Denise Richards talked about how she felt under pressure to keep quiet about sexual harassment early in her acting career.
The actress, who became well-known in the 1990s for her role in Starship Troopers, Wild Things, and The World Is Not Enough, recently told People magazine that she was warned she “would be blacklisted” in Hollywood if she brought a sexual harassment case when she was younger.
“I felt so vulnerable,” The Bold and the Beautiful alum recounted. “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.”
Years later, Richards said she’s “amazed” seeing the change within the industry post-#MeToo movement, adding, “There definitely needed to be a change — and not just in the entertainment industry.”
“I am glad that women are able to have more of a voice and be more protected,” The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star said.
“If that happened at this age, I would handle it differently, but I was so young and an unknown and [just] starting out.”
Richards added that she has gained a lot of knowledge from observing her three daughters, Sami, Lola, and Eloise, as they grow older and mature.
“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,” the actress said. “I wish I had the confidence that they have because I would never be able to stand out for myself the way they do. I didn’t, and I’m so proud of them. I’m so proud that they say what’s on their mind. They sometimes don’t have a filter, and a lot of the time, that is such a good thing.”
She continued, “I was such a people pleaser when I started my career. And I love that my girls, this early in their career, that they’re able to [speak up]. Sometimes I’m like, ‘You might want to tone it down,’ but for the most part I’m glad that they’re able to say [what’s on their mind.] I wish I was able to back then.”