Demi Moore’s unexpected involvement in her daughter Rumer Willis’s custody dispute has captured widespread attention, sparking curiosity about the private struggles that prompted her dramatic public action.
Rumer Willis, now 37, has been embroiled in a fierce custody battle for almost a year with her former partner, Derek Richard Thomas, over their three-year-old daughter, Louetta.
Last week, Moore, aged 63, made headlines when she entered the fray with a startling court submission, accusing Thomas of exhibiting ‘aggressive’ behavior towards Willis during the home birth of their child.
According to an exclusive source for the Daily Mail, Moore’s true feelings about Thomas have been revealed.
“Demi is open about her discomfort with Derek,” the insider disclosed, noting that she prefers his absence from their lives.
‘Her main focus has always been supporting her daughter Rumer and her granddaughter Louetta, and she stands firmly by them. She doesn’t have much interest in having any type of relationship with Derek and prefers to keep things straightforward and centered on family.’
When Demi Moore leapt into her daughter Rumer Willis’ custody battle, she seized the public’s attention; the pair are pictured during Willis’ pregnancy in March 2023
Willis, 37, welcomed daughter Louetta, now three, with Derek Richard Thomas in April 2023 – but their relationship ended the following year; pictured March 2023
The rancorous feud between Louetta’s parents stands in marked contrast to the warm bond that Moore enjoys with her ex-husband Bruce Willis, the father of her three daughters Rumer, 37, Scout, 34, and Tallulah, 32.
Although Willis and Moore have been divorced since 2000, she and her daughters have rallied to his side amid his shattering decline with dementia and have successfully formed a tight-knit blended family with Willis’ current wife Emma Heming and their daughters Mabel, 14, and Evelyn, 12.
‘It’s clear that Demi knows when a relationship works or not being with Bruce,’ the source said. ‘But to compare Bruce and Derek is like comparing a million dollars to a clogged toilet.’
For Moore, the ‘priority is Louetta’s wellbeing and making sure she’s protected and surrounded by stability,’ the insider added.
‘She’s doing her best to support her family through everything, and while relationships can be complicated, she hopes for a respectful, steady dynamic moving forward where things remain calm and consistent for everyone involved.
‘She said what she said, believes in what she believes in and expects Rumer and Louetta to come out the other side of this with as much joy as possible.’
A second insider told the Daily Mail: ‘Rumer is extremely close with her mom. Demi helps with the baby whenever she can. Her family is very close and her sisters are also helpful. Demi is always giving her tips on parenthood and offering to assist.’
That source also pulled the curtain back on the evolving equation between the exes whose battle of wills is now unfolding in the courts.
‘For a long time, Rumer wouldn’t speak ill of Derek. Not many people knew what was going on with them and if they were really still together or no,’ the insider said.
‘Rumer was kind of figuring stuff out. She is very close to her daughter and her entire life is built around her.’
The Daily Mail has contacted Moore’s representative for comment.
Thomas and Willis started dating in 2022 and welcomed Louetta in April 2023, only for their romance to fall apart the following year. Last July, they plunged into a fiery custody battle in which Willis accused her ex of ‘incessant domestic violence in the form of coercive control,’ which he firmly denied.
A source said Moore’s ‘main focus has always been supporting her daughter Rumer and her granddaughter Louetta, and she stands firmly by them’
Moore alleged Rumer is ‘doing 100 percent of the financial and physical support’ for Louetta, claiming Thomas has ‘refused to make any effort and has shown no desire to seek out means to support Louetta
In the court filing Moore submitted for her daughter’s custody battle, the Oscar-nominated actress claimed that Thomas ‘appears to want to dictate and control Rumer’s environment to his needs.’
Moore claimed this alleged control boiled over when she and Rumer’s sisters Scout and Tallulah joined the former couple for the birth of Louetta at home.
She alleged in a court filing: ‘From the time of my daughter’s pregnancy, I witnessed Rumer under a constant state of stress. She stated often that she was not receiving any sensitivity or support from Derek.
‘Initially I thought it was in part the hormones with the pregnancy occurring on top of this after such a short relationship. Overtime I saw that his behavior was very odd and that he always put himself and his needs first.
‘While Rumer was giving birth to Louetta in the birthing tub, Derek, without asking, and without having showered, got into the birthing tub in an aggressive and sudden manner.
‘Everyone was shocked. Rumer asked him to get out immediately, and he did. He then spent the rest of the birth acting angry and pouting, and making it all about him.’
