‘Proud’ Heather Locklear Praises Her Daughter Ava For Receiving Her Master Of Science Degree

May 23, 2023

Heather Locklear rose to fame after appearing in various Aaron Spelling shows during the 1980s and 1990s. She famously played the role of Sammy Jo Carrington on "Dynasty," as well as Amanda Woodward on "Melrose Place." She continued acting in television and film for the next few decades. However, it appears she has recently taken a break from Hollywood since her last role was in 2021 in the film "Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff: The Kristine Carlson Story.”

Just as famous as her on-screen presence was her personal life. Married to rocker Tommy Lee of the band Mötley Crüe from 1986 to 1993, Locklear and Lee were a true rock 'n' roll couple of the time. But following their divorce, Locklear found love with Richie Sambora, who was the guitarist in Bon Jovi. They got married in 1994 and together had a daughter named Ava Sambora in 1997. However, their union wouldn't last, and by 2006 they began divorce proceedings. 

Nowadays, Ava is 25 years old and growing up to be a smart young woman. She graduated from college at the age of 23 and now appears to be following in her parents' footsteps by making her way in the entertainment industry. What's more, she's inherited her mother's gorgeous looks, with many fans believing her to be a mini version of Locklear.

Blessed with her mother's looks and her father's attitude, Ava is sure to be going places in her life. In 2020, she opened up to People about the support that her mother has given her for coping with anxiety, and she's also spoken about her dad being "such a rock for (her)."

Locklear was born on Sept. 25, 1961, in Los Angeles, California. She grew up as the daughter of a production executive and former United States Marine Corps Colonel. Locklear attended UCLA for college, where she began modeling and appearing in commercials for the school’s store. However, it wasn’t long before Locklear found herself appearing in star-studded shows and films.

During the 1980s and 1990s, Locklear was one of Hollywood’s leading ladies. Her starring role as Sammy Jo Carrington on “Dynasty” lasted from 1981 to 1989, giving her her first major television gig. This role also helped Locklear start a longtime collaboration with the late film and TV producer Aaron Spelling.

Locklear went on to appear in several other TV shows, including “T.J. Hooker” and “Spin City,” the latter of which earned her Golden Globe nominations. While Locklear certainly found her stride before the 2000s rang in, her career continued on with the turn of the millennium. The actress appeared in the movie “Looney Tunes: Back in Action.” In 2005, Locklear starred in the romantic comedy “The Perfect Man” alongside Hilary Duff, Chris Noth and Ben Feldman. She landed a recurring role on the sitcom “Hot in Cleveland” and became a regular on the series “Franklin & Bash” in 2013.

Over the course of her career, Locklear played a variety of characters. She also found herself romantically involved with plenty of stars, including Tommy Lee, Richie Sambora and Jack Wagner. While she had some troubles with her marriages, she was still able to start a family.

Locklear gave birth to her lookalike daughter on Oct. 4, 1997. Even as a young girl, Ava's similarity to her mother was clear. She often accompanied Locklear to premieres, and their blond hair, wide smiles and sparkling eyes showed off their uncanny resemblance. 

In a 2019 interview with Wingman Magazine, Ava revealed some advice she'd received from her mom about making it in show business. She said:

"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."

Meanwhile, Ava has spoken out about how much both of her parents have helped her. In an interview with People in 2020, she described the support Sambora has given her over the years. She said:

"He's always been such a rock for me in my life. He has always been so supportive of me and all of my dreams."

She added:

"My dad loves me with every ounce of himself and I am so lucky to be his daughter."

Locklear has also been a big support for Ava, as she's helped her through "very debilitating" bouts of anxiety. She told People in a different interview that while she lived an hour away from her mom, whenever she'd have anxiety attacks, Locklear "would drive over and visit (her)." She added:

"Anytime of the day, she would stop what she was doing and come to comfort me. When I would insist she did not have to, she would stay on the phone with me late into the night, until I was calm enough to sleep."

Locklear also "did everything she could to help" her daughter get through difficult months. Ava added that she also accompanied her to doctor's appointments and gave her "tons of books on managing anxiety."

Locklear has continued to praise her accomplished daughter over the years. In October 2022, she posted to Instagram for Ava’s birthday and said, “I love you to the moon and back!!” In February 2023, Locklear made another post with the caption, “Pure love.”

In April 2023, Locklear went to Instagram to show the invitation Ava sent her for her graduation from the University of Southern California, where Ava was going for her master’s degree in marriage and family therapy. Ava proudly commented on the post, “I love you mama!”

And finally, in May 2023, Locklear shared with the world how proud she was of her daughter for receiving her master’s degree. She captured a photo of Ava wearing her cap and gown on stage with text that showed she had received her Master of Science degree in marriage and family therapy. Locklear captioned the post:

“Such a proud mama. Congratulations my baby, with your masters in MFT. With your hard work and perseverance and kind heart. 🤦🏼‍♀️”

Ava left several sweet messages in the post’s comment section. One read, “My mommy!!! Thank you!!” Another read, “I love you to the moon and back.”

It's clear that Ava is well-loved and supported by her parents and is the apple of their eye. Not only that, but the whole family appears to be very supportive of one another. We're sure Ava’s parents are incredibly proud of her!

What do you think about Heather Locklear celebrating her daughter’s accomplishments? What proud moments have you shared with your family? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your loved ones.