Kelly Ripa

Kelly Ripa is an American television host, actress, and producer, best known for her long-running role as a daytime talk show host. She gained national fame for her role on the ABC soap opera All My Children before achieving wider recognition as the co-host of the syndicated morning talk show Live! with Kelly and Mark. Ripa has also produced numerous television projects and is recognized for her philanthropic work with various charitable organizations.

Early life and education

Kelly Maria Ripa was born in Berlin, New Jersey, and raised in a Catholic family in Stratford. Her mother, Esther, was a homemaker, and her father, Joseph Ripa, worked as a congressional staffer for a New Jersey representative and later as a bus driver for the South Jersey Transportation Authority. She attended Eastern Regional High School in Voorhees Township, where she was actively involved in dance and theatre. After graduating, she enrolled at Camden County College but left to pursue a career in entertainment, securing an agent in New York City.

Career

Ripa's professional career began with roles in television commercials before she landed the part of Hayley Vaughan on the ABC daytime drama All My Children in 1990, a role she played for over a decade. In 2001, she was chosen to succeed Lisa Rinna as the co-host of the New York City-based talk show Live! with Regis and Kelly, alongside veteran host Regis Philbin. Following Philbin's retirement in 2011, the show was rebranded as Live! with Kelly and featured a series of guest co-hosts, including her future permanent partner Michael Strahan. After Strahan's departure to join Good Morning America, Ryan Seacrest served as co-host from 2017 until 2023, when Ripa's husband, Mark Consuelos, assumed the role, leading to the current title Live! with Kelly and Mark. Beyond her talk show duties, Ripa has acted in series such as Hope & Faith and American Housewife, and served as an executive producer on projects like the television film The Blacklist: Redemption and the docuseries The Parent Test. She also launched a production company, Milojo Productions, with her husband.

Personal life

Ripa married actor Mark Consuelos in 1996 after meeting on the set of All My Children. The couple has three children: sons Michael and Joaquin, and daughter Lola. The family resides primarily in New York City. Ripa is known for her disciplined fitness regimen and has been a spokesperson for brands like Proactiv and Miraclesuit. She is actively involved in philanthropy, supporting organizations such as the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, the Lupus Foundation of America, and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. In 2022, she and Consuelos purchased a significant stake in the Miami Marlins Major League Baseball franchise.

Filmography and other works

Ripa's acting credits include the sitcom Hope & Faith, where she starred alongside Faith Ford, and guest appearances on shows like Broad City, The Good Wife, and American Housewife. Her film roles include Marvin's Room and The Great Buck Howard. On Broadway, she performed as a replacement in the musical Chicago. She executive produced the true crime series Masters of Illusion and the reality television show Homemade Millionaire. Ripa has also authored a book, Live Wire: Long-Winded Short Stories, published in 2022.

Awards and nominations

Throughout her career, Ripa has received numerous accolades, including several Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Talk Show Host for her work on Live! with Kelly and Ryan. She has also won multiple Gracie Awards from the Alliance for Women in Media and a People's Choice Award. Her performance on All My Children earned her a Soap Opera Digest Award. In 2015, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, located in front of the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles.

Category:American television hosts Category:American actresses Category:American television producers Category:People from Camden County, New Jersey Category:1970 births Category:Living people