Denise Richards Reveals Threats of Industry Blacklisting Over Sexual Harassment

Synopsis

Denise Richards shares her experience with sexual harassment and the threats of being blacklisted in Hollywood. She reflects on the changes in the industry due to the #MeToo movement and discusses how motherhood has influenced her perspective on these issues.

Key Takeaways

Denise Richards faced threats of being blacklisted for speaking out.
The actress reflects on the industry's evolution post-#MeToo.
Motherhood has changed her perspective on handling trauma.
Richards shares past traumatic experiences and their impacts.
She emphasizes the importance of women's voices in the industry.

Los Angeles, Feb 23 (NationPress) Hollywood actress Denise Richards faced threats of being “blacklisted” if she revealed the sexual harassment she experienced during her early acting career.

The 54-year-old gained prominence through her role in the 1998 neo-noir thriller ‘Wild Things’, which famously featured a kiss with co-star Neve Campbell, 51, in a pool. She recently shared that she refrained from coming forward or pursuing legal action against her abuser due to fears of being excluded from the industry, according to ‘Female First UK’.

In an interview with ‘People’ magazine, she said, “I was told I would be blacklisted. 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.”

Richards also reflected on the significant changes in the industry over the years, especially due to the #MeToo movement.

She expressed her satisfaction with how women now have a stronger voice and better protection, stating, “If that happened at this age, I would handle it differently, but I was so young and an unknown and (just) starting out.”

As noted by ‘Female First UK’, Richards, a mother of three daughters—Sami, 20, Lola, 19, and Eloise, 13—shared that motherhood has altered her outlook.

She remarked, “I look at my daughters doing our show and being such strong women. If I had that, I think I would’ve been able to handle it a little differently.”

Richards also discussed her past traumas while participating in season three of Fox’s ‘Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test’ last month.

She recounted how a previous sexual assault influenced her reactions to fear, adding, “I really want to learn how to not be overwhelmed by fear – I’ve been through traumatic situations that have been very terrifying for me. I want to learn how to deal with those issues and be stronger.”

During the show, she remembered a road rage incident from November 2022, where shots were fired at a truck driven by her 52-year-old husband Aaron Phypers.

She said, “He didn’t want me going alone, thank God, and we were physically shot at in his truck, and I sat on the floor and was just literally, I peed. I was so scared. I froze.”

Richards also shared her experience of being sexually assaulted as a teenager, recalling, “The first time I ever experienced that I was 15 and I noticed a man following me. He came up from behind me, put his hand around my mouth, grabbed my v*, and started dragging me, and I froze, like I couldn’t even scream for help.”