Heather Locklear’s Remarkable Comeback: Inside Her Incredible Turnaround

This article contains references to substance abuse and suicide.

Heather Locklear became one of television’s defining faces of the 1980s, breaking out on hit series such as “Dynasty” and “TJ Hooker.” In the decades that followed, the actress’ public life brought both major career highs and deeply personal challenges, including complicated romances, legal troubles, and difficult periods that left fans asking what happened to Heather Locklear. In recent years, however, she has focused on rebuilding with the support of loved ones, a calmer outlook, and the people and routines that bring her comfort. Locklear has also spoken openly about the role faith plays in keeping her grounded. “I pray about my family every night, and my mom especially, and my daughter being happy, and especially my dog staying alive,” she said on an episode of her “What Do You Want?” podcast (via AOL). “But honestly, what I want is for God to direct me towards who I’m supposed to be with, because I can’t always make good decisions.”

Locklear’s relationships have long drawn nearly as much attention as her television work. Among her most talked-about romances were her marriages to two of rock’s biggest names: Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee and Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora. Locklear and Lee’s marriage lasted seven years before the “Spin City” star filed for divorce in 1993, amid allegations of infidelity on his part. Not long afterward, she married Sambora, and the couple later welcomed Locklear’s only child, daughter Ava. Their marriage also came to an end, with Locklear filing for divorce in 2006 after 11 years together. Though there was tension after the split, Locklear and Sambora eventually reached a warmer place, even spending family holidays together in support of their daughter. And Lee, her first husband, has remained part of her broader circle as well.

Despite the messy way their marriage ended, Locklear and Lee have managed to maintain a friendly connection over time. In 2016, the “Melrose Place” actress even marked what would have been their 30th wedding anniversary with a playful social media post. Her rapport extends to Lee’s current wife, Brittany Furlan, who has spoken warmly about Locklear. “I think she’s the most kind, down-to-earth person,” Furlan told People. “We met through Tommy, obviously, and became close. She’s just very cool, very nice, just supportive and just a cool chick all around.”

After years of romantic turbulence, Heather Locklear appears to have found a more peaceful chapter with Lorenzo Lamas. Lamas, known for roles in “Grease” and “Falcon Crest,” had crossed paths with the “TJ Hooker” star more than 40 years earlier, when the two met during a “Playgirl” photoshoot. Their relationship did not begin until much later, but the long history between them made the pairing especially notable. Locklear even brought Lamas as her date to daughter Ava’s 2026 wedding, where she and ex-husband Richie Sambora came together to walk their daughter down the aisle.

When it comes to her relationship with the “Falcon Crest” hunk, Locklear credits their shared faith with bringing them together and strengthening their relationship, saying that she is the happiest she’s ever been. “When I tell this person I love him, I’m really saying, ‘I love you, God’ because that’s what happened. It’s from God,” she shared on the “Hollywood & Divine” podcast. Though both of them have seen their fair share of failed relationships — Lamas has been married six times previously — he also believes that this relationship is built to last. “I’ve been through a lot of trial and error, and she is the most amazing woman that I think I’ve ever met,” Lamas gushed to People.

Heather Locklear faced serious personal struggles over the years, including being reportedly hospitalized for erratic behavior several times. Things came to a head in 2008 after a 911 call was made claiming that the actor was suicidal. Though her representatives denied this claim, the “Dynasty” alum checked into a rehab facility later that year to treat anxiety and depression. But a few months later, she was pulled over and arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of prescription drugs. Her case was eventually dismissed, and the actor completed three years of informal probation as a result.

Several years later, things began to worsen again for the star. In 2012, she was rushed to the hospital after a concerned call came in about her alleged prescription drug and alcohol use. She also had a string of arrests in 2018 for battery against both a police officer and a first responder. After the last arrest, she was rushed to the hospital for an overdose and was even placed in a psychiatric hold after an argument with then-boyfriend Chris Heisser. With things reaching their limit, friends pleaded with the star to seek help. “Everyone wants her to get better,” an insider told People at the time. “She is unstable and she’s had a lot of issues, drug use, and alcohol over the years. No one wants to see her go through something like this.”

