Denise Richards' time on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills was full of some serious drama and accusations, but luckily Denise's career has continued to thrive since exiting the Real Housewives series. When Denise was announced as an incoming housewife for RHOBH season 9, Bravo fans were immediately interested in what the famed actress and ex-wife of Charlie Sheen would bring to the table. Denise, who was also a longtime friend of fellow housewife Lisa Rinna, had a relatively successful debut season. Although Denise was side-eyed for her explicit conversations regarding husband Aaron Phypers, viewers and her fellow housewives found Denise's lack of filter more entertaining than disgusting.
Unfortunately, Denise's budding reputation on RHOBH quickly began to fall when season 10 aired in 2020. Denise found several conversations held within earshot of her children to be inappropriate, but the housewives thought that Denise was being hypocritical considering her carefree behavior on season 9. Things only got worse when former RHOBH star Brandi Glanville told Kyle Richards and her sister Kim that she and Denise were previously intimate. Between the other women constantly asking Denise for information and Denise's insistent use of "Bravo, Bravo, Bravo," in the hopes to halt production, the tumultuous 3-part reunion was the last time Bravo viewers saw Denise on the series.
Despite the controversial moments of RHOBH season 10, Denise's acting career has continued to thrive after her last appearance on the series. In fact, Denise has appeared in eight films and six television programs since she chose not to return for RHOBH season 11, including the films Money Plane (2020) and Love Accidentally (2021) along with the Netflix series' Glow & Darkness (2021) and The Guardians of Justice (2022). In addition, Denise has continued to play Shauna Fulton on the long-running soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful, which fellow RHOBH alum Eileen Davidson also stars on.
Denise, who boasts over a million followers on Instagram, frequently provides updates on her personal and professional lives online as well. Although Denise frequently spat with Kyle and Lisa on RHOBH, the former Bravo housewife is still friends with Sutton Stracke and Garcelle Beauvais, who she shared a photo of herself with on May 31. Denise also shares her daughters Sami, Lola, and Eloise's milestones, such as Lola getting her drivers license in January and wishing Eloise a happy 11th birthday on May 24. When Denise isn't showing off her family (including her one-eyed dog Laney), RHOBH fans can find Denise posting throwback photos of her early days in the entertainment industry, such as catching herself on an old magazine cover in February.
While Denise isn't the most controversial housewife to appear on RHOBH, she certainly is remembered as one of the most mysterious. While some Real Housewives fans thought that the other women were too harsh on Denise and did not give her big enough of a chance, others thought that Denise was being intentionally misleading, especially after she admitted to sending Bravo producers a cease and desist while filming. Like Eileen and a few other former housewives who had an established career prior to joining the cast, however, Denise has continued to focus on her family and current and future acting opportunities. Denise may not have been the best fit for RHOBH, but her short time on the series will always be remembered by viewers.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. EST on Bravo.
Source: Denise Richards/Instagram