Denise Richards Admits She’s Not Friends with Ex Charlie Sheen, Says There’s ‘No Co-Parenting’

Denise Richards is getting real about the challenges of raising kids with an ex. During a recent chat on the "Whine Down with Jana Kramer" podcast, the 54-year-old actress revealed that parenting her daughters, Sami and Lola, with ex-husband Charlie Sheen hasn’t exactly been a team effort.

"Truthfully, it wasn't co-parenting. I parent my way. He parents his way, and there was no co-parenting," Richards said candidly. She added, "I wish we were friends and that we could talk all the time and really be there for each other with our girls. But that's just not the relationship we have." While she noted there’s no current animosity between them, Richards admitted the closeness she hopes for still feels out of reach. "Maybe one day," she said, sounding cautiously optimistic.

The pair tied the knot in 2002 but split three years later, with Richards filing for divorce while pregnant with Lola. Despite the split, she has consistently worked to ensure her daughters maintain a relationship with both their father and their half-siblings, Bob and Max, whom Sheen shares with his second ex-wife, Brooke Mueller.

Richards explained, "I was always an advocate of wanting everything to be great and be friends and blend the family because he had two boys with his wife after me. I just didn’t want the girls to feel like they had to choose sides." She also made it a point to invite Sheen to family events like birthday parties and holiday gatherings, saying, "I think it’s good for the kids to see that too."

While their marriage may not have worked out, Richards has kept her personal feelings about Sheen in check for the sake of her daughters. "I never talked bad about him when the kids were around," she said, though she acknowledged that as her daughters grow older, they’re uncovering details about the past on their own.

Richards and her family are currently sharing their lives with audiences on the reality show "Denise Richards & Her Wild Things," which airs Tuesday nights on Bravo. In one episode, Sheen joined Richards and their daughter Lola for dinner, where Lola opened up about her fears of becoming a public figure. She confessed, "I'm scared of being famous. I'm scared of what people have to say." Sheen, ever the pragmatist, advised her, "Don't read anything about it. Because if you don't read it, it doesn’t exist." Wise words, though easier said than done in Hollywood.

As Richards continues to navigate single parenthood, she remains hopeful for better days ahead with her ex. And while the co-parenting struggle is real, her focus on keeping her daughters’ best interests at heart is undeniably clear.