Heather Locklear has reportedly been treated for her addictions 20 times over the years, but by 2020, the “Melrose Place” bombshell happily announced that she was one year sober. “I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision,” she shared in a celebratory Instagram post. “I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.” Though reports continued to come out that she had fallen off the wagon and had even begun losing significant amounts of weight while taking Ozempic, friends were adamant that the star was continuing to maintain her sobriety. “Heather is most definitely not drinking, she hasn’t for years,” a close friend told Page Six regarding the reports. “She’s very upset at that allegation … She’s 100% the Heather I know and love, I don’t know who is trying to spread these rumors that she’s unwell, but it’s incredibly cruel.”

Locklear has also spoken openly about sobriety and recovery when reflecting on others’ struggles. Upon the loss of a friend of hers in 2018, she reflected on the importance of bettering oneself as a way of healing. “Addiction is ferocious and will try to take you down,” she shared on Instagram. “Recovery is the best revenge.”

In 2017, Heather Locklear was rushed to a local hospital after sustaining injuries from a car crash in Thousand Oaks, California. According to reports, she veered off the road and went into a five- to six-foot-deep ditch. Though her injuries were minor, she was taken to Los Robles Hospital & Medical Center afterward. Authorities said that there were no drugs or alcohol involved in the crash, but Locklear’s daughter took to social media to ask for good energy for her mother. “Please keep my mama in your prayers!” she shared (via ET). “She got in a car accident and can use all the love and positivity she can get!” Despite reports that the actor had broken her collarbone, Locklear herself took to her own social media page to assure fans and loved ones that she was well. “I’m home and good. Thank you for your concern!” she shared on Instagram.

This wasn’t the first time that the star has had vehicle-related incidents. In 2010, she was charged with a hit-and-run after slamming into a street sign and leaving the scene. Though she was eventually arrested and cited for a misdemeanor after investigators reviewed security-camera footage, she did not ultimately face charges.

As she’s entered a new phase of her career, Heather Locklear has relied upon her friends, old and new, as part of her healthier chapter. “I don’t really hang out with Hollywood people,” she admitted on the “Hollywood & Divine” podcast. Who she does hang out with is best friend Jillian Barberie, a television personality and Locklear’s co-host on the “What Do You Want?” podcast. Nurse and fellow friend Melanie Mancil is also a co-host on the show, where the trio discusses health, relationships, and reflections on their respective experiences in the industry. Barberie has even shared that Locklear was by her side as she navigated her cancer diagnosis and credits her friend with being her other half. “We always say we’re the same person,” Barberie told SurvivorNet. “We have the same sense of humor, and we cover in the same crazy business so we kind of get it and she doesn’t take herself too seriously at all.”

Locklear has also befriended the inspiration for one of her roles. After playing the title character in the Lifetime movie “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff: The Kristine Carlson Story,” the actor and the real-life Carlson have become the best of friends. “When I met her, I was like, ‘Oh, this is going to be easy for you to play me,'” Carlson told People. “She has a really, really quick wit, that woman. She is a really funny gal … She could do stand-up comedy, seriously.”

Some of Heather Locklear’s most famous roles have made their way back to the forefront of her life. In recent years, she’s revealed how she really feels about her “Melrose Place” character, the villainous vixen Amanda Woodward. “I watched the show because there was so much press on it,” she shared with her former costars Daphne Zuniga, Laura Leighton, and Courtney Thorne-Smith on their “Still the Place” podcast. “And I was going, ‘Oh my God, this show is gonna be great … and I wish I could be on it, but I’m too old.’ I was, like, 30. Or almost 30 or something like that,” she shared. As for getting to play the villainous Amanda Woodward for six years and almost 200 episodes? “It was pretty fun, since I don’t normally do that in real life,” she admitted on the “Stars in the House” podcast, which reunited the cast virtually during the global pandemic.

Following in those nostalgic footsteps, Locklear has begun appearing at fan expos alongside her former co-stars. In 2024, she made her first public appearance in three years at ’90s Con in Florida with her “Melrose Place” castmates. She was interviewed during both a solo panel and a group panel during the festivities, where she shared insights into her performances over the years. “It’s more fun to play it not straight,” she said of her more rebellious roles (via People).

If you or anyone you know needs help with substance abuse or suicidal thoughts, contact the relevant resources below: