Denise Richards: Telling Daughters About Charlie Sheen's HIV
Denise Richards Discusses Telling Daughters About Charlie Sheen's HIV Diagnosis
Denise Richards recently revealed the difficult conversation she had with her daughters, Sami, 21, and Lola, 19, about their father Charlie Sheen's HIV diagnosis. Sheen publicly announced his HIV-positive status in 2015 on the *Today* show, revealing he had been diagnosed four years prior. Richards, who was married to Sheen from 2002 to 2006, explained on Jana Kramer's *Whine Down* podcast that Sheen didn't give her a heads-up before going public.
"It was everywhere," Richards stated, recalling her urgent need to tell Sami and Lola before they heard from their peers. She picked them up early from school to break the news personally. Richards described the conversation as "hard to explain" to her young daughters at the time. She expressed feeling "kind of upset" with Sheen for not warning her beforehand, although she acknowledged he likely felt compelled to do so because of impending tabloid exposure. She emphasized her efforts to generally shield her daughters from Sheen's numerous public scandals, which included substance abuse and legal issues.
Richards clarified that while she's had other difficult conversations with her daughters regarding their father's past, the HIV disclosure was a unique challenge. Despite their tumultuous family history, Richards stated that her daughters, Sami and Lola, have largely avoided actively seeking information about their parents' lives online, relying instead on Richards to address any concerns. She explained her approach to parenting, stating, "There were things that I would tell them, 'You might hear something at school. If you have any questions, please come to me.' And they didn’t even ask." Richards maintains a friendly but not close relationship with Sheen, explaining that they parent differently and haven't co-parented in the traditional sense. Despite this, she strives to avoid forcing her daughters to choose sides. She added that she is happy there is "no discord" between herself and Sheen.
Denise Richards recently revealed the difficult conversation she had with her daughters, Sami, 21, and Lola, 19, about their father Charlie Sheen's HIV diagnosis. Sheen publicly announced his HIV-positive status in 2015 on the *Today* show, revealing he had been diagnosed four years prior. Richards, who was married to Sheen from 2002 to 2006, explained on Jana Kramer's *Whine Down* podcast that Sheen didn't give her a heads-up before going public.
"It was everywhere," Richards stated, recalling her urgent need to tell Sami and Lola before they heard from their peers. She picked them up early from school to break the news personally. Richards described the conversation as "hard to explain" to her young daughters at the time. She expressed feeling "kind of upset" with Sheen for not warning her beforehand, although she acknowledged he likely felt compelled to do so because of impending tabloid exposure. She emphasized her efforts to generally shield her daughters from Sheen's numerous public scandals, which included substance abuse and legal issues.
Richards clarified that while she's had other difficult conversations with her daughters regarding their father's past, the HIV disclosure was a unique challenge. Despite their tumultuous family history, Richards stated that her daughters, Sami and Lola, have largely avoided actively seeking information about their parents' lives online, relying instead on Richards to address any concerns. She explained her approach to parenting, stating, "There were things that I would tell them, 'You might hear something at school. If you have any questions, please come to me.' And they didn’t even ask." Richards maintains a friendly but not close relationship with Sheen, explaining that they parent differently and haven't co-parented in the traditional sense. Despite this, she strives to avoid forcing her daughters to choose sides. She added that she is happy there is "no discord" between herself and Sheen.
