Denise Richards opened up about a time early in her career where she was sexually harassed and pressured by those around her to stay silent about it.
The Wild Things star revealed to People that as a young actress she once considered filing a sexual harassment lawsuit. “I was told I would be blacklisted,” the reality TV personality recalled.
She continued, “I felt so vulnerable. This was the career I wanted to do. To be told that you’re never going to work in an industry that you are passionate about, it’s a hard thing.”
While Richards didn’t give additional details, she said she was “amazed” by the progress Hollywood has made in the wake of the #MeToo movement: “There definitely needed to be a change — and not just in the entertainment industry.”
Richards concluded, “I am glad that women are able to have more of a voice and be more protected. If that happened at this age, I would handle it differently, but I was so young and an unknown and [just] starting out.”
The Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test contestant said she’s “so proud” of her three daughters and has learned from their “confidence” and willingness to speak up, a quality she said she didn’t possess as a “people pleaser” nascent starlet in the entertainment industry.
Both Richards and her family will share the spotlight as The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alumna returns to Bravo with the docuseries Denise Richards and Her Wild Things, set to premiere Tuesday, March 4 at 9 p.m. ET. The show will focus on her daughters — Sami, Lola and Eloise — and husband Aaron Phypers.
