1. Overview
Nicollette Sheridan (Nicollette SheridanˌnɪkəˈlɛtEnglish) is a British-born American actress, writer, and producer who gained prominence for her roles in popular television series and films. She began her career as a fashion model before making her acting debut in the 1984 ABC primetime soap opera Paper Dolls. Her breakthrough came with the role of Paige Matheson in the CBS primetime soap opera Knots Landing, which she starred in from 1986 to 1993, earning two Soap Opera Digest Awards. Sheridan later achieved widespread recognition for her portrayal of the witty and manipulative real estate agent Edie Britt in the ABC comedy-drama series Desperate Housewives (2004-2009), a role that earned her a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Series, Miniseries or Television Film in 2005. Following her departure from Desperate Housewives, she took on the iconic role of Alexis Carrington in The CW's reboot of Dynasty from 2018 to 2019. Throughout her career, Sheridan has also appeared in numerous television films and feature films, including Noises Off (1992), Spy Hard (1996), and Beverly Hills Ninja (1997). Her career has also been marked by a high-profile legal dispute with the creator of Desperate Housewives, Marc Cherry, and ABC, alleging assault and wrongful termination.
2. Early Life and Background
Nicollette Sheridan was born on November 21, 1963, in Worthing, England. Her mother is actress Sally Adams, who was born in 1947 in Bognor Regis, West Sussex, United Kingdom. Sally Adams gave birth to Sheridan when she was 17 years old. Less than a year after Sheridan's birth, her father left the family, and she has had no contact with him since.
In 1969, her mother, billed as Dani Sheridan, appeared in the James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service as one of Blofeld's "Angels of Death." During this time, Sally met actor Telly Savalas, who played Blofeld in the film. Savalas subsequently became her de facto husband and Sheridan's stepfather. Sally Adams later became known as Sally Savalas. Sheridan emigrated from the United Kingdom to the United States in 1973, at the age of 10. According to some sources, her great-grandparent was of Punjabi descent from India.
3. Career
Nicollette Sheridan's acting career spans several decades, encompassing modeling, television, and film roles that established her as a recognizable figure in Hollywood.
3.1. Modeling and Early Career
Sheridan began her career as a fashion model, gracing the pages of Vogue and appearing on the cover of Cosmopolitan magazine, with a notable shoot by Francesco Scavullo. While still a teenager, she gained recognition for starring in a Martini television commercial, where she famously delivered the beverage on roller skates through the streets of Los Angeles.
In 1984, Sheridan made her acting debut in the ABC primetime soap opera Paper Dolls, playing the role of Taryn Blake. The series was short-lived, being canceled after half a season. The following year, she starred in the romantic comedy film The Sure Thing. Later in 1985, she was cast in the pilot for another ABC primetime soap, Dark Mansions, which was conceived as a blend of Dynasty and Dark Shadows. Although the project did not proceed to a full series, the pilot episode was aired as a television movie in 1986, with Sheridan portraying Banda Drake.
3.2. Knots Landing
In 1986, Sheridan joined the cast of the CBS primetime soap opera Knots Landing as the character Paige Matheson. She initially appeared in a recurring capacity but became a series regular by the 1988-1989 season. Sheridan remained with the series for seven seasons, until its conclusion in 1993, appearing in 181 episodes. Her performance as Paige Matheson brought her significant recognition, earning her the 1990 Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Lead Actress: Prime Time and the 1991 Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Heroine: Prime Time. In the same year, she was named one of People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People."
3.3. Television Films and Feature Films
Throughout the 1990s, Nicollette Sheridan starred in a variety of television films and miniseries. In 1990, she appeared in Deceptions as Adrienne Erickson and portrayed Lucky Santangelo in the television adaptation of Jackie Collins' Lucky Chances. Subsequent years saw her in star-billed roles in productions such as Somebody's Daughter (1992), A Time to Heal (1994), Shadows of Desire (1994), Virus (1995), Indictment: The McMartin Trial (1995), Silver Strand (1995), The People Next Door (1996), Murder in My Mind (1997), Dead Husbands (1998), The Spiral Staircase (2000), Haven't We Met Before? (2002), Deadly Betrayal (2003), and Deadly Visions (2004).
