Denise Richards

Denise Lee Richards (born February 17, 1971)[1] is an American actress and a 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 a Bond girl, and in Valentine (2001). She played Monica and Ross Geller's cousin on Friends (2001). From 2008 to 2009, she starred on the E! reality show Denise Richards: It's Complicated. Between 2010 and 2011, she was a series regular on the comedy Blue Mountain State.

Richards was born in Downers Grove, Illinois.[2] Her ancestry includes Croatian, German and French-Canadian.[3][4] Richards grew up in both Mokena and Downers Grove. In 1986, she appeared in the Double music video: "The Captain of Her Heart," when she was 15 years old. She graduated in 1989 from El Camino High School in Oceanside, California. As a child, she was the "only girl on the baseball team."[5] Richards was raised Roman Catholic.[6]

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.[7] 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."[8] In 1998, she appeared in the music video for the Blues Traveler song "Canadian Rose".[9]

Richards at the premiere of The World Is Not Enough (1999) 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,[10] she was criticized as not credible in the role.[11][12] Her outfit, which often comprised a low-cut tank top and tight shorts, elicited comments.[13] She was ranked as one of the worst Bond girls of all time by Entertainment Weekly in 2008,[14] and was chosen as "Worst Supporting Actress" at the 1999 Razzie Awards for the role,[15] 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."[16]

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".[17][18] 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, Edmond alongside Julia Stiles.

In December 2004, she posed for a nude pictorial in Playboy magazine, five months after giving birth.[19] 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.[20] 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.[21] In July 2011, Richards published a memoir The Real Girl Next Door, a New York Times Best Seller.[22] Richards was part of TV Guide Network's show, Hollywood Moms' Club, which aired in November 2011.[23][24] 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.[25] A month later, she began filming a guest spot for an episode for the sixth season of NBC comedy 30 Rock.[26] 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.[27]

Richards first met actor Charlie Sheen on the set of Loaded Weapon 1 in 1991. They became engaged on December 26, 2001, and married in a Roman Catholic ceremony on June 15, 2002, at the estate of Spin City creator Gary David Goldberg.[28] They have two daughters together, Sam J. Sheen (born March 9, 2004)[29] and Lola Rose Sheen (born June 1, 2005).[30]

In March 2005, while pregnant with their second daughter, Richards filed for divorce from Sheen.[31] 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.[32] On April 19, 2006, Richards filed formal legal papers seeking a divorce from Sheen under the laws of the state of California.[33]

In 2008, Richards decided to include her two daughters with Charlie Sheen 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".[34] On January 25, 2008, Richards won a court case against Sheen so that she could include her daughters in the show.[35] When a judge rejected Sheen's request to block it,[36] Sheen urged fans to boycott it.[37] 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."[38]

In June 2011, Richards adopted a third daughter, Eloise Joni, as a single parent. Her middle name is that of Richards' mother, who died from cancer in December 2007.[39][40] Richards adopted her at birth domestically within the United States, following a two-year adoption process.[41][42]

By mid-2012, Richards and Sheen were on good terms,[43] 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.[44] In a move supported by Sheen, in May 2013, Richards was awarded temporary custody of Bob and Max, the twin sons born in 2009 to Sheen and third wife Brooke Mueller, after the children were removed from Mueller's home by child protective services due to concerns over drug use.[45] 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.[45]

In 1990, at age 19, Richards had a rushed breast implant procedure, which led to the doctor putting in larger ones 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."[46]

Richards has appeared in the NOH8 Campaign.[47] 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.[48]

Confrontation with paparazzi[edit] On November 8, 2006, officers from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) were called to the River Rock Casino in Richmond, B.C., where Richards was making a movie. After seeing 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.[49][50][51]

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.[52][53] While assisting with relief efforts in New York following Hurricane Sandy, she adopted a puppy from a Long Island shelter.[54]

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 Razzie Award for Worst Supporting Actress

Nominated—Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Actress – Action

Nominated—Razzie Award for Worst Screen Couple (shared with Pierce Brosnan)

1999 Tail Lights Fade Wendy

2001 Valentine Paige Prescott

2001 Good Advice Cindy Styne

2002 Empire Trish

2002 Undercover Brother White She-Devil/Penelope Snow

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 Whore 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[55]

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

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

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"

Denise Richards was born in Downers Grove, Illinois, the older of two daughters of Joni Lee, who owned a coffee shop, and Irv Richards, a telephone engineer. She has German, French-Canadian, Irish, English, and Welsh ancestry. She grew up in the Chicago area, until the family relocated to Oceanside, CA when Denise was 15. She began working as a model, and moved to L.A. after she graduated from high school. She landed parts in both TV and movies, and gave breakthrough performances in Starship Troopers (1997) with Casper Van Dien, Meshulush Pra'ee (1998) and Ha-Olam E'ino Maspik (1999), in which she plays a Bond Girl. She also was in Undercover Brother (2002) with Eddie Griffin and appeared in Scary Movie 3 (2003) with her now ex-husband, Charlie Sheen. - IMDb Mini Biography By: dolphins_fanatic