Denise Richards | Biography, Age, Movies, Family & Career

Denise Richards is an American actress and model known for Starship Troopers, Wild Things, and the James Bond film The World Is Not Enough. Born on February 17, 1971, she is 55 years old as of 2026. Her career spans studio films, television, reality shows, and family life in the public eye.

Who Is Denise Richards?

Denise Richards is an American actress, model, and television personality whose work includes studio films, television guest roles, daytime drama, and reality series. She became a familiar name in the late 1990s, when science fiction, thriller, and Bond franchise roles brought her to a broad movie audience.

Her public story now includes more than film credits. Richards has spoken about motherhood, the choices that come with a public image, and her separation from Aaron Phypers. Those subjects have renewed public interest, but her acting work remains the foundation of her career.

Full name	Denise Lee Richards
Date of birth	February 17, 1971
Age	55 years old as of 2026
Birthplace	Downers Grove, Illinois, United States
Nationality	American
Professions	Actress, model, television personality
Best known for	Starship Troopers, Wild Things, The World Is Not Enough, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
Children	Sami Sheen, Lola Rose Sheen, and Eloise Joni Richards
Relationship status	Separated from Aaron Phypers; divorce proceedings remained ongoing as of October 2026

How Old Is Denise Richards?

Denise Richards was born on February 17, 1971, making her 55 years old as of 2026. Her birthday had already passed by the article’s publication date of October 27, 2026, so 55 is her correct current age for this biography. Her full birth name is Denise Lee Richards.

Where Was Denise Richards Born and Raised?

Richards was born in Downers Grove, Illinois, and spent her early years in the Chicago area. Her parents were Joni Lee and Irv Richards, and she has a younger sister, Michelle. When Denise was 15, the family moved to Oceanside, California, where she completed high school at El Camino High School.

She began modeling as a teenager and moved to Los Angeles after graduation to pursue more work. Her early career included modeling assignments, commercials, and small television parts rather than an immediate lead role. That steady start gave her on-camera experience and helped her move from modeling into acting.

Which Denise Richards Movies and TV Shows Made Her Famous?

Richards became a widely recognized screen actor through a run of roles from 1997 to 1999. Her early success crossed several genres, including science fiction, thriller, comedy, and a major spy franchise, giving her a varied film profile.

• Starship Troopers (1997): She played Carmen Ibanez, a young pilot in Paul Verhoeven’s science fiction action film.
• Wild Things (1998): She played Kelly Van Ryan in a crime thriller that remains one of her best-known screen roles.
• The World Is Not Enough (1999): She portrayed nuclear physicist Christmas Jones opposite Pierce Brosnan as James Bond.
• Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999): She played Rebecca Leeman in a dark comedy about a small-town beauty pageant.
• Scary Movie 3 and Love Actually (both 2003): These supporting roles showed her range across broad comedy and an ensemble romantic comedy.

Richards also appeared in television series including Beverly Hills, 90210, Seinfeld, Melrose Place, Friends, and Spin City. Later credits included Two and a Half Men, Anger Management, and Jane the Virgin. She played Shauna Fulton on The Bold and the Beautiful from 2019 through 2026, keeping a regular presence in daytime television.

Who Is Denise Richards Married To Now?

As of October 27, 2026, Richards is separated from Aaron Phypers, and their divorce has not been finalized. Phypers filed for divorce in July 2025, citing irreconcilable differences and listing July 4, 2025, as their separation date. They married in September 2018 after beginning their relationship the previous year.

Richards was previously married to actor Charlie Sheen. They married on June 15, 2002, and she filed for divorce in March 2005 while pregnant with their second daughter. Their divorce was finalized on November 30, 2006.

In later years, the former couple worked toward a more workable co-parenting relationship, which has occasionally been part of Richards’ reality television story.

The split from Phypers also became a legal matter. In November 2025, a judge granted Richards a five-year restraining order. Richards made allegations of abuse, which Phypers denied. Their divorce remained unresolved in 2026, with court coverage reporting disputes over support and legal expenses.

In an October 2026 interview, Richards said she did not plan to marry again but remained open to finding a partner and falling in love.

How Many Children Does Denise Richards Have?

Richards has three daughters: Sami Sheen, born on March 9, 2004, and Lola Rose Sheen, born on June 1, 2005, with Charlie Sheen, plus Eloise Joni Richards, whom she adopted in 2011. Richards has often described motherhood as one of the most important parts of her life.

Richards has also spoken publicly about Eloise’s rare chromosome 8 deletion, which was diagnosed in 2016 and is associated with developmental delays. She has discussed the role of therapy and support, and described her youngest daughter as observant and understanding.

The family later appeared together in a reality series, giving viewers a look at their relationships while the daughters entered adulthood.

Why Did Denise Richards Join OnlyFans?

Richards joined OnlyFans in 2022, shortly after her daughter Sami began using the subscription platform at age 18. Richards later explained that she did not fully understand the service at first, but became more supportive after seeing the criticism aimed at Sami.

She described her response as both a mother’s concern and a woman’s view of another person’s right to make choices about her own work.

Richards and Sami have said they do not view each other’s pages, keeping a boundary between their separate accounts. OnlyFans is a creator subscription platform, and the material shared varies by creator.

Interviews confirm that both women chose to use the service, but unverified claims about private or leaked material should not be repeated as fact.

Did Denise Richards Pose for Playboy?

Yes, Richards posed for Playboy in 2004. The appearance became part of her public modeling history and is often mentioned alongside Wild Things when people discuss how her image developed during the 1990s and early 2000s.

Richards later referred to both the film and the magazine when explaining why she did not want to judge Sami for choosing a subscription platform.

What Has Denise Richards Said About Her Facelift and Plastic Surgery?

Richards confirmed that she underwent a facelift in late June 2025 and discussed the experience publicly in 2026. In March, she allowed Allure and her surgeon to share unfiltered before-and-after photographs. Reporting on the procedure described work on her lower face and neck, a brow lift, upper-eyelid surgery, and fat grafting.

She said she was nervous about changing her face because audiences had seen her for decades, and she wanted to look like herself rather than a different person. Richards has also discussed breast augmentation at 19 and a later revision surgery.

In August 2026, she described the facelift as a personal choice that improved her confidence. Her experience is one person’s account, not a promise of results for anyone considering cosmetic surgery.

What Is Denise Richards’ Net Worth?

There is no independently verified public figure for Denise Richards’ net worth. Entertainment websites publish estimates, but the numbers vary widely and are not backed by audited financial statements.

Acting contracts, residual payments, real estate, business income, legal expenses, and private costs are not fully public, so any precise dollar amount should be treated as an estimate rather than a confirmed fact.

Her documented professional income sources include acting, modeling, reality television, brand partnerships, and subscription content. Court filings during her divorce have included claims about income and expenses, but statements made during litigation are not the same as a verified calculation of net worth.

What Is Denise Richards Doing Now in 2026?

In 2026, Richards remained active in entertainment and public appearances. Her family docuseries Denise Richards & Her Wild Things premiered on Bravo on March 4, 2025, and followed Richards, her daughters, and Phypers through family life in Los Angeles.

The show also explored family dynamics and the challenges of raising children while living in the public eye.

Richards returned to The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills in 2026, with episodes addressing her separation and divorce. Alongside scripted television, she appeared in the 2026 film Dirty Hands. Her career has continued to move between acting and reality formats, while recent headlines have also focused on her facelift and personal life.

Outside entertainment, Richards has supported animal welfare and worked with Best Friends Animal Society as an ambassador. She has also backed causes connected with kidney cancer and premature babies through public partnerships and awareness work.

These efforts are a smaller part of her public profile than her acting, but they show that her work has included advocacy as well as entertainment.

After Denise Richards, you may also enjoy the biographies of Millie Bobby Brown, Sadie Sink, Winona Ryder, Maya Hawke, Natalia Dyer, and Julia Stiles.

Conclusion

Denise Richards remains a recognizable Hollywood figure because her career has moved between memorable film roles, television drama, and reality projects. As of 2026, her story includes new screen work, candid discussion of cosmetic surgery, and an unresolved divorce, but her lasting public profile still rests on a career spanning more than three decades.