Denise Richards is an American actress and former model. She was born on February 17, 1971 in Downers Grove, Illinois. After starting her modeling career in her teenage years, Richards transitioned to acting in the early 1990s. She gained widespread recognition for her roles in films such as “Starship Troopers” (1997) and “Wild Things” (1998). Richards has also appeared in various television shows, including “Melrose Place” and “Friends”. In recent years, she has starred in television series such as “Denise Richards: It’s Complicated” and became a main cast member on “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” in 2019.