Moore further claimed in the court filing that Thomas had ‘no consideration’ for Rumer or Louetta, alleging: ‘He essentially ruined what should’ve been one of the happiest moments of her life.’
The actress claimed when she returned to Rumer’s home with her daughter Scout the day after the birth, Thomas allegedly came into the room to ‘angrily complain that we were there cleaning.’
Moore wrote: ‘I heard him pressure Rumer not to have me and her sisters there with her for support. I heard him berate and angrily complain to Rumer, “How dare we come over without his permission.”‘
‘He stayed in the room with Rumer for at least 30 minutes that morning less than 12 hours after Rumer had given birth. He would not leave her alone. It ended only when Rumer left the room to get away from him,’ she claimed.
Moore alleged that after cleaning and while she was holding Louetta for the first time, Thomas ‘suddenly whipped off his shirt and demanded I give him the baby so he could have what he called “skin to skin contact.”‘
She alleged Thomas ‘would not let Rumer put clothes on Louetta when she was clearly cold and needing to be bundled and swaddled.’
In court documents obtained by the Daily Mail, Willis accused Thomas of domestic violence and coercive control – which he has vehemently denied (pictured in October 2023)
Moore claimed: ‘While Rumer was giving birth to Louetta in the birthing tub, Derek, without asking, and without having showered, got into the birthing tub in an aggressive and sudden manner’ – Willis and Thomas are pictured holding hands during the home birth
Moore is pictured comforting her daughter during the birth
Moore also claimed that Thomas ‘wants to put Rumer at odds with our family’ and ‘try to cut her support system completely out of the picture.’
The Substance star also alleged that Thomas brought his daughter back to her home ‘filthy with an unchanged diaper’ after being in his care. She claimed, ‘He clearly expected Rumer or me or our staff to do everything for him.’
Moore further alleged Rumer is ‘doing 100 percent of the financial and physical support’ for Louetta, claiming Thomas has ‘refused to make any effort and has shown no desire to seek out means to support Louetta.’
‘I have continued to see him make choices that are not reflective of someone who truly wants to share in parental responsibility’ she added.
Per the documents first obtained by US Weekly, Willis blamed Thomas’ alleged ‘incessant domestic violence in the form of coercive control’ for the end of their relationship.
Per the documents, Willis said: ‘He could not control himself even when his one-year-old child was crying and clearly traumatized by his behavior.
‘The emotional abuse in front of their child and [his] drug use are the primary reasons [Rumer] does not want [him] to have overnights or time with Louetta without a 730 child custody evaluation.’
Willis claimed that ‘during the relationship [Thomas] engaged in a persistent pattern of emotional abuse and often in front of the minor child or while they were trapped in the car with him.’
Thomas responded with his declaration in early 2026 claiming Willis’ claims were ‘replete with inaccurate and false information.’
Willis said she wanted to end her relationship with Thomas shortly after Louetta’s birth claiming ‘that is when his erratic and bizarre behavior escalated.’
‘I was in a fragile postpartum state, and he was causing me a lot of stress,’ she wrote in the filing. ‘I also became afraid for myself and our baby, so I was constantly trying to keep the peace and walk on eggshells.
‘He wanted to isolate me from my friends and family. He constantly called me a liar with no reason behind it. He told me I was a bad girlfriend all the time. He had paranoid behavior saying that my mother and I were plotting to take Louetta away from him.’
Moore wrote: ‘From the time of my daughter’s pregnancy, I witnessed Rumer under a constant state of stress. She stated often that she was not receiving any sensitivity or support from Derek’
Thomas denied all allegations of domestic abuse in documents filed in early 2026, but acknowledged the relationship was ‘unhealthy and appropriately came to an end.’
‘I have committed no acts of domestic violence in any form, including any active “coercive control,”‘ he wrote, adding that ‘it was not at all characterized by any violence, physical or emotional attacks or intimidation on my part.’
‘The decision to end the relationship between myself and [Rumer] was a mutual decision made in our mutual best interests.’
Willis also alleged in 2026 that Thomas does not pay child support ‘nor has he ever offered to pay for anything that Louetta needs.’
She alleged he does not work and earns $3,000 a month from royalties – claiming Thomas expects her and her ‘wealthy family to take care of everything financially, emotionally, and physically.
