Denise Richards

Denise Lee Richards (born February 17, 1971)[1] is an American actress and former fashion model. She has appeared in numerous films, including Starship Troopers (1997), Wild Things (1998), Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999), The World Is Not Enough (1999) as Bond girl Christmas Jones, Valentine (2001), and Undercover Brother (2002). From 2008 to 2009, she starred on the E! reality show Denise Richards: It's Complicated. In 2010 and 2011, she was a series regular on the comedy Blue Mountain State. She is currently starring in the Bravo reality show, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, joining in the ninth season.
== Early life ==
Richards was born in Downers Grove, Illinois, to Joni, who owned a coffee shop, and Irv Richards, a telephone engineer.[2][3] Her ancestry is German and French.[4] She has a younger sister, Michelle.[5][6] Richards grew up in both Mokena and Downers Grove. When Richards was 15 years old, she and her family moved to Oceanside, California where in 1989 she graduated from El Camino High School.[5] As a child, she was the "only girl on the baseball team".[7]Richards was raised Roman Catholic.[8] At the age of 15, she appeared in the U.S. version of the music video "The Captain of Her Heart" by Double. After her high school graduation, she began working as a model and traveled to big cities such as Paris, New York, and Tokyo to do photo shoots and commercials.[5]
== Career ==
She spent the majority of the 1990s appearing in lower-budget films and television shows such as Saved by the Bell, television movies, and guest starring in episodes of several television shows such as Married... with Children (1991), a five-second walk through. She later made guest appearances in shows such as Beverly Hills, 90210 (1992), Seinfeld (1993), Lois and Clark (1994) and a guest-arc in Melrose Place (1996). Her first starring role in a wide theatrical release was Starship Troopers in 1997 for which Richards was nominated for the Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Female Newcomer. She followed this with a role in Wild Things.[9] Variety praised Richards' transition from good-girl-type roles to manipulative villainess and the review continued to include her as part of "an ensemble that appears to be enjoying the challenge of offbeat roles and unusual material. There's not a wrong note struck by the game group of players."[10] In 1998, she appeared in the music video for the Blues Travelersong "Canadian Rose".[11]
Richards was cast as the nuclear physicist Christmas Jones in the 1999 James Bond film The World Is Not Enough (1999). Though she considered her role "brainy", "athletic", and having depth of character,[12] she was criticized as not credible in the role.[13][14] Her outfit, which often comprised a low-cut tank top and tight shorts, elicited unfavorable comments.[15] She was ranked as one of the worst Bond girls of all time by Entertainment Weekly in 2008,[16] and was chosen as "Worst Supporting Actress" at the 1999 Razzie Awards for the role,[17]although, Richards was also nominated for the Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favourite Actress – Action, for the same film. Later that year, Richards starred alongside Kirsten Dunst in the beauty pageant satire, Drop Dead Gorgeous. Richards, playing a spoiled princess, was praised for her performance by Los Angeles Times for being "as rightly nasty as she is pretty".[18]
In 2001, she guest-starred in Friends as Ross and Monica Geller's cousin, Cassie Geller in the episode "The One with Ross and Monica's Cousin".[19][20] Later that year she appeared in four episodes of Spin City as Jennifer Duncan, a love interest of Charlie Sheen's character. She starred as Sheen's character's ex-girlfriend two years later in two episodes of Two and a Half Men. In 2005, she starred in the short-lived UPN series Sex, Love & Secrets. Richards appeared in films such as Valentine (2001), Undercover Brother (2002) and Scary Movie 3(2003). In 2003, she made a very brief appearance in the British romantic comedy, Love Actually. In 2005, she starred in the ensemble drama, Edmondalongside Julia Stiles.
