cheek," stating that it was more so him venting about the hardships of divorce and nothing more. "There is zero chance that I'm going to murder anybody, so it was a joke and I'm not mad and I appreciate you," he said in the voicemail, per Lindsay's filing.
Lindsay also detailed another alleged instance of his questionable behavior, citing a heated dispute that resulted in her locking herself in a room. She further claimed that her ex broke the lock and handle off of the door while trying to get access to her.
In the paperwork, Lindsay said she has been "walking on eggshells" in the wake of their split. She also noted that she felt there was no other choice than to file for a protection order because "Philip's [alleged] conduct appears to be getting worse, not better."
Lindsay filed to end her marriage of five years in January. At the time, the actress, who won the 2018 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance in the Broadway revival of "Carousel", said they had gone their separate ways just before Christmas.
