Denise Richards has been everywhere for the past three decades. Maybe you know her from her classic, iconic roles in James Bond and Blue Mountain State. Or, maybe you discovered her through The Real Housewives Franchise. No matter how she popped up on your radar, everyone crosses paths with Denise Richards at some point.
And when you do, you remember her. This gorgeous actress, model, and reality star always leaves an impression. Once we realized how wide Denise Richards’ career really is, we needed to know more.
So Lauryn and Michael brought her on the Him & Her Show to talk about her long Hollywood career and what she’s doing now. We definitely recommend listening to the full Denise Richards podcast with TSC, but for the highlights? We’ll be breaking those down below.
What Happened to Denise Richards? Inside Her Latest Chapter
Denise Richards rose to fame in the 90s and early 2000s for a lot of reasons. She wasn’t just landing major film roles—she was everywhere. We’re talking magazine covers, beauty campaigns, national commercials… Denise has this level of visibility that most actresses can only dream of!
On top of all that, Denise’s personal life was pretty public. The tabloids were interested in literally everything she did. It seemed like Denise couldn’t sneeze without magazines like Us Weekly writing about it.
Let’s take a closer look at her life back then—and explore everything she’s up to now:
What Is Denise Richards Famous For?
She’s an actress in major movies and TV series.
Denise got her break in 1997 when she landed the cult-classic Starship Troopers. Before that, she’d already been building her résumé with small roles on some pretty big shows like Saved by the Bell, Melrose Place, and Seinfeld. As the “blonde bombshell,” as Hollywood loved to label her, she often played the gorgeous, confident “hot girl” on screen.
After Starship Troopers, her career really took off. She starred in major films and television shows like Wild Things, Drop Dead Gorgeous, Undercover Brother, Blue Mountain State, and the James Bond film The World Is Not Enough. More recently, she appeared in the soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful, the drama series Twisted, the animated show The Guardians of Justice, the action film Angels Fallen: Warriors of Peace, and plenty more.
Listen to her discuss her experience as a Bond girl on the HIm & Her Show.
She was on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
In 2008, Denise Richards stepped into reality TV with Denise Richards: It’s Complicated. The show followed her life as a newly single mom trying to rebuild her career. It had more of a documentary feel than a drama-filled reality show. Nonetheless, it definitely paved the way for her future in the genre.
It would be an entire decade before Denise returned to reality TV. This time, it was on Seasons 9 and 10 of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. There, she quickly became known as “chill Denise,” a sharp contrast to the drama-heavy energy of the other cast members.
However, the confrontational nature of RHOBH is exactly what pushed her to step away after her second season. Even though she’s gone, she remains a celebrity fan favorite to this day.
You can listen to her talk all about her time on The Real Housewives in her interview with TSC. Or, if you’d rather jump straight in and see it for yourself, here’s how to watch The Real Housewives like a pro.
She has a highly publicized personal life.
Denise has never had much privacy—pretty much every part of her life has been documented since the late 90s. A lot of that started with her high-profile relationship with Charlie Sheen. The two married in 2002, had two daughters, and eventually divorced in 2006, citing irreconcilable differences. Even after their split, Denise’s relationships continued to make tabloid headlines.
After the divorce, Denise began dating Nicollette Sheridan’s estranged husband, Aaron Phypers. Richards and Phypers married in 2018, and their wedding was even featured on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills! Unfortunately, the two are now going through a divorce. And, of course, the media has been right there documenting the whole thing—even when it’s none of our business.
What Is Denise Richards Doing Now?
Making Convention and Media Appearances
Denise is still connecting with fans through all kinds of media appearances. She shows up for panel discussions, autograph signings, and photo ops at events and conventions. Most notably, she’s appeared at BravoCon, 90s Con, and Fan Expo. And, she’s always a major draw for longtime fans!
She also jumps onto podcasts and TV interviews when she has something new to share, giving fans a closer look at her life and projects. And, of course, she stays active on social media. Find her promoting her latest movies, sharing behind-the-scenes moments, and keeping her audience updated on what’s happening in her world.
Starring in Denise Richards & Her Wild Things
Even though Denise Richards only appeared on two seasons of RHOBH, she made a big enough impact to be offered her own spinoff reality series in 2025.
Before agreeing, she wanted to be sure the process felt right—especially when it came to protecting her three daughters. After working closely with producers to make sure everything felt authentic and respectful, Denise Richards & Her Wild Things officially came to life.
