Patrick Muldoon's Life: From Love Triangle Drama to His Final Video — 35+ Photos

nThe beloved TV and film actor died suddenly this past weekend, leaving Hollywood shaken and fans combing through every photo and memory of a life lived fully in the spotlight.

Patrick Muldoon, 57, best known for "Days of Our Lives," "Melrose Place," and "Starship Troopers," passed away on Sunday, April 19, 2026, after suffering a heart attack at his Beverly Hills home.

Behind the roles and the headlines was a life full of surprises, which included a love triangle involving two of Hollywood's most recognizable women, and a final post so lovely that it makes what happened two days later even harder to process.

From San Pedro to Hollywood

Muldoon was born and raised in the Los Angeles waterfront town of San Pedro, California, the son of Deanna and William Patrick Muldoon II, a personal injury and maritime attorney. With Irish and Croatian roots and parents whose backgrounds spanned painting, writing, and music, creative ambition ran in the family.

Before he ever set foot on a film set, Muldoon was a college athlete, playing football for the USC Trojans and earning two Rose Bowl rings.

His first industry break came as a Calvin Klein model, signed to the Wilhelmina Modeling agency, and when that campaign hit newsstands worldwide, Hollywood came calling.

He hung up his football pads and stepped into acting, landing early roles on "Who's the Boss?" with Tony Danza and "Silk Stalkings" with Rob Estes.

That momentum carried him to "Days of Our Lives," where he played Austin Reed from 1992 to 1995, a role that earned him the Soap Opera Digest Award for Best Male Newcomer.

A Career Built Across Decades

Spelling Entertainment came next, offering Muldoon the only individual development deal in the company's history, which led to his recurring role as Richard Hart on "Melrose Place."

Then came the sci-fi cult classic: director Paul Verhoeven cast him as Zander Barcalow in 1997's "Starship Troopers," cementing his place in '90s pop culture.

He also appeared in more than 50 feature films, including the Sundance entry "Wicked" with Julia Stiles and Frank Darabont's "Black Cat Run."

He returned to "Days of Our Lives" in 2011 for a second run, and later took on Lifetime movies, including "All About Christmas Eve" with Haylie Duff and "In the Dark" with Elisabeth Röhm.

In recent years, Muldoon had shifted toward producing, steering projects alongside major Hollywood names. He produced and starred in "Arkansas" with Vince Vaughn and John Malkovich, and "The Comeback Trail" with Robert De Niro, Tommy Lee Jones, and Morgan Freeman.

He was even a singer-songwriter on the side and released the EP "Muldoon & Ives" on all streaming platforms.

A Sunday that Turned Tragic

According to his sister, Shana Muldoon-Zappa, who spoke to TMZ, the actor had been having coffee with his girlfriend at their Beverly Hills home that morning before heading to shower.

Concerned by his long absence, she went to check on him and discovered him lying unconscious on the bathroom floor. Paramedics soon arrived but were unable to revive him.

Muldoon had no known health conditions and, per his sister, was in peak physical fitness, making his sudden death feel like an "unbelievable nightmare."

Speaking to the Daily Mail, his sister even described him as a man who was thriving:

"He's so healthy. He's an ex-athlete. He goes to jiu-jitsu. He's a martial artist. He runs, he works out."

She added, "It seems like he was in a highlight in his life. And then to just [die] suddenly, it's just unbelievable."

The family had just spent Easter together, and he had been scheduled to travel to Australia for a film project the following week, with a trip to St. Bart's after that.

Muldoon-Zappa then added, "I just feel like… it's a nightmare and I didn't wake up this morning."

Denise Richards, Devastated

Among those hit hardest by the news was actress Denise Richards, his ex-girlfriend of many years. A source close to Richards, now 55, told the Daily Mail, "She's devastated. Really, really sad. I'd even call her inconsolable. She can't stop crying."

The source went on:

"Patrick is the ex that she had the best relationship with. There was a ton of respect on both sides. It was so amicable that they were better friends than lovers and they remained in constant contact. She was his biggest supporter, he was hers."

Muldoon and Richards had first met in acting class when she was 19, and he was 21. They went on to date on and off through the '90s.

But their friendship outlasted the romance. In fact, Muldoon made his final public appearance at the 2026 Saturn Awards this past March, walking the red carpet beside her. But the story of how they ended up in each other's orbit is more tangled than most people knew.

The Love Triangle that Was Revealed Last Year

In 2025, Richards sat down for the two-episode premiere of Bravo's "Denise Richards & Her Wild Things" alongside her longtime friend Tori Spelling, and what they revealed had both women laughing in disbelief.

The "Undercover Brother" actress admitted she had long harbored envy over Spelling's connection to Muldoon.

"I used to be so jealous of you," Richards confessed. "It's crazy because I was on and off with Pat Muldoon. Actually I call him 'schweet babe.'"

The "90210" actress replied cheekily, "I call him '[expletive] face.'" The two dissolved into laughter.

Then Richards called Muldoon on the spot during the taping. When he picked up immediately, the three-way conversation went exactly where you'd expect.

"She doesn't believe the name we call each other," Spelling told him. "Can you tell her what that name is?"

His answer was pure confirmation: "We call each other [expletive] face!"

Afterward, Richards reminded him of the moment everything unraveled between them. "I told her that you and I, even though we were hooking up and whatever the [expletive], you did tell me at one point you couldn't anymore because you were dating Tori," she revealed.

Muldoon also confirmed this with characteristic candor, adding that he didn't remember much about the '90s outside of the two women.

To this, Spelling has one lovely thing to say:

"That was life-changing. Like, a man stopped seeing Denise Richards for me. [Expletive]. I always wanted a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame — I'm fine with this."

The Other Women in His Life

Richards and Spelling weren't the only significant relationships in Muldoon's life. He was also the partner of French actress Juliette Binoche from 2003 to 2005, and again from 2014 onward for a period.

Known as "Bobo" to those closest to him, Muldoon was in a relationship with Miriam Rothbart at the time of his death. The two had been together since 2022, and it was Rothbart who found him unconscious that Sunday morning.

However, the actor never married and had no children.

His Final Posts, and the Video Everyone Is Watching

Fans who followed Muldoon on social media were already struck by how youthful and energetic he appeared in his recent content. One person commenting on a January video wrote, "I see you haven't changed since we were kids !!!! I LOVE IT !!!"

On another post from last year, a fan marveled, "So nice...OMG🥺😭😭. ANNND...you still look kinda the same...omg. the best of both worlds."

But on April 10, just nine days before his death, Muldoon posted what would become his final video. He was seen jamming with a guitar next to a dinner table, surrounded by family and friends, with almost everyone else using utensils as instruments as they all sang the 1995 Oasis song "Don't Look Back in Anger."

Then, on April 17, just two days before he died, he shared what would be his last post, where he gushed with joy about his upcoming new project.

"So excited to be a part of this amazing project KOCKROACH directed by Matt Ross starring Chris Hemsworth, Taron Edgerton, Zazzie Beetz And Alec Baldwin. Filming now in Australia," the actor wrote.

Muldoon was set to serve as executive producer and was scheduled to fly to Australia for it the very week he died. Although he didn't get a chance to finish that project, fans will soon be able to see his final film, "Dirty Hands," which is still set for release later this year.

When TMZ reposted the actor's happy guitar video, the comments reflected a public shaken by how unexpectedly and quietly a life can end.

"It's not uncommon for someone to exhibit no symptoms. RIP," one person wrote. Another added, "I'm terrified of having a heart attack. Very few people experience any warnings."

And one commenter urged, "Every man over 40 should get a calcium test! It' will save lives [sic]!!!"