What Happened To Heather Locklear?

“Melrose Place” star Heather Locklear staked her claim as one of the most popular actors of the ’80s and ’90s — but where is she now?

Although Locklear — who’s dealt with tragedy in her life — was once one of the most sought-after actors in Hollywood, her life took a turn near the end of the 2010s. According to ET, Locklear enrolled in rehab in 2019 — one year after she was arrested for domestic violence — in a bid to avoid jail time. She’d also been accused of attacking multiple police officers. “Ms. Locklear was uncooperative with the deputies and actually battered three of our deputies,” said the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department. “[Locklear] had claimed that she was injured prior to our arrival, although we did not see any evidence of it. Out of an abundance for caution, she was transported to a local hospital where she was evaluated prior to being booked into jail. She posted $20,000 bail and was released.”

By December 2024, however, it seems that Locklear, who’s also struggled with substance use throughout her life, was on a much better path. According to In Touch, the “Spin City” star, who hadn’t landed much work in the preceding years, had been eager to jump back into the swing of things. “Heather got back to work this year and she seems to have beaten back her demons in the process,” revealed an insider. “What’s even clearer is that she knows she has an uphill battle and she knows she still has to prove her viability to the industry and she’s starting that process basically from zero.” The source also revealed that, despite her tarnished reputation, Locklear planned, in part, to capitalize on ’90s nostalgia — but did it work?

Heather Locklear has returned to acting

Axelle/bauer-griffin/Getty Images

While it seemed for years that Hollywood was finished with Heather Locklear, she returned to acting in 2024 with a leading role in “Mormon Mom Gone Wrong: The Ruby Franke Story.” In the Lifetime movie, which was based on the heinous crimes that mommy vlogger Ruby Franke committed against her children, Locklear played the role of marriage counselor Jodi Hildebrandt, who was also imprisoned for child abuse for mistreating Franke’s kids. Despite the delicate subject matter, Locklear did little press for the made-for-TV movie, which could have helped inform viewers about the subject matter. However, based on Reddit reactions, many viewers decided not to support the project, which they deemed disrespectful to the victims.

In lighter fare, Locklear also embraced her acting past by reuniting with her “Melrose Place” castmates at 90s Con Florida. According to People, the cast — including Locklear — announced that they were all open to bringing the beloved drama back. “The idea is what happens to these people 30 years later,” shared actor Laura Leighton about the reboot in the works. “There’s all these fan stories, all these great conspiracies and those are just wonderfully creative ideas, an example of everybody’s’ interest in where they would be. We were such an easy group of people. We loved each other then. We can’t think of anything better than to come back together and tell a new story soon.”

Sounds like exactly the kind of project Locklear needs to get back on track!