In December 2004, she posed for a nude pictorial in Playboy magazine, five months after giving birth.[21] Richards posed semi-nude for the July 2006 issue of Jane magazine to raise money for the Clothes Off Our Back Foundation. In 1999, she ranked 9th in Maxim's 50 Sexiest Women and in 2001 she was voted 2nd in FHM's USA 100 Sexiest Women, 5th in FHM's 100 Sexiest Women and 19th in AskMen.com's 50 Most Beautiful Women. She was named one of the "100 Hottest Women of All-Time" by Men's Health.[22] In 2008, she reunited with her Wild Things on-screen mother Theresa Russell in Jolene. Richards appeared on the 8th season of Dancing with the Stars, paired with Maksim Chmerkovskiy. She was eliminated second on March 24, 2009.
In 2010, she joined the cast of Blue Mountain State, a Spike comedy series. Richards plays Debra, the ex-wife of Coach Daniels.[23] In July 2011, Richards published a memoir The Real Girl Next Door, a New York Times Best Seller.[24]Richards was part of TV Guide Network's show, Hollywood Moms' Club, which aired in November 2011.[25][26] In September 2011, Richards reportedly turned down $100,000 to appear as an ex-girlfriend at Charlie's funeral in Two and a Half Men.[27] A month later, she began filming a guest spot for an episode for the sixth season of NBC comedy 30 Rock.[28] In 2012, Richards joined the cast of ABC Family pilot, Twisted (formerly Socio). In February 2013, ABC Family commissioned the drama for a full series.[29]
In August 2018, Richards announced that she will be joining the Bravo reality series, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, for their upcoming ninth season.[citation needed]
== Personal life ==
=== Marriage to Charlie Sheen and children ===
Richards first met actor Charlie Sheen on the set of Loaded Weapon 1 in 1991. They were engaged on December 26, 2001, and married on June 15, 2002, at the estate of Spin City creator Gary David Goldberg.[30] They have two daughters together.[31][32]
In March 2005, while pregnant with their second daughter, Richards filed for divorce from Sheen.[33] The couple briefly reconciled and sought marriage counselling. However, on January 4, 2006, Richards' representative announced that she was continuing with the divorce. She later sought a restraining order against Sheen, alleging death threats against her.[34] On April 19, 2006, Richards filed formal legal papers seeking a divorce from Sheen under the laws of the state of California.[35] On November 30, 2006, Richards and Sheen's divorce became final, with Sheen being ordered to stay 300 feet away from his ex-wife and their daughters, except during supervised visits.[36]
In 2008, Richards included her and Sheen's two daughters in her confessional reality program on E!, Denise Richards: It's Complicated, which premiered on May 26, 2008. He deemed her plans "greedy, vain and exploitative".[37] On January 25, 2008, Richards won a court case against Sheen so that she could include their daughters in the show.[38] When a judge rejected Sheen's request to block it,[39]Sheen urged fans to boycott it.[40] An agreement was reached between Sheen and Richards in the custody of the children, with Sheen stating in April 2009 that "we had to do what's best for the girls".[41]
In May 2010, Richards was handed over custody of her and Sheen's two daughters by Sheen. The two signed a written agreement stating that she now has sole legal custody of Sam and Lola. They previously had joint legal custody of the girls and Richards wanted sole custody, given Sheen's then "marital turmoil (with his third wife Brooke Mueller), sobriety issues, and criminal problems". According to sources, Sheen did not fight about signing the agreement.[42]
