Heather Locklear has always been one of my all-time favorite celebrities.
The blue-eyed bombshell climbed her way to stardom, landing roles in iconic shows like Dynasty and Melrose Place, and earning millions along the way. But her romantic life has been riddled with scandals and messy divorces.
Read on to understand why her family is deeply concerned and feels “helpless” about the star’s current lifestyle, and uncover the events that led to her unfortunate decline.
Hollywood can be a brutal place. One moment you’re on top of the world, and the next, you’re discarded like yesterday’s news. Just ask Heather Locklear—she knows that reality all too well.
In recent years, tabloids have relentlessly chronicled her personal struggles, often focusing on alleged substance and alcohol abuse. But the truth is, Heather Locklear’s hardships began long before the headlines.
Touched Twice by Tragedy
It’s a familiar story—an All-American girl makes a dazzling breakthrough. She’s beautiful, successful, and romantically linked to high-profile figures. For Heather, it all began in high school.
With her blonde hair, striking blue eyes, and radiant smile, she was impossible to ignore. Back then, many likened her to the legendary Farrah Fawcett.
From the outside, everything appeared perfect. But was it really?
Looking back at Heather’s old interviews reveals a different reality. Despite her fame and recognition, she battled self-image issues during her youth.
She described herself as a shy child with “bony elbows, acne, and braces.” She longed to join her high school cheerleading squad but was deemed too skinny and frail. At home, however, things were stable, and Heather has often described her upbringing as loving and happy.
She’s spoken fondly of her parents and their strong marriage. Her mother worked as a production executive, and her father was a former Marine Corps colonel.
“My father was a Marine colonel, very loving, but there’d be a look in his eyes when he was displeased,” Heather told The New York Times.
Family Catastrophe
Still, Heather’s childhood was shaken by tragedies no child should endure. At just 16, her uncle died by suicide. Then, in 1986, her 27-year-old cousin also took his own life, using a handgun.
These devastating losses sent shockwaves through the Locklear family. Heather still freezes when these events come up in conversation.
The television audience had no idea what she’d endured when she rose to fame. Many saw her as the “nice girl”—almost too tame. But that perception shifted with her first marriage, as the man she wed was anything but ordinary.
Dancing with Tom Cruise
After her breakout role in Dynasty, Heather was frequently seen with rock legends and rising Hollywood stars.
Following an audition in the early 1980s, Heather and Tom Cruise developed a brief connection. It wasn’t exactly dating, but Heather recounted their wild night together on Chelsea Lately.
According to Heather, they hung out one evening because Tom didn’t have many friends in Hollywood at the time. He was thrilled to spend time with a big, beautiful star like her. Though Tom had found success with Risky Business, he wasn’t quite on Heather’s level yet.
Apparently, Tom showed off some of his signature moves from Risky Business, leaving Heather a bit stunned. “You just kind of stand there and don’t know what to do,” she recalled. “Do you dance around him?”
She chose to sit back and watch as Tom performed. That night marked the end of their brief connection—they never went out again.
Scott Baio Relationship
Scott Baio’s charm and TV fame made him a major heartthrob in the ’80s. He was adored by many, but he fell hard for Heather Locklear.
“Heather Locklear was the first girl I was ever in love with,” Baio told People. “She is the greatest chick in the world, and I just ruined it.”
They met in 1983 during the filming of Battle of the Network Stars. Scott was captivated by Heather’s beauty, and the feeling was mutual. But their romance fizzled out—Scott couldn’t commit.
Dating Mark Harmon
Before marrying Pam Dawber, NCIS star Mark Harmon was one of Hollywood’s most eligible bachelors. In 1986, People named him the sexiest man alive. At the time, he was making waves as Dr. Robert Caldwell on St. Elsewhere.
His co-star Cristina Pickles once remarked, “Mark’s sensitivity shows through that handsome face, and women love that.” Donna Mills added, “Forget Mel Gibson. Whenever I see Mark, I think to myself, ‘Your place or mine?’”
Heather and Mark had a brief fling in 1984. They might’ve made a great couple, but it wasn’t meant to be.
“It began around Christmas [1984] but was over by New Year’s,” Mark recalled, calling Heather “just an emotional cup of coffee to me.”
First Marriage
In 1985, Heather began dating Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee. They met at an REO Speedwagon concert.
“He was a bad boy, and that image was exciting to me. Maybe it was my way of rebelling,” she said.
Though the marriage faltered quickly, they stayed together for nearly eight years. “I really loved Tommy—well, for a brief time,” she said. “I gave it my best.”
They had planned to grow old together. “I think we’ll be the coolest grandma and grandpa in the world,” Tommy told People. “I’ll still be a rock pig, and Heather will still be gorgeous.”
They divorced in 1993, but Heather soon found love again.
Heather Locklear and Richie Sambora
Just a year after her divorce, Heather met Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora during a Melrose Place PR trip in New York.
Despite living on opposite coasts—he in New Jersey, she in California—they made it work. In 1994, they married in a New Jersey civil ceremony, followed by a second celebration in Paris.
Having been married to the wild Tommy Lee, Heather said she found something different and special in Richie Sambora.
