Denise Richards on Whether She Is Still ‘In Love’ With Charlie Sheen

Speculation about lingering romance between Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen has followed the former couple since his 2025 documentary premiered. Now, the actress is putting those rumors to rest for good.

Denise Richards is opening up about her true feelings toward ex-husband and father of their two children, Charlie Sheen. The actress reflected on their relationship after appearing in the "Two and a Half Men" alum's 2025 documentary, "aka Charlie Sheen."

Richards showed the actor deep emotional support throughout the docuseries, which led fans to speculate that she still harbored romantic feelings for him. "That's the thing some people, I think, misunderstood," Richards told host Bunnie Xo on her "Dumb Blonde" podcast.

"I did a documentary. I didn't see the second part — I saw the first part. I love him as [my kids'] dad. And it's not even a brother-sister relationship," she continued. Richards clarified that she didn't view Sheen as a best friend, either.

She added, "We're friends. I mean, do you know what I mean? I can't talk to him the way I can talk to some other friends of mine. And I love him. I always have love for him being their dad. But as far as romantic love, no. Not at all."

Bunnie pushed back slightly, noting how "aka Charlie Sheen" seemed to hint at unresolved feelings between the former spouses.

"Glad we cleared that up because I did watch the documentary, and from the way they shot the documentary … I don't want to say they made it seem like you still had feelings for him, but there's so much there with you guys," Bunnie said.

Richards replied, "There's a lot of emotion because there's things that he didn't even know. A lot that he did not know and how I had to navigate so much [expletive]."

"Aka Charlie Sheen" chronicled the actor's meteoric rise to stardom and his subsequent fall amid very public struggles with addiction. Both Richards and Sheen's other ex, Brooke Mueller, sat down for interviews about their respective histories with him.

Speculation about lingering romantic feelings only intensified after the pair shared an affectionate moment at the documentary's premiere in September 2025. Still, Richards has been firm that nothing remains between them beyond mutual respect and shared parenthood.

The former couple first crossed paths in 2000 while filming the 2001 romantic comedy "Good Advice" alongside Angie Harmon. They married in 2002 and later welcomed daughters Lola and Sami Sheen, now 21 and 22.

Their marriage would eventually crumble in a highly publicized split, with Richards filing for divorce in March 2005 while still pregnant with Lola.

"We are deeply saddened by the recent events and out of our love and concern for our daughter Sam, our unborn child and each other, we ask that you respect our privacy during this difficult time," Sheen's rep told People in a statement at the time.

Later that year, both exes hinted at the possibility of reconciliation in separate interviews. By January 2006, however, they were moving forward with the divorce for good, kicking off a string of legal disputes and a public feud that took years to fully settle.

Now, Richards says she and Sheen, 60, share a "great relationship," and that he's in a healthy place with their daughters. "It has its moments because sometimes it's better than others," she admitted during her "Dumb Blonde" appearance.

"I hope one day they feel comfortable enough and safe enough where they could just be open and say certain things."