Despite her numerous leading roles in television, her feature film career remained somewhat limited. In 1992, she co-starred alongside Carol Burnett and Michael Caine in the comedy Noises Off, playing Brooke Ashton/Vicki. She later appeared in two studio movies: Spy Hard (1996) opposite Leslie Nielsen, and Beverly Hills Ninja (1997) starring Chris Farley. Additionally, Sheridan auditioned for two leading sitcom roles, Rachel Green on Friends and Grace Adler on Will & Grace, though these roles ultimately went to Jennifer Aniston and Debra Messing, respectively. However, Sheridan did make a guest appearance opposite Messing in a 2003 episode of Will & Grace.
3.4. Desperate Housewives

In 2004, Nicollette Sheridan was cast as Edie Britt in the ABC comedy-drama series Desperate Housewives. The character was initially conceived as a recurring role, though Sheridan had originally auditioned for Bree Van de Kamp, one of the series' more prominent characters.
On November 15, 2004, Sheridan, in character as Edie Britt, appeared with NFL wide receiver Terrell Owens in an introductory skit for that evening's Monday Night Football episode. The skit, which depicted Britt seductively approaching Owens in a locker room, drew criticism from some observers who deemed it sexually suggestive. ABC later issued an apology for airing the segment. However, on March 14, 2005, the Federal Communications Commission ruled that the skit did not violate decency standards, citing the absence of outright nudity or foul language.
For her performance as Edie Britt, Sheridan was nominated for a 2005 Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Series, Miniseries or Television Film. She was also ranked number 48 on Maxim magazine's 2006 Hot 100 List. In February 2009, during the show's fifth season, Sheridan announced her departure from Desperate Housewives. Her character, Edie Britt, was killed off in an episode that aired in April 2009. Unlike other main characters who had been written off the show over the years, Sheridan did not make an appearance in the series' final episode, which aired in May 2012. Media reports also noted that she was placed on Mr. Blackwell's list for worst-dressed and faced media scrutiny regarding plastic surgery.
3.5. Dynasty Reboot
On November 28, 2017, it was announced that Nicollette Sheridan had been cast in The CW's remake of Dynasty, taking on the role of Alexis Morell Carrington, a character famously played by Joan Collins in the original series. Mark Pedowitz, the president of The CW, who had previously been president of ABC Studios during Sheridan's tenure on Desperate Housewives, personally contacted her about the role, expressing his long-standing admiration for her work and confidence in her ability to excel in the part.
Sheridan received positive reviews for her debut as Alexis. Her strong performance led to her promotion to series regular status for the second season. However, on February 25, 2019, The CW announced that Sheridan would be leaving Dynasty to focus on "some personal family responsibilities." Sheridan clarified in her own statement that her departure was motivated by a desire to spend more time with her terminally ill mother in Los Angeles. Her final appearance in the series was in the episode "Motherly Overprotectiveness".
3.6. Later Works
In 2010, Nicollette Sheridan was cast in an untitled CBS comedy pilot, where she was slated to play a mother who competes with her British ex-husband (played by Paul Kaye) to help their teenage daughter achieve stardom. However, the show was not picked up for a full series.
In September 2010, Sheridan starred in the Hallmark Channel film Honeymoon for One, which was set in Ireland. The movie premiered on the Hallmark Channel on August 13, 2011. In 2013, she further collaborated with Hallmark, starring in and co-producing The Christmas Spirit. In a November 2013 interview, Sheridan revealed her aspirations to find a network for a half-hour comedy series that she was writing herself. She also co-starred in two independent comedy films, Jewtopia (2012) and Let's Kill Ward's Wife (2014), the latter featuring a cameo appearance. In 2016, she filmed another Hallmark movie titled All Yours, for which she also served as an executive producer.