The show really does cover everything—from her latest career pivots and brand partnerships to her family life and recent separation. If you want to know about her life from Denise herself rather than a tabloid? This is the show for you! You can watch the series now on Bravo or stream it on Peacock.
Taking Select Acting and TV Roles
Though she’s not as active as an actress anymore, Denise still takes on select roles that feel meaningful to her. And ones that fit her busy schedule as a single mom! In recent years, she’s appeared in smaller-budget films and short-term TV roles. While they don’t have the same cultural impact as her early work, she’s totally fine with that. Her priorities have shifted, and she’s focused on projects that feel good rather than ones that chase the spotlight.
If you want to check out some of her most recent work, here are a few titles to explore:
- What She Doesn’t Know
- Return to Wickensburg
- Angels Fallen: Warriors of Peace
- Hunting Housewives
- A Christmas Frequency
- The Housekeeper
- The Line
- Second Chances
- My Christmas Fiance
- The Bold and the Beautiful
Divorcing Husband Aaron Phyphers
Denise Richards’ current divorce has become highly public due to details revealed in court documents. Earlier in the process, Phypers filed for divorce, setting off a series of legal steps as the couple moved toward separation.
In those same filings, Richards was granted a temporary restraining order after raising concerns about safety. The documents reference claims involving domestic violence, which was really shocking to all of Denise’s fans!
As more details have surfaced, the response from fans has been overwhelmingly supportive. People who’ve followed her for years have rallied around her online, sending encouragement and voicing their concern for her well-being. Many have praised her strength, hoped for privacy as things unfold, and expressed relief that she’s taking steps to protect herself and her family.
Working on Health and Wellness
Denise Richards has been leaning heavily into health and wellness over the last few years. She talks openly about prioritizing workouts, better sleep, and health habits that help her manage stress. She’s also big on skincare, LED treatments, facials, and the occasional IV drip.
As big fans of health and wellness trends, we love watching out for content like this! With everything on her plate—kids, filming, business projects, and now a divorce—wellness has become less of a luxury and more of a necessity.
Focusing on Her Children and Family Life
Denise Richards has a beautiful blended family, and she makes them her number one priority. She has a positive co-parenting relationship with Charlie Sheen, and together they raise their daughters, Sam and Lola.
Denise is also a solo parent to her adopted daughter, Eloise. Eloise has special needs, and Denise spends a lot of time making sure she gets the support, therapies, and care she needs to thrive.
Day to day life for Denise looks a lot like any mom’s. Think: balancing parenting and work, managing school calendars, keeping up with therapy schedules, maintaining relationships, and upholding family obligations. It’s a lot for anyone to manage. However, she does her best to keep everything steady, grounded, and centered around her kids.
Supporting CB Me Beauty and Dill Dinkers
Denise stays hands-on with CB Me Beauty, her skincare line. She posts updates about new launches and shares little snippets of her routine. It’s not all about brand awareness, though—fans also love seeing how she uses the products herself.
It’s also not a flashy brand play. This is something she’s been involved in for years, and you can tell she enjoys keeping it going. She shows up for shoots, approves formulas, and promotes the products in a way that feels authentic to her.
She’s also active with Dill Dinkers, the pickleball franchise she’s connected to. Denise attends openings, meets with partners, and helps spread the word as the brand expands. The company is growing fast, and her involvement brings extra attention and credibility. As always, everything Denise touches turns to gold!
Denise Richards is still sharing her life with us through socials and reality TV!
From tabloids to social media, Denise Richards has remained an iconic figure for nearly three decades. It’s incredible for someone to stay relevant for that long—and even rarer for a celebrity to remain so well-liked through it all! But Denise is something special, and she continues to capture our hearts and attention with every project she takes on. And of course, she’ll always be in our dream fan-casting for the season of RHOBH.
For more of the best podcast episodes with The Real Housewives cast, check out these up next:
- Lisa Rinna & Harry Hamlin Completely Open & Unfiltered – Housewives, Hollywood, Relationships & More
- Teddi Mellencamp Gets Real On Marriage Struggles, Personal Struggles, Skin Cancer Battle, & Lessons from RHOBH
- Dorit Kemsley – Clear the RHOBH Air, Reunion Updates, Trauma Processing, & How to Filter Truth in Reality TV Land