Tragic Details About Denise Richards

Denise Richards was 15 years old, her family moved from a Chicago suburb to Southern California. After they settled in San Diego County, she set her sights on modeling and acting. She popped up in roles on many popular series such as "Saved By The Bell," "Seinfeld," and "Beverly Hills, 90210" before moving on to films like "Drop Dead Gorgeous," "Starship Troopers," and the very racy "Wild Things."

In the 1998 flick, Richards plays a high school student who is involved in a complicated extortion scheme. The movie, which includes a sex scene in which Richards appears topless, solidified her bombshell status — but this wasn't necessarily a total boon for her career. "There were definitely parts I couldn't get. I couldn't get cast as 'the girl next door' even though that was how I always saw myself. I didn't see myself as a sex symbol. I was a girl from Illinois," Richards told Smashing Interviews.

But even when Richards leaned into her sex appeal, she was criticized. Her performance in "The World Is Not Enough" garnered some unfavorable critiques, as many thought her skimpy wardrobe was silly for a nuclear scientist character. "It broke my heart that people were making fun of me," she told Variety. "If I wore a lab coat and pants and a suit, then [fans] would have been upset, like, 'Okay, why isn't she looking like a sexy Bond girl?'" 

Denise Richards met fellow actor Charlie Sheen in 2000, began dating him in 2001, and the pair were married by 2002. The couple welcomed Sami Sheen, their first child together, in 2004. The following year, when Richards was six months pregnant with their second child, she filed for divorce from Charlie citing irreconcilable differences. After daughter Lola Rose Sheen was born, the couple briefly reunited but could not make it work. The divorce was very messy, with Charlie's behavior becoming increasingly worrisome as he struggled with sobriety.

By 2007, Richards and Charlie had been declared legally free to wed other people but there were still disputes over custody and other financial matters. When Richards filed for Charlie's overnight visits with the children to be taken away, Charlie's response was snide: "Clearly the mother of my children has no interest in responsible co-parenting when it comes to my relationship with our girls" (via People). Over the years, the drama raged on, and in 2015, Charlie took to Twitter to call her "the worst mom alive" and say she "couldn't act hot in a fire or wet in a pool" (via People). Richards simply responded with "Happy Dad's Day." 

As complicated as their relationship has been, the exes seemingly have figured things out to some degree. In 2022, Richards told Us Weekly, "I'm always in a good place with him."

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Denise Richards and Aaron Phypers tied the knot in 2018, in a beautiful ceremony that was captured on "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills." While Richards and Phypers were over the moon with joy, the day found Richards missing her mom very much. However, she could feel her mother with her in spirit. "What you didn't see on the show was a dragonfly that flew around us during the whole ceremony. My friend Natalie jumped up and said, 'That's her mom!' I felt it was her too," Richards penned in her Bravo blog. "Behind us when we were pronounced husband and wife dolphins were jumping out of the ocean. My mom loved dolphins, and I felt it was another sign from her that she was there."

There was another aspect of the event that ended up being bittersweet, as it was the last time Richards would see her father's fiancée. Irving Richards, who was married to Denise's mom when she died of cancer, lost his fiancée Deb to cancer shortly after his daughter's wedding. The reality star posted a family pic on Instagram from the nuptials wherein she has her arm around Deb, writing, "This was the last time I saw her, sadly she passed away a month after our wedding. She brought a lot of light into my dad's life since losing my mom." The post garnered sympathetic comments from "RHOBH" alum Camille Grammer and cast member Dorit Kemsley.

Along with the drama that comes along with being on a reality show, Denise Richards also had to deal with multiple health issues in recent years. In 2019, Richards spoke about her enlarged thyroid and how fans of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" recognized the signs. "I was like, 'Why does my neck look bigger?' I had other symptoms, but I just kept ignoring it and finally when a couple people pointed it out I was like, I have to look into it," Richards explained on the "Daddy Issues" podcast. According to Richards, a change in diet has kept her thyroid in check, and she's grateful to the Bravo watchers who looked out for her.

While Richards' enlarged thyroid turned out to be relatively manageable, the actor suffered another health setback which led to her needing surgery. In December 2019, Richards took to Instagram to let fans know she'd had a major health scare that required her to have four different hernias repaired. She explained that she'd tried to push through the pain she'd been experiencing, but she should have listened to her body. "I thought the pain and my other symptoms would just go away. They did not and got a lot worse," Richards wrote. The "RHOBH" alum also credited husband Aaron Phypers with helping her to heal. "I need to actually thank him for taking such great care of me," she said in her post.

Along with daughters Sami Sheen and Lola Sheen, Denise Richards is also mom to Eloise Richards, who she adopted in 2011. In 2019, Denise revealed that Eloise, who was 8 years old at the time, had been diagnosed with a rare chromosomal disorder. "She wasn't able to sit up on her own for a very long time, and she didn't start walking until she was 2, and that was with physical therapy," the actor shared with People. Eloise's speech is also limited. 

Caring for Eloise, whose official diagnosis is Chromosome 8, Monosomy 8p, comes with a very specific set of challenges. "I'm learning every day because they don't really have a road map for her particular case," Richards told People. On "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" Season 9 reunion, Richards shared that Eloise was diagnosed when she was around 6 years old. "It was a very difficult thing to diagnose, she went through a lot," she said. 

Eloise is clearly so loved by her mom and mom's hubby, Aaron Phypers. And Eloise has a special bond with Phypers, which led to an amazing Father's Day surprise. In June 2020, Richards revealed on Instagram that her youngest daughter had recently said the word "dad" for the very first time.