On October 3, 2023, it was announced that Sheridan would be featured in the Lifetime film Ladies of the '80s: A Divas Christmas. The film's synopsis describes five soap opera divas who reunite for a show and attempt to play cupid for their director and producer during Christmas, learning about the true spirit of the holiday in the process. The ensemble cast includes Sheridan alongside Loni Anderson, Linda Gray, Morgan Fairchild, and Donna Mills. Notably, Donna Mills had previously co-starred with Sheridan in Paper Dolls and Knots Landing, respectively.
4. Legal Disputes and Controversies
In April 2010, Nicollette Sheridan initiated a lawsuit seeking 20.00 M USD against Desperate Housewives creator and producer Marc Cherry and ABC Television. The lawsuit alleged that Cherry assaulted her on the set of the show, and that she was subsequently fired when she reported the alleged abuse to the network.
Sheridan's legal claims included wrongful termination, assault and battery, gender violence, discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and age, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. She also asserted that Cherry exhibited abusive behavior towards other cast members and writers. ABC responded by stating that while they were unaware of this specific complaint, they had previously investigated similar claims made by Sheridan and found them to be without merit. The show's lead stars, Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross, and Eva Longoria, publicly pledged their support for Cherry in the legal battle against Sheridan's allegations.
In May 2011, a judge allowed the case to proceed to trial but dismissed Sheridan's claims of harassment. The trial commenced on February 27, 2012. Cherry testified that the alleged "assault" was merely a light tap to Sheridan's head with his fingers, performed during rehearsals to demonstrate how she should play a physical gag in a scene. He further stated that the decision to kill off her character had been approved in May 2008, several months prior to the alleged hitting incident in September 2008. Cherry cited budget reduction needs, Sheridan's alleged unprofessional on-set behavior (including habitual lateness, not learning lines, and feuding with co-stars), and the character having "run its course" as reasons for the decision to write out Edie Britt.
On March 13, 2012, the judge dismissed the battery charge against Cherry due to insufficient evidence, narrowing the lawsuit's focus solely to Sheridan's alleged wrongful termination by ABC. Closing arguments were heard on March 14, 2012, and the jury began deliberations. By March 19, 2012, the jury was unable to reach a verdict, resulting in a mistrial.
A retrial was initially scheduled for September 2012. However, in August, the Los Angeles Court of Appeal dismissed the case, ruling that Sheridan had not been wrongfully fired. The court rejected her argument that ABC's decision not to renew her contract was comparable to a violation of at-will employment. The court reasoned that unlike an at-will employee whose contract could be indefinite, Sheridan's contract was for a fixed term that had expired, meaning ABC had chosen not to rehire her rather than terminating her. Despite this, the court stated that Sheridan was free to file an amended lawsuit alleging that ABC retaliated against her for complaining about unsafe working conditions. A subsequent appeal by Sheridan to the California Supreme Court was rejected in November 2012.
A new trial, focusing solely on the retaliation claim, was set for December 2013. However, this was also dismissed in October 2013 by a judge who determined that Sheridan should have exhausted her claims through a labor commissioner before pursuing a trial. A further attempt by Sheridan to secure a new trial was refused on January 16, 2014. Yet, the same judge reversed his decision on January 29, 2014, and granted Sheridan a new trial. This decision was later overturned in August 2014 by the Los Angeles Court of Appeal, which found the judge's decision to grant a new trial to be in error.
5. Personal Life
Nicollette Sheridan's personal life has included several notable relationships, marriages, and engagements. During the 1980s, she dated teen idols Leif Garrett and Scott Baio. She began dating Garrett when she was 15 and lived with him at his mother's house while still underage, with their relationship lasting from 1979 to 1985.
