Heather Locklear became one of television’s biggest stars in the 1980s and ’90s thanks to Dynasty, T.J. Hooker and Melrose Place, but behind the glamorous image was a life marked by painful divorces, addiction struggles, arrests and repeated trips to treatment. Now, after decades of turmoil, the actress appears to have found a far more peaceful chapter built around sobriety, faith, family, friendship and a new relationship. Locklear has said prayer remains part of her daily routine, particularly when it comes to her family, daughter and even her dog. She has also admitted that she asks God to guide her toward the right partner because she hasn’t always trusted herself to make the best romantic decisions.
Her love life has certainly been eventful. Locklear was married to Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee for seven years before filing for divorce in 1993 amid allegations of infidelity. She later married Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora and welcomed her only child, daughter Ava, before that marriage ended after 11 years in 2006. Despite the difficult endings, time has softened some of those relationships. Locklear and Sambora eventually became friendly enough to celebrate family occasions together, while she has also remained on good terms with Lee and even developed a friendship with his wife, Brittany Furlan. More recently, Locklear found love with actor Lorenzo Lamas, whom she had known for more than four decades before romance finally blossomed. She brought him to Ava’s 2026 wedding, where Locklear and Sambora walked their daughter down the aisle. Both Locklear and Lamas credit their shared faith with strengthening the relationship, with the actress saying she is happier than ever.
That happiness follows some frightening years. In 2008, a 911 call raised concerns that Locklear might be suicidal, although her representatives denied the claim. She later entered treatment for anxiety and depression and was arrested months afterward on suspicion of driving under the influence of prescription medication. The case was ultimately dismissed, and she completed three years of informal probation. In 2012, she was hospitalized again amid concerns involving prescription drugs and alcohol.
Her problems escalated in 2018 with arrests involving alleged battery against a police officer and a first responder, followed by another hospitalization for an overdose and a psychiatric hold after an argument with then-boyfriend Chris Heisser. Friends publicly expressed hope that she would finally receive the help she needed.
Locklear has reportedly undergone treatment for addiction around 20 times, but in 2020 she proudly announced that she had reached one year of sobriety. Later reports questioned whether she had remained sober and also claimed she had experienced significant weight loss while taking Ozempic, but people close to the actress strongly rejected allegations that she had returned to drinking. One friend insisted that Locklear had not consumed alcohol for years and described rumors that she was unwell as “incredibly cruel.” Locklear herself has spoken candidly about the power of addiction, writing after the death of a friend in 2018, “Addiction is ferocious and will try to take you down. Recovery is the best revenge.”
There have been other frightening episodes along the way. In 2017, Locklear drove off the road in Thousand Oaks, California, landing in a ditch estimated to be five or six feet deep. She was taken to a hospital with minor injuries, and authorities said drugs and alcohol were not involved. Her daughter Ava asked followers to send her mother love and prayers, while Locklear later reassured everyone that she was home and doing well. Seven years earlier, she had also been cited following a hit-and-run investigation after a vehicle struck a street sign and left the scene, although she ultimately did not face charges.
Today, Locklear credits the people around her with helping her maintain a healthier life. She has said she doesn’t spend much time with Hollywood crowds, instead surrounding herself with trusted friends including television personality Jillian Barberie and nurse Melanie Mancil. The three now host the What Do You Want? podcast together, discussing health, relationships and their experiences. Barberie has described Locklear as one of her closest supporters, particularly during her battle with cancer. Locklear has also developed a close friendship with Kristine Carlson after portraying her in Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff: The Kristine Carlson Story, with Carlson praising the actress’s sharp sense of humor and joking that she could easily perform stand-up comedy.
Locklear has also begun reconnecting with the work that made her famous. She has reflected fondly on playing the ruthless Amanda Woodward on Melrose Place, a character she portrayed for six years and nearly 200 episodes. In 2024, she made her first public appearance in three years when she reunited with former castmates at ’90s Con in Florida. After decades that took her from television superstardom to deeply public personal struggles, the actress is once again embracing her career, relationships and friendships — while making sobriety, faith and peace central to the life she has rebuilt.
