Honestly, if you grew up in the late 90s, you couldn't escape Denise Richards. She was everywhere. From the cover of every magazine to the center of the biggest blockbusters, she defined a very specific era of Hollywood glamour. But when people look up denise richards movies and tv shows today, they often realize there is a massive gap between the "Bond Girl" persona and the actual work she’s put in over three decades.
She didn't just disappear after the year 2000. She pivoted.
The Sci-Fi and Thriller Peak (1997–1999)
The core of her filmography—the stuff that usually lands her on "best of" lists—happened in a lightning-fast three-year window. First, there was Starship Troopers (1997). People misunderstood it at the time, thinking it was just a dumb space movie with giant bugs. It’s actually a sharp satire of fascism, and Richards’ role as Carmen Ibañez is basically the face of that bright-eyed, terrifying propaganda.
Then came Wild Things in 1998.
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This movie was a cultural reset for the erotic thriller genre. It’s messy, twisty, and features a plot that is still hard to explain to someone who hasn't seen it. Starring alongside Neve Campbell and Kevin Bacon, Richards played Kelly Van Ryan, a rich girl who turns out to be much more than a victim. It’s arguably her most famous role, and it cemented her as the "it girl" of the decade.
By 1999, she was playing Dr. Christmas Jones in the James Bond flick The World Is Not Enough. Critics weren't kind. They called her "the least plausible nuclear physicist" ever. Looking back in 2026, those reviews feel a bit harsh. Bond movies aren't exactly known for their realism, and Richards brought exactly the kind of energy the Pierce Brosnan era required.
The Comedy Pivot and Cult Classics
What most people get wrong is that Denise Richards actually has great comedic timing. She knows how to poke fun at herself.
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- Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999): This is her best performance. Period. She plays Becky Leeman, a murderous beauty queen. The movie flopped at the box office but became a massive cult classic. If you haven't seen her lip-syncing to "Jesus Loves Winners" while on a crucifix, you haven't really seen her act.
- Undercover Brother (2002): She played "White She-Devil." It’s a parody role, and she leaned into it with zero ego.
- Scary Movie 3 (2003): This was right when her personal life with Charlie Sheen was becoming tabloid fodder, and she still showed up to do a ridiculous cameo.
The Reality TV and Soap Opera Era
As the 2010s rolled in, the landscape changed. Richards didn't fight the shift; she leaned into it. She joined The Bold and the Beautiful in 2019 as Shauna Fulton, proving she could handle the grueling schedule of daytime TV.
Then came the Bravo era.
Her stint on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (RHOBH) was... intense. It brought her back into the mainstream conversation, though not always for the reasons she probably wanted. After a hiatus and some legal drama in 2025 involving her ex, Aaron Phypers, she’s back on the small screen in 2026. Her new reality venture, Denise Richards & Her Wild Things, aims to show a more "unedited" version of her life. She’s also returning to RHOBH as a "friend of" this season, which usually means she gets to stir the pot without having to host the dinner parties.
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The 2026 Comeback
Right now, she's staying remarkably busy with indie projects. She’s in the Angels Fallen sequel, Warriors of Peace, and she recently finished Hunting Housewives on Lifetime. It’s a survival thriller where four socialites survive a plane crash. It’s exactly as campy as it sounds, and it works because Richards knows how to play to her audience.
What to Watch First (The Essential List)
- Wild Things: If you want the peak 90s thriller experience.
- Drop Dead Gorgeous: For her best comedic work.
- Starship Troopers: For a sci-fi classic that aged better than anyone expected.
- The Bold and the Beautiful: If you want to see her modern acting chops.
People often dismiss her as just a "personality," but her filmography shows a woman who survived the brutal Hollywood machine by being incredibly versatile. She went from Bond to soaps to reality TV and kept her fan base the whole time.
If you’re looking to catch up on her latest work, keep an eye on Hulu and Lifetime. She’s been pumping out thrillers and holiday movies like A Christmas Frequency and Wickensburg at a rapid pace. She’s also doing the convention circuit this year, heading to Australia for Comic-Cons in April 2026.
Check out Drop Dead Gorgeous if it's currently on your streaming platforms. Most people find that it completely changes their perspective on her as an actress. It’s sharp, dark, and a lot smarter than the posters suggest.