On September 7, 1991, Sheridan married actor Harry Hamlin, her co-star from the 1990 television film Deceptions. Hamlin filed for divorce on August 21, 1992, citing July 13 as their date of separation, and the divorce was finalized in 1993.
From July 1992 to September 1995, Sheridan was in a relationship with singer Michael Bolton. She then had a three-year relationship with Australian Simon Main, which concluded in 2000 when Main was sentenced to four years in prison for trafficking ecstasy.
In 2004, Sheridan began dating Swedish personal trainer Nicklas Söderblom, to whom she became engaged on New Year's Eve 2004. However, the couple called off their engagement in October 2005. In October 2005, while on a five-day photo shoot in Australia, Sheridan met with her ex-boyfriend Simon Main following his release from prison. That December, she rekindled her romance with Michael Bolton, and they announced their engagement in March 2006. Sheridan and Bolton recorded a duet, the title track of Bolton's 2006 album, Bolton Swings Sinatra: The Second Time Around. In March 2008, Sheridan posed nude for a London Fog charity advertisement that also featured Bolton. Sheridan and Bolton ended their engagement in August 2008.
Sheridan married Aaron Phypers in December 2015, but the couple separated just six months later. Their divorce was finalized in August 2018. In 2019, Sheridan launched her own range of skincare products called Biolumière Organics.
6. Public Perception and Media Appearances

Nicollette Sheridan's public image and media presence have been shaped by her prominent roles, personal relationships, and occasional controversies. Beyond her acting career, she has appeared in popular culture rankings and been involved in discussions on reality television.
In 1991, she was named one of People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People." In 2006, she was ranked number 48 on Maxim magazine's Hot 100 List. She also faced scrutiny from fashion critics, with Mr. Blackwell placing her on his worst-dressed list, and media speculation regarding plastic surgery.
In February 2019, the ninth season of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills featured a discussion between Denise Richards, the current wife of Sheridan's ex-husband Aaron Phypers, and Lisa Rinna, the current wife of Sheridan's ex-husband Harry Hamlin. Rinna recounted details about Sheridan allegedly having an affair with Michael Bolton while Hamlin was in Canada, which she claimed led to the dissolution of Sheridan and Hamlin's marriage. Days later, Sheridan publicly denied Rinna's claims on Twitter, stating that she and Hamlin ended their marriage "nose to nose" in Canada and that Michael Bolton was a long-time friend who was invited to their wedding. Harry Hamlin subsequently defended Rinna's account, but Sheridan re-affirmed that "the end of our marriage had nothing to do with anyone other than us." Following this public exchange, fans of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills expressed interest in Sheridan joining the cast, particularly after Denise Richards' departure at the end of the tenth season. However, in November 2020, producer Andy Cohen confirmed that Sheridan would not be asked to join the show due to her ongoing feud with Rinna.
