I remember reading Denise Richards’ 2006 petition for a restraining order against Charlie Sheen after she filed for divorce. The Smoking Gun published it, they used to be the go-to outlet before TMZ, and it seemed outrageous. Sheen had threatened to have her killed, he was physically abusive to her, he told her abort their child and he regularly solicited sex online. Outlets claimed that Denise must have been exaggerating because it belied belief. Then we saw Charlie’s behavior during his 2011 breakdown and Denise’s court documents were all too plausible. Denise dealt with a lot, she even managed to co-parent with Charlie until he inevitably starting being abusive to her again, and she’s letting him see their daughters Sam, 14, and Lola, 13. In a new interview with People, Denise is nothing but gracious about Charlie, as she’s been all along. Last fall she remarried and she is currently on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
“I was never bitter about my divorce,” says Richards…
“Going through everything, it changed me,” she adds. “But I love life and I’m a glass-half-full kind of person. And I did my best to rise above it.”
Still, Richards, 47, admits that being pulled into a difficult time in Sheen’s life (he was open about a drug and alcohol relapse and went on bizarre rants about tiger’s blood and winning) was “extremely disheartening.”
“Times were extremely negative and I would have to tell myself, this too shall pass,” she says.
Now, the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star is happily remarried to wellness practitioner Aaron Phypers, whom she met in 2017 and wed last September. And she’s grateful for the lessons she’s learned in life and love.
“We have an amazing relationship,” Richards says of Phypers. “We love each other for who we are and we don’t judge each other. And for him to embrace a single woman with [three] daughters and an ex-husband with a wonderfully colorful past, it’s a lot. That made me fall in love with him even more.
Phypers “is amazing with the girls,” she adds. “He’s such a great stepdad, and they’re close to him.”
When it comes to Sheen now, Richards says despite their once contentious relationship, she is supportive of her ex, who is now sober, as well as his connection with their daughters.
“I’m supportive of the girls having a relationship with their dad,” she says. “Whatever is going on with a couple, the children should not be privy to it. Obviously, there are times when emotions might flare up. But we’re human beings and we make mistakes. I know that when someone is struggling with addiction, sometimes choices are made that are not in the best judgment, and I have empathy for that. I want Charlie to be the best person and father he can be.”
She’s been through so much and she’s always been so gracious about it. I doubt I could be like that if I had to coparent with Charlie Sheen. I would want all visits with the kids to be court monitored visits as well.
Denise has another daughter, 7-year-old Eloise, whom she adopted as an infant. Denise told People that Eloise has a chromosomal disorder and that she has developmental delays. She can say only a handful of words and is emotionally challenged. Denise is pragmatic about that too. She told People “You take care of your children no matter what is going on with them.”
Her dogs are so cute!
Is she still taking care of Charlie’s children with Brooke Mueller?
No, I believe that arrangement came to an end when one of the little boys displayed some really disturbing behaviour (I think it involved smearing poo on the walls, and was abusive towards her dogs) and she wasn’t given the ability to discipline him appropriately by the mum, who I believe was the legal guardian at the time? (ZERO shade to Denise for that).
I don’t know much about her, but she seems far too kind a human to be thrown in with the RHOBH women, all of whom just seem soo…mean and desperate to me.
I’m going to hazard a guess that Denise’s daughters are every bit as kind and positive as she is, since she’s raising them. Must be a wonderful household!
I know, right? I can’t get over how gracious and warm and kind she is. She just seems to get life. I wish I was as well-adjusted.
I’m happy to see the daughters looking happy. They must have been through Hell and back.
I swear I remember when she adopted her youngest I read a story that the baby was actually Charlie’s with a prostitute and that Denise adopted her because neither were fit parents, but I never see that mentioned so maybe that was a conspiracy theory. Her girls are beautiful!
I don’t think that rumor was ever confirmed, and yet that was the first thing I thought when I saw her youngest: she looks more like Charlie than either of the other two!
Denise really seems to have the biggest heart. I wonder what she saw in CS to begin with. Maybe someone broken who needed help. I bet a lot of us could sing that relationship song, unfortunately. I applaud the way she’s risen above the toxic mess for herself and her family.
I thought the same, her eyes/eyebrows especially. I did a quick google and I think you’re right and it was never confirmed. He does include her in tattoos he has dedicated to his kids though, so maybe. Either way, Denise is a selfless person, no doubt about that. Especially when she temporarily took on his twins when their mom was having issues. He was very fortunate to have ever found someone like her.
I also think the youngest looks quite a lot like CS.
I remember that and have thought it periodically – especially the eyes and eyebrows in this picture. Developmental delays would also fit, perhaps, given what the parents were likely into at time of conception (if this is true). That might also explain a bit why Charlie has been less hateful to Denise over the years.
I’m glad she’s remarried and the kids have a more stable father figure in their lives. Charlie may be sober right now, but I can’t see how he would ever be a good parent. Denise has had incredible patience through all of it though.
whatever happened to Charlie’s twin boys?
They’re with their crazy mother. https://radaronline.com/exclusives/2018/08/charlie-sheen-ex-wife-brooke-mueller-son-bob-alone-hotel-room-casino-drugs/
I don’t usually pay too much attention to celeb kids, but my heart goes out to those boys. Money can’t buy you a good mother and father.
She deserves all the happiness in the world. I remember what she went through when she filed for divorce and everyone was on Charlie’s side.
I remember an interview she did with Oprah back when she still had her daytime show and when Denise was pregnant with her second daughter but had just split with Charlie. Oprah asked her something about Charlie and Denise looked over into the audience at her dad and she had the most pained look on her face. She didn’t reveal anything then, but her expression still sticks with me.
“Wellness practitioner” is a job or lifestyle? She’s always seemed so sane and kind compared to the mess of Charlie Sheen and that other ex-wife of his. I hope she’s happy.
Holy fork, her daughters are beautiful. I am not easily impressed by beauty, but look at them!
Also she might have the biggest heart in all of Hollywood. I think I like her.
Wow, those girls are Estevez’ through and through. Lola looks just like her uncle.
I never would have imagined saying this 20 years ago — then again, I never would have imagined the current occupant of the White House — but Denise Richards is the epitome of class and grace (esp. in the sense of undeserved kindness). She made a bad judgment in getting together with Charlie Sheen, but she has handled the outcome of that as well as anyone conceivably could. She clearly loves her kids and does her best to put their well-being first, and I sincerely applaud her for that. She is infinitely better than Charlie Sheen ever deserved.
+1000. She has rarely, if ever, trashed him in public and seems to encourage his relationship with their daughters. She even took in his sons from another marriage so the boys wouldn’t be in the CPS system. She just exudes a calmness and contentment now. I have to admit, when she first came on the scene, I mentally wrote her off as just another sexy blonde actress who married into an established acting family for connections and/or money. But, she has shown that she is so much more than that. I wish her happiness with her new husband and may have to start watching RHOBH for her.
God, I am so in awe of how gracefully she addresses everything and seems to have always handled everything. I hope the new husband is the real deal and they have true happiness together, because she deserves it about a hundred times over.
Richie Sambora for the win.
I remember she had temporary custody of the twins, and tried to have professional help for them but her attempt was denied by their addicted mother.
She has my utter respect since then.
That was so sad – for the boys, for Denise, and for their sisters. Denise does indeed seem to be a class act.
I am so glad she appears to have her happily ever after.
Denise is a lovely person who has awful taste in men. Their daughters are adorable.