REDBOOK – February, 2005

CHARLIE SHEEN & DENISE RICHARDS JUST WANT A NORMAL LIFE

He works a steady job. She’s learning to cook. They avoid paparazzi. And in their free time, they take baby Sam swimming in the pool without a nanny in tow. Here, the couple talks about why this is the life they love.

By Anna David

A decade ago, the last place one might have expected to find Charlie Sheen in the middle of a fall day would have been sitting outside a Starbucks in the San Fernando Valley — with a wife by his side and an 11-month-old baby girl in his arms, no less. But here he sits, gazing adoringly at Denise Richards, his wife of nearly three years, and pleading with their daughter, Sam, to “give Dada a burpus.”

The former poster child for delinquent behavior had cleaned up his act by the time he met Denise on a film set (for Good Advice, a romantic comedy) four years ago. The attraction was immediate and mutual, but work conflicts (Charlie had just signed on to replace Michael J. Fox on Spin City) kept them from dating until a year-and-a-half later, when Denise showed up to guest star on Spin City. Sparks flew again – and this time, the timing was perfect. “After one or two dates, I knew he was the one,” says Denise.

When it comes to Charlie, Denise is as generous with her actions as she is with her words. Today, when she notices that Charlie is facing the sun, she’s concerned. “Is that hurting your eyes?” Charlie nods quickly, looking like he might not have brought it up if she hadn’t, and before he can utter a word, Denise shoots up out of her chair asking, “You want to switch places?” He nods again, looking almost embarrassed, as Denise settles into the sun-soaked seat.

As her parents trade places, baby Sam barely makes a fuss in her stroller. Charlie and Denise are so involved in parenting that not only is there no requisite multi-nanny brigade for their Hollywood child, but it didn’t even occur to them to leave Sam at home for this afternoon’s interview. “I don’t want someone else raising our daughter,” Denise says. Charlie adds, “We’re finding out that [not having live-in help] is unusual.”

Charlie and Denise seem like almost any new family, discussing how they balance parenthood with their respective busy careers. As they taste samples of Cranberry Bliss Bars and nurse double-shot espressos, only the interruption of one enthusiastic fan resets the stage for this interview with a modern Hollywood couple.

THEIR HOLLYWOOD LOVE STORY

Before you met, what did you think about each other based on what you’d seen and heard? 
Denise: I had no preconceived ideas about Charlie. After I did James Bond and Wild Things, people had a perception of me that wasn’t accurate, so I never judge people because of their interviews or movies or whatever. 
Charlie: [glancing at Denise] Sorry, but this is the hottest thing on the scene in the last 50 years. Long before I ever met her, I was with a buddy of mine watching Wild Things and I said, “If I ever got a shot at hooking up with her, I’d be done.”
Denise: Really? I didn’t know that, honey.