7. Filmography
7.1. Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | The Sure Thing | The "Sure Thing" | |
| 1989 | Dirty Tennis | Herself | Direct-to-video; short film with Dick Van Patten |
| 1992 | Noises Off | Brooke Ashton/Vicki | |
| 1996 | Spy Hard | Veronique Ukrinsky, Agent 3.14 | |
| 1997 | Beverly Hills Ninja | Allison Page/Sally Jones | |
| 1998 | I Woke Up Early the Day I Died | Ballroom Woman | Cameo |
| 1999 | Raw Nerve | Izabel Sauvestre | |
| 2002 | .com for Murder | Misty Brummel | Direct-to-video |
| 2002 | Tarzan & Jane | Eleanor | Direct-to-video; voice |
| 2003 | Lost Treasure | Carrie | Direct-to-video |
| 2007 | Code Name: The Cleaner | Diane | |
| 2008 | Fly Me to the Moon | Nadia | Voice |
| 2009 | Noah's Ark: The New Beginning | Zenna | Direct-to-video; voice |
| 2011 | XXIT | Nikki Williams | Short film |
| 2012 | Jewtopia | Betsy O'Connell | |
| 2014 | Let's Kill Ward's Wife | Robin Peters | Cameo |
7.2. Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Paper Dolls | Taryn Blake | Series regular |
| 1985 | Scene of the Crime | Liza | Season 1, episode 4: "Murder on the Rocks" |
| 1986-1993 | Knots Landing | Paige Matheson | Series regular, 181 episodes |
| 1986 | Dead Man's Folly | Hattie Stubbs | Television film |
| 1986 | Dark Mansions | Banda Drake | Television film |
| 1990 | Deceptions | Adrienne Erickson | Television film |
| 1990 | Lucky/Chances | Lucky Santangelo | TV miniseries |
| 1991 | Paradise | Lily | Episode: "Twenty-Four Hours" |
| 1992 | Somebody's Daughter | Sara | Television film |
| 1994 | A Time to Heal | Jenny Barton | Television film |
| 1994 | Shadows of Desire | Rowena Ecklund | Television film |
| 1995 | Virus | Marissa Blumenthal | Television film |
| 1995 | Indictment: The McMartin Trial | Grace | Television film; uncredited |
| 1995 | Silver Strand | Michelle Hughes | Television film |
| 1996 | The People Next Door | Anna Morse | Television film |
| 1997 | Murder in My Mind | Callain Pearson | Television film |
| 1997 | The Larry Sanders Show | Herself | Season 5, episode 6: "The Matchmaker" |
| 1997 | Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac | Paige Matheson | TV miniseries, uncredited cameo |
| 1998 | Dead Husbands | Alexandra Elston | Television film |
| 2000 | The Spiral Staircase | Helen Capel | Television film |
| 2001 | The Legend of Tarzan | Eleanor | Voice, 26 episodes |
| 2002 | Haven't We Met Before? | Eliza/Kate/Emily Winton | Television film |
| 2003 | Static Shock | Darci Mason | Episode: "Toys in the Hood" |
| 2003 | Deadly Betrayal | Donna Randal | Television film |
| 2003 | Will & Grace | Dr. Danielle Morty | Episode: "24" |
| 2003 | Becker | Anna | Episode: "A First Class Flight" |
| 2004 | Deadly Visions | Ann Culver | Television film |
| 2004 | The Karate Dog | White Cat | Voice, television film |
| 2004-2009 | Desperate Housewives | Edie Britt Williams | Series regular, 92 episodes (seasons 1-5) |
| 2011 | Honeymoon for One | Eve Parker | Television film |
| 2013 | The Christmas Spirit | Charlotte Hart | Television film; also writer and executive producer |
| 2016 | All Yours | Cass | Television film; also executive producer |
| 2018-2019 | Dynasty | Alexis Morell Carrington | Recurring role (season 1, 7 episodes) Main role (season 2, 15 episodes) |
| 2023 | Ladies of the '80s: A Divas Christmas | Juliette Matheson | Television film |
8. Awards and Nominations
Nicollette Sheridan has received several awards and nominations throughout her career, particularly for her work in television.
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Soap Opera Digest Awards | Outstanding Lead Actress: Prime Time | Knots Landing | Won |
| 1991 | Soap Opera Digest Awards | Outstanding Heroine - Prime Time | Knots Landing | Won |
| 2005 | Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Series, Miniseries or Television Film | Best Supporting Actress - Series, Miniseries or Television Film | Desperate Housewives | Nominated |
| 2005 | Gold Derby Awards | Best Comedy Supporting Actress | Desperate Housewives | Nominated |
| 2005 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Desperate Housewives | Won |
| 2006 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Desperate Housewives | Won |
| 2007 | Gold Derby Awards | Best Comedy Supporting Actress | Desperate Housewives | Nominated |
| 2007 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Desperate Housewives | Nominated |
| 2008 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Desperate Housewives | Nominated |
| 2009 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Desperate Housewives | Nominated |