In June 2011, Richards adopted a third daughter, Eloise Joni Richards[43] as a single parent.[44] Her middle name is that of Richards' mother, who died from cancer in December 2007.[45][46] Richards adopted her at birth domestically within the United States, following a two-year adoption process.[47][48]
By mid-2012, Richards and Sheen were on good terms,[49] often spending time together with their children. In 2012, he made a cameo appearance in her movie Madea's Witness Protection and she appeared in Sheen's television series, Anger Management on the FX network.[50] In a move supported by Sheen, in May 2013, Richards was awarded temporary custody of the twin sons born in 2009 to Sheen and Mueller, after the children were removed from Mueller's home by child protective services due to concerns over drug use.[51] Richards had previously cared for the children on other occasions as well, including during Mueller's December 2012 stint in rehab for addiction to Adderall.[51]
=== Second marriage ===
In December 2017, Richards began dating Aaron Phypers, ex-husband of actress Nicollette Sheridan. At the time, Phypers and Sheridan had been separated for over a year, with their divorce eventually becoming finalized in August 2018.[52] A month later on September 8, 2018, Richards and Phypers got married in Malibu, California.[53]
=== Image ===
In 1990, at age 19, Richards had a rushed breast implant procedure, which led to the doctor putting in larger implants than she asked for. As Richards was preparing to film 1998's Wild Things, she had a corrective breast implant procedure, with the surgeon again giving her larger implants than she expected. In 2004, Richards posed for Playboy, stating that she "wanted to encourage women that it's OK to embrace your sexuality even though you're a mom […] At the same time, I was having some problems in my marriage [to Charlie Sheen] and I didn't feel sexy and felt I had to prove something."[54]
Richards has appeared in the NOH8 Campaign[55] and has spoken in support of gay marriage, stating (during an interview with radio host Howard Stern) that, years before, she had had a lesbian affair. Richards added, "You would know who she is", but declined to name the woman.[56]
=== Confrontation with paparazzi ===
On November 8, 2006, officers from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) were called to the River Rock Casino in Richmond, British Columbia, where Richards was making a movie. After having seen two photographers taking her picture from a nearby balcony, she confronted them and threw their two laptop computers over the balcony. No charges were filed against her.[57][58][59]
=== Animal welfare work ===
Richards has worked with Best Friends Animal Society on several projects, including its Pup My Ride program, which transports small dogs from high-kill animal shelters to other parts of the US where there's a greater demand for small dogs. She has regularly appeared on Access Hollywood's monthly pet segment showcasing shelter dogs rescued by Best Friends and available for adoption.[60][61] While assisting with relief efforts in New York following Hurricane Sandy, she adopted a puppy from a Long Island shelter.[62]
== Filmography ==
=== Film ===
Year	Title 	Role 	Notes
1993	Loaded Weapon 1 	Cindy 	
1994	Lookin' Italian 	Elizabeth 	
1994	Tammy and the T-Rex 	Tammy 	
1997	Nowhere 	Jana 	
1997	Starship Troopers 	Carmen Ibanez 	Nominated—Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favourite Female Newcomer
1998	Wild Things 	Kelly Lanier Van Ryan 	Nominated—MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss (shared with Neve Campbell and Matt Dillon)
1999	Drop Dead Gorgeous 	Rebecca "Becky" Ann Leeman 	
1999	The World Is Not Enough 	Dr. Christmas Jones 	Winner - Golden Raspberry for Worst Supporting Actress
1999	Tail Lights Fade 	Wendy 	
2001	Valentine 	Paige Prescott 	
2001	Good Advice 	Cindy Styne 	
2002	Empire 	Trish 	
2002	Undercover Brother 	Penelope Snow/White She-Devil	
2002	The Third Wheel 	Diana Evans 	
2002	You Stupid Man 	Chloe 	
2003	Love Actually 	Carla 	Nominated—Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Ensemble Acting
2003	Scary Movie 3 	Annie Logan 	Cameo appearance
2004	W**** 	Rebecca Smith 	
2004	Elvis Has Left the Building 	Belinda 	
2005	Edmond 	B-girl 	
2008	Blonde and Blonder 	Dawn St. Dom 	
2008	Jolene 	Marin Leger 	
2009	Finding Bliss 	Bliss/Laura 	
2009	Kambakkht Ishq 	Herself[63] 	Hindi Language Film
2009	Deep in the Valley 	Autumn Bliss 	
2011	Cougars, Inc. 	Judy 	
2012	Madea's Witness Protection 	Kate Needleman 	
2012	Freeloaders 	Herself 	
2015	Operation: Neighborhood Watch!	Denise Sorensen 	
2015	Christmas Trade 	Chloe 	Direct-to-video
2017	American Violence 	Dr. Amanda Tyler 	
2017	American Satan 	Kat Faust 	
2017	Altitude 	Gretchen Blair 	Direct-to-video
2018	The Toybox 	Jennifer 	
2018	The Prayer Box 	Karen 	Made-for-TV movie
2018	Saturday at the Starlight 	Mrs. Sproat 	
=== Television ===
Year 	Title 	Role 	Notes
1990 	Life Goes On 	Camille 	Episode: "It Ain't All It's Cracked Up to Be"
1991 	Saved by the Bell 	Cynthia 	Uncredited; episode: "The Last Weekend"
1991 	Married... with Children 	Girl #2 	Episode: "Kelly Does Hollywood: Part 2"
1991 	Doogie Howser, M.D. 	Alissa 	Episode: "Doogstruck"
1992 	Eerie, Indiana 	Girl #2 	Episode: "Reality Takes a Holiday"
1992 	Beverly Hills, 90210 	Robin McGill 	Episode: "Wedding Bell Blues"
1993 	The Ben Stiller Show 	Sunbathing girl 	Uncredited; episode: "At the Beach"
1993 	Seinfeld 	Molly Dalrymple 	Episode: "The Shoes"
1993 	Bodies of Evidence 	Jennifer Ivey 	Episode: "Eleven Grains of Sand"
1993 	In Living Color 	N/A 	Episode: "The Dirty Dozens"
1993 	Against the Grain 	Jodi Collins 	2 episodes
1994 	Burke's Law 	Jennifer 	Episode: "Who Killed the Beauty Queen?"
1994 	Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman	Angela 	Episode: "Season's Greedings"
1995 	P.C.H. 	Jess 	Television film
1995 	One West Waikiki 	Deirdre Mansfield 	Episode: "Flowers of Evil"
1995 	High Tide 	Alex 	Episode: "One on One"
1996 	Weird Science 	Valerie 	Episode: "Funhouse of Death"
1996 	Melrose Place 	Brandi Carson 	3 episodes
1996 	In the Blink of an Eye 	Tina Jacobs 	Television film
1996 	Pier 66 	Colleen 	Television film
2000 	919 Fifth Avenue 	Cathy Damore 	Television film
2001 	Friends 	Cassie Geller 	Episode: "The One with Ross and Monica's Cousin"
2001 	Spin City 	Jennifer Duncan 	4 episodes
2003–04 	Two and a Half Men 	Lisa 	2 episodes
2004 	I Do (But I Don't) 	Lauren Candell 	Television film
2005 	Sex, Love & Secrets 	Jolene Butler 	Main cast; 10 episodes
2006 	Secrets of a Small Town 	Brenda Rhodes 	Unsold television pilot
2008–09 	Denise Richards: It's Complicated 	Herself 	17 episodes; also executive producer
2009 	Dancing with the Stars 	Herself 	Contestant; 5 episodes
2010 	Harry Loves Lisa 	Herself 	Guest star
2010–11 	Blue Mountain State 	Debra Simon 	14 episodes
2012 	30 Rock 	Herself 	2 episodes
2012 	Blue Lagoon: The Awakening 	Barbara Robinson 	Television film
2012 	Kickin' It 	Leona/The Black Belt Widow	Episode: "Wedding Crashers"
2012 	90210 	Gwen Thompson 	Episode: "902–100"
2012–13 	Anger Management 	Lori 	2 episodes
2013–14 	Twisted 	Karen Desai 	Main cast
2014 	Fatal Acquittal 	Nora Grant 	Television film
2015 	A Christmas Reunion 	Amy 	Television film
2015 	Significant Mother 	Pepper Spinner 	Episode: "Mixed Doubles"
2015 	Vanity 	Marion Bellerose 	9 episodes
2016 	Rock in a Hard Place 	Heather 	Episode: "Pilot"
2016 	Jane the Virgin 	Herself 	Episode: "Chapter Fifty-One"
2018 	Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway 	Herself 	Series Finale live from Universal Orlando Resort, Guest Announcer
2018–Present	The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills 	Herself 	Main Cast (Season 9-Present)
Category:American film actresses