NEWSDenise Richards Celebrates Ex Patrick Muldoon's Birthday Nearly 6 Months After His Sudden Fatal Heart Attack: 'This Is Hard'
Denise Richards honored her 'schweet babe' Patrick Muldoon on what would've been his birthday, nearly six months after his fatal heart attack.
Sept. 28 2026, Published 12:36 p.m. ET
Denise Richards fondly remembered her ex-boyfriend and Starship Troopers costar, Patrick Muldoon, as she marked his first birthday since his fatal heart attack nearly six months ago.
Denise Richards Honored Ex Patrick Muldoon on His Birthday
Denise Richards and Patrick Muldoon dated on and off in the early 90s, but had maintained a close friendship over the years.
"This was our last hug saying goodbye ... If only I hugged you tighter and longer. We had just gotten off our flight from Scotland ... A whirlwind weekend with our Starship Troopers family. I loved how excited you were to land at LAX and have fancy PS pick us up & drive us across the tarmac ... Always so humble," Richards, 55, wrote in a lengthy tribute shared via Instagram on Sunday, September 27.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star said she hadn't "laughed that hard in a long time" as she recalled them chatting in the airport lounge as they waited for their bags.
'This Is Hard'
Denise Richards admitted it took her 'all day' to write the post honoring Patrick Muldoon.
"We talked about plans of getting together and gave each other a hug and that was the last time," she wrote. "Today is your birthday ... I know you know how hard it is for all of us. It's taken me all day to even post this ... This is hard. I feel you and see all your signs."
Richards affectionately called Muldoon her "schweetbabe," the nickname they coined for each other while working on Starship Troopers in 1997.
"I love you so much schweetbabe ... More than my best friend, my family. I'm so thankful I still have your family. And not a day goes by that I don't think about you," she concluded. "I know you're around; I don't quite know where, but you're here. I am so beyond grateful we had that weekend in Scotland with everyone and the time we got to spend talking for hours about life ... Schweetbabe, Happy Birthday🎂 as we would say ... I miss you dearly & I dearly miss you Schweetbabe."
- Denise Richards' Ex Charlie Sheen Had a 'Hard Time' Dealing With Her and Ex Patrick Muldoon's Friendship: 'I Didn't Want to Lose Him'
- Lisa Rinna Reveals She Had 'A Couple Of One-Night Stands' With 'Days Of Our Lives' Costar Patrick Muldoon
- Charlie Sheen Suggests Ex-Wife Denise Richards 'Still Loves' Him Years After Divorce: 'Nice to Hear That'
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Patrick Muldoon Died in April
Denise Richards and Patrick Muldoon starred in the 1997 film 'Starship Troopers.'
As OK! previously reported, Muldoon died at 57 in April after suffering a fatal heart attack inside his home. His partner, Miriam Rothbart, discovered him unconscious on the bathroom floor, and despite a quick response from paramedics, the actor was pronounced dead at the scene.
Richards has spoken at length about her close platonic relationship with Muldoon, whom she dated on and off in the early 90s.
Patrick Muldoon Was Denise Richard's 'Deal Breaker' in Relationships
Denise Richards said it was a 'deal breaker' if her partner didn't 'embrace' her friendship with Patrick Muldoon.
Though the pair went their separate ways, they remained close. Richards revealed that she often had to defend their friendship, recalling a past interaction with RHOBH costar Teddi Mellencamp.
"[Teddi] would say to me like, 'I know you’re sleeping with him.' I'm like, 'I'm not sleeping with him. We’ve been broken up for years.' I said, 'He's my best friend.' And [she said], 'Aaron’s got to be like, p----- off and whatever,’” Richards said during an appearance on the "Dumb Blonde" podcast on August 3, referring to her estranged husband, Aaron Phypers.
She continued, "And I said, 'He's not. He knows my relationship.' It actually was a deal breaker. If you don’t embrace him, then forget it."
