Ava Sambora may be forging her own path as an actress and model, but she has no qualms about being known as Richie Sambora and Heather Locklear’s daughter.
The This Is 40 star, 21, admitted in an interview with Wingman magazine published in January that despite growing up knowing her famous parents as simply “Mom and Dad,” she’s come to value their industry experience. “I was never concerned with their fame, if you know what I mean,” she told the publication. “It was kind of surreal to come into that realization, because they are just Mom and Dad, and then all of a sudden it becomes clear just how world-wide celebrated they are, and how incredibly talented they are, and it becomes an even bigger privilege for them to be my parents on a larger scale, outside of the day-to-day family basis.”
Ava continued: “As I got older, I learned to appreciate it more — especially since I would love to follow in my mother’s footsteps.”
In fact, she’d even jump at the chance to star on the reboot of Heather’s hit show Dynasty. “Oh, my God, of course I’d be interested!” she said of the prospect. “I think the reboot is great, and it inspires me to go check out the old episodes of the original. I actually like what they did with my mother’s character because it was [so] different and ultimately timely. It would be an absolute privilege to be on that show!”
In the meantime, the young starlet said she’s getting plenty of career advice from Heather, 57. “The best advice my mother ever gave me was not to take everything so personally. There are going to be a thousand times you’ll hear ‘no,’ but, it only takes a few yeses, and waiting for those yeses will be worth it, and I think that’s such an important mindset to have in this business,” she said. “There could be a million reasons why they don’t want you for a part, and it’s not always because you’re not good enough, it might just be because there was another girl that looked more like what they envisioned, or maybe they already had another girl signed on, or whatever it is. So, it’s important not to take it all personally because the yeses will come.”
Heather got her start in showbiz as a commercial model before landing a breakthrough role on Dynasty in 1981. She went on to star in countless film and television roles, including stints on Melrose Place, Spin City and Uptown Girls, while Sambora, 59, is best known as the lead guitarist of Bon Jovi, from whom he split in 2013.
The rocker rushed to Ava’s side in November after the LAX actress was placed on a 72-hour psychiatric hold. “The pair enjoyed a quiet, private [Thanksgiving] holiday with a personal cook making a meal for just the two of them,” a source told Us Weekly at the time.
TMZ reported that Heather’s hold was precautionary due to her therapist’s concerns.
One month later, the actress returned to rehab.
An insider told Us in July that Ava was struggling with her mother’s ongoing mental health and substance abuse issues. “This erratic behavior is heartbreaking for Ava. She has been really sad and just down lately, out of sorts and not her usual self,” a source told Us at the time. “Richie has been a great support system for her and she’s leaning on him. … [She] just wants the old Heather back.”
The former couple, who wed in December 1994, welcomed Ava in October 1997, but called it quits in April 2007.
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