Kelly Ripa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kelly Ripa
Ripa in 2023
Born	Kelly Maria Ripa (1970-10-02) October 2, 1970 (age 54) Stratford, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation	Actress talk show host television producer dancer
Years active	1986–present
Spouse(s)	Mark Consuelos ​ (m. 1996)​
Children	3

Kelly Maria Ripa (born October 2, 1970) is a famous American actress and TV host. She is best known for co-hosting the popular morning talk show Live! with Kelly and Mark. She has been on the show since 2001. Over the years, she has had several co-hosts, including Regis Philbin, Michael Strahan, Ryan Seacrest, and her husband, Mark Consuelos.

Before becoming a talk show star, Kelly Ripa was a well-known actress. She played Hayley Vaughan on the soap opera All My Children and Faith Fairfield on the sitcom Hope & Faith. Kelly and her husband also own a production company called Milojo. In 2014, a magazine called The Hollywood Reporter named her one of the most powerful people in media.

Early Life and Education

Kelly Maria Ripa grew up in Berlin, New Jersey. Her mother, Esther, was a homemaker, and her father, Joseph Ripa, was a bus driver and a labor union president. Kelly has a sister named Linda, who writes children's books. Her father has also served as the County Clerk for Camden County since 2009.

Kelly went to Eastern Regional High School in Voorhees Township, New Jersey. She was a cheerleader and her drama teacher encouraged her to try acting. She performed in local plays and was discovered during her senior year while acting in The Ugly Duckling. After high school, she studied psychology at Camden County College but later moved to New York City to become an actress.

Kelly Ripa's Career Journey

Early TV Roles and All My Children

Kelly Ripa's first national TV appearance was in 1986. She was a regular dancer on a show called Dancin' On Air, which later became Dance Party USA. At that time, she actually wanted to be a newscaster!

In 1990, Kelly got her first big acting role as Hayley Vaughan on the TV show All My Children. She played this character for 12 years, leaving in 2002. She even returned for two special episodes in 2010 to celebrate the show's 40th anniversary.

Becoming a Star on Live!

Ripa at the Red Dress Collection event in 2007.

After her co-host Kathie Lee Gifford left Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee, Regis Philbin started looking for a new co-host. Kelly Ripa tried out for the show on November 1, 2000. During her tryout, a guest psychic even guessed that Kelly was pregnant with her second child!

Regis Philbin quickly realized that Kelly was the perfect choice. On February 5, 2001, Kelly was officially announced as the new co-host. The show was renamed Live! with Regis and Kelly. With Kelly joining, the show became much more popular with younger viewers.

Kelly and Regis had amazing chemistry. Their funny conversations about their families and daily lives attracted many loyal viewers. They often had about 6 million viewers every day. In 2011, Regis Philbin announced he would retire from Live!. His last show was on November 18, 2011. Kelly was very emotional, remembering their 11 years together.

After Regis left, the show was called Live! with Kelly. Many guest co-hosts tried out to join Kelly. Finally, Michael Strahan was chosen, and the show became Live! with Kelly and Michael on September 4, 2012.