Per income and expense documents filed this year, Willis said she made more than $4,800 a month with her production company and $4,000 to $5000 a month from her rental property. She spends around $15,000 to $21,000 a month on other expenses such as childcare and groceries.
Willis said she does not rely on her wealthy parents to pay her expenses and ‘is no longer willing to support [his] visitation or pay for all of Louetta’s expenses.’
Thomas claimed to make $3,600 a month from his occupation as a ‘musician, educator and entrepreneur.’
The original petition to determine the parental relationship saw Thomas request an order for child custody and visitation, claiming Willis had permanently moved to Sun Valley, Idaho, with Louetta in 2024, without his consent. Willis denies this.
Thomas requested joint legal and physical custody of Louetta and child visitation, with Willis filing a motion to dismiss his petition in August 2025. She claimed Louetta’s home state was Idaho but this case was itself dismissed in January 2026.
Per the documents, Willis claimed she had offered to pay for Thomas to visit Louetta in Idaho and he has allegedly refused.
Thomas’ lawyer told the Daily Mail: ‘Mr. Thomas is a caring devoted and loving father to Louetta. It is, to put it mildly, unfortunate that Ms. Willis has sought to obstruct Mr. Thomas’ relationship with Louetta without justification of any kind whatsoever’
In subsequent court documents, she claimed Thomas was offered a place to stay on Moore’s Sun Valley property where Louetta and Willis live, but he allegedly ‘forfeited visits.’
The former couple agreed to mediation with a private judge in September 2025.
Willis asked for primary physical custody and for a custody evaluation as well as drug testing for Thomas due to his alleged ‘history of chronic daily marijuana use and evidence of behavior indicative of someone under the influence of drugs for extended periods of time.’
Thomas responded that the allegations were ‘false,’ saying, ‘I have previously used marijuana as legally allowed and at no point did I engage in the use of marijuana to such a degree as to render me unable to fully and properly fulfill my duties and obligations as Louetta’s father.’
Willis alleged that she told Thomas before Louetta was born that he could not smoke marijuana in the house anymore – and claimed he was ‘so high’ at one point that Louetta rolled off their bed while under his care in November 2023.
She alleged that Thomas ‘should not be allowed to bathe with Louetta. I feel it is highly inappropriate for [him] to bathe with Louetta naked at her age. I told him so in a text message after I heard him tell her that in November 2025.
‘Since the day she was born, he has insisted on “skin on skin contact” with Louetta where he would whip off his shirt in front of anyone and have Louetta naked even when she was clearly cold so that he could have “skin on skin contact.”‘
Thomas responded in 2026 court documents that Louetta ‘has never been injured in any way, has not suffered trauma or emotional or physical abuse of any kind nor been neglected at any time she’s been in my care. [Rumer] fails to detail, even a single credible instance of any mistreatment or neglect by me.’
Willis also spoke of her ‘extremely ill’ father, retired actor Bruce Willis, who has dementia in the documents, saying: ‘[Thomas] knows that many of my visits to Los Angeles since [my] move to Idaho have been to visit my father and for Louetta to spend time with her grandfather.
‘[Thomas] has made it clear to me that this is of no importance to him.’
Willis also spoke of her ‘extremely ill’ father, retired actor Bruce Willis , who has dementia in the documents, saying: ‘[Thomas] knows that many of my visits to Los Angeles since [my] move to Idaho have been to visit my father and for Louetta to spend time with her grandfather
Thomas’ lawyer Michael J Kretzmer told The Daily Mail in a statement: ‘Mr. Thomas intends to try this matter in Court and not in the press.
‘We will respond to Ms. Willis’ statements in court and we are confident that we will demonstrate the inaccuracy and falsity of statements alleged to have been made by Ms. Willis about the nature of their relationship, his treatment of Ms. Willis and Louetta.
‘Mr. Thomas is a caring devoted and loving father to Louetta. It is, to put it mildly, unfortunate that Ms. Willis has sought to obstruct Mr. Thomas’ relationship with Louetta without justification of any kind whatsoever.’
![Willis also spoke of her 'extremely ill' father, retired actor Bruce Willis , who has dementia in the documents, saying: '[Thomas] knows that many of my visits to Los Angeles since [my] move to Idaho have been to visit my father and for Louetta to spend time with her grandfather](https://i.dailymail.com/1s/2026/05/29/21/108941839-15856307-Willis_also_spoke_of_her_extremely_ill_father_retired_actor_Bruc-a-71_1780086019213.jpg)
