Denise Richards Spills on Marriage to Ex Charlie Sheen: ‘It Was a Roller Coaster More Than People Even Know’ (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

WhenDenise RichardsmetCharlie Sheenin 2001, he was the new star ofSpin Citywith a bad boy reputation and she was the aquamarine-eyed Bond Girl from the 1999 film,T​​he World Is Not Enough.“Everyone told me not to go out with him, but I didn’t want to judge him based on the tabloids,” says Richards in this week’sPEOPLE cover story. “I judged him as the man I met. I said ‘Well, unless he murdered someone, I can’t judge him for the past.’”A year later, they were married and three years later, came divorce — and a barrage of headlines — everything from Sheen’s drug relapse to a messy custody battle. “It was a rollercoaster,” she says, “more than people even know.”Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards at the ‘Undercover Brother’ premiere.SGranitz/WireImageTwo decades later, Richards, now 54, and her three daughters,Sami, 20, and Lola, 19, (whom she shares with Sheen) and Eloise, 13, (whom she adopted as an infant) are launching a new reality showDenise Richards & Her Wild Things,premiering March 4 on Bravo. Her husband of six years,Aaron Phypers, 52, and a menagerie of pets, including the recent addition of four golden retrievers, round out the cast of characters.“I am excited for us,” says Richards. “But I also worry [about] them being so exposed. Now they’re coming onto their own.”As she notes, “Our kids have grown up in the spotlight. Whether they like it or not, the tabloids have been there.”Denise Richards with Lola, Eloise and Sami.Jeff LipskyStill, she admits, she wasn’t always prepared as her daughters began to learn more about their often tumultuous relationship. “You don’t think ‘Oh, when they’re 19 and 20, they’re going to read about this.' I always thought they’ll never find out what happened and [it’s] the opposite. I tell them if they ever have any questions to come to me.”Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Today, she’s happy to report they are all on good terms and she has a solid relationship with their father, who’s been sober since 2017. “I believe in destiny,” she says. “I wouldn’t have Sami and Lola if it weren’t for him.”And it’s often laughter that provides the best medicine. “Despite everything we went through, we can have a sense of humor about all the s— we went through,” she says.For more on Denise Richards, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday, or subscribehere.Denise Richards with daughters Eloise, Lola and Sami.Jeff Lipski“It was such a difficult hard time," she reflects. “He knows I will always be there for him and I’m there for his sons (Bob and Max, his twins with ex-wifeBrooke Mueller.) Now we look back and we’re like, ‘Oh God…' But at the end of the day, we’re here for each other.“Denise Richards and Her Wild Thingspremieres with two back-to-back half-hour episodes on Tuesday, March 4 on Bravo.

WhenDenise RichardsmetCharlie Sheenin 2001, he was the new star ofSpin Citywith a bad boy reputation and she was the aquamarine-eyed Bond Girl from the 1999 film,T​​he World Is Not Enough.

“Everyone told me not to go out with him, but I didn’t want to judge him based on the tabloids,” says Richards in this week’sPEOPLE cover story. “I judged him as the man I met. I said ‘Well, unless he murdered someone, I can’t judge him for the past.’”

A year later, they were married and three years later, came divorce — and a barrage of headlines — everything from Sheen’s drug relapse to a messy custody battle. “It was a rollercoaster,” she says, “more than people even know.”

Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards at the ‘Undercover Brother’ premiere.SGranitz/WireImage

SGranitz/WireImage

Two decades later, Richards, now 54, and her three daughters,Sami, 20, and Lola, 19, (whom she shares with Sheen) and Eloise, 13, (whom she adopted as an infant) are launching a new reality showDenise Richards & Her Wild Things,premiering March 4 on Bravo. Her husband of six years,Aaron Phypers, 52, and a menagerie of pets, including the recent addition of four golden retrievers, round out the cast of characters.

“I am excited for us,” says Richards. “But I also worry [about] them being so exposed. Now they’re coming onto their own.”

As she notes, “Our kids have grown up in the spotlight. Whether they like it or not, the tabloids have been there.”

Denise Richards with Lola, Eloise and Sami.Jeff Lipsky

Jeff Lipsky

Still, she admits, she wasn’t always prepared as her daughters began to learn more about their often tumultuous relationship. “You don’t think ‘Oh, when they’re 19 and 20, they’re going to read about this.' I always thought they’ll never find out what happened and [it’s] the opposite. I tell them if they ever have any questions to come to me.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Today, she’s happy to report they are all on good terms and she has a solid relationship with their father, who’s been sober since 2017. “I believe in destiny,” she says. “I wouldn’t have Sami and Lola if it weren’t for him.”

And it’s often laughter that provides the best medicine. “Despite everything we went through, we can have a sense of humor about all the s— we went through,” she says.

For more on Denise Richards, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday, or subscribehere.

Denise Richards with daughters Eloise, Lola and Sami.Jeff Lipski

Jeff Lipski

“It was such a difficult hard time,” she reflects. “He knows I will always be there for him and I’m there for his sons (Bob and Max, his twins with ex-wifeBrooke Mueller.) Now we look back and we’re like, ‘Oh God…' But at the end of the day, we’re here for each other.”

Denise Richards and Her Wild Thingspremieres with two back-to-back half-hour episodes on Tuesday, March 4 on Bravo.

source: people.com