Denise Richards loves drama
Star makes debut on “Bold and the Beautiful.”
Denise Richards knows drama. The actress has plenty of it in her real life, but she’s entering the next stage of her career with a new role that could be equally dramatic.
Richards, 48, makes her daytime soap opera debut Thursday on CBS’ “The Bold and the Beautiful” as Shauna, described as a fun-loving, hard-working single mother from Las Vegas who has “a past and big secrets to spill.”
“I just thought it would be a fun thing to do, something fun and challenging and different,” she tells USA TODAY.
Challenging, for sure, as Richards confirms the breakneck pace at which soaps are produced.
“It is a very well-oiled machine, and they shoot pretty much two episodes a day,” Richards said. “There are a lot of pages of dialogue, so you just have to know your stuff and be ready.”
Thankfully, Richards got some advice for her new role from co-stars on her other TV project, “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.” She joins the ranks of current and former soap stars on the Bravo reality series, including Lisa Rinna, who starred on “Days of Our Lives,” and former castmate Eileen Davidson, who stars on “The Young and the Restless.”
“Lisa Rinna said it’s just a crazy pace, and she’s right,” Richards said.
Although Richards had dabbled in the reality TV world before with her 2008 E! reality show “Denise Richards: It’s Complicated,” she says “Housewives” is a different experience.
“This a slice of my life, and also integrating with the women on the show,” Richards said of her inaugural season, which premiered Feb. 12. “I loved doing the show and becoming friends with them. I had a really wonderful experience on it.”
“I’m not trying to be something I’m not. From Day One, I wanted to be myself,” Richards says. “It’s a very glamorous show. I love being glamorous … but the other side of me is (that) I wear jeans and a T-shirt and a flannel and I don’t do my hair and makeup every day. I wasn’t sure if the audience would like me or not. I wanted to be myself regardless, so if they didn’t at least I would know I was myself.”
Viewers of the show have gotten to see Richards’ relationship with Aaron Phypers.
“So far, it’s going good; we’re still married,” she says with a laugh.
Fans also saw the couple’s surprise Malibu wedding in September on the show, which they organized in just a few days.
“I highly recommend it, actually. It takes some of the pressure off of the decision-making,” Richards said of planning it in a few days, but she gives credit to party consultant and event planner Mindy Weiss.
(Viewers never heard Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters,” the heavy-metal song that accompanied them as they walked down the aisle, because Bravo did not pay royalty fees.)
And on top of her work responsibilities and being a newlywed, Richards also is a mom to three daughters, Sam, 14; Lola, 13; and Eloise, 7.
Richards recently opened up about parenting a child with special needs: Eloise has a chromosomal disorder, and Richards says the outpouring of support has been amazing.
“I cannot believe the positive response about Eloise, and the people who have reached out,” Richards said. “It’s really a wonderful thing.”
As for what’s next, Richards shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon. She’s been in Miami filming her next TV show, “Paper Empire,” alongside Robert Davi and Wesley Snipes.
No network home has been announced.