Denise Richards has opened up with raw honesty about Charlie Sheen's health status and the challenging moment she broke the news to their two teenage daughters. Following the 'Two and Half Men' actor's public revelation in 2015 that he was HIV-positive, Richards, feeling compelled, embarked on a delicate mission to inform their daughters, Sami, then 21, and Lola, 19, who were still in the innocent throes of childhood.
During her appearance on the March 31st episode of Jana Kramer's 'Whine Down' podcast, the 54-year-old actress, who once starred in 'Wild Things,' recounted the poignant experience. She shared how Sheen, 59, had failed to give her any advance notice before going public with his condition. "It was splashed all over," she recounted, her voice tinged with emotion. Recalling the fateful day, she mentioned how she had hastily picked Sami and Lola up from school early, eager to beat the gossip mill that might have tormented her daughters with whispers about their father's health.
"I had to navigate a conversation through that minefield," Richards continued, acknowledging the difficulty in explaining such a complex issue to impressionable young minds. Four years after his diagnosis, Sheen had courageously come forward on the 'Today' show in November 2015, confiding in then-host Matt Lauer about his battle.
Prior to this revelation, Sheen, the star of 'Platoon,' had been entangled in numerous public scandals, ranging from substance abuse to legal troubles, including assault charges. Speaking from experience, Richards, who was married to Sheen from 2002 to 2006, noted, "There have been several moments when I've had to discuss heavy topics with [my kids]," referring specifically to Sheen's HIV status. "But for the most part," she insisted firmly, "I've striven mightily to shield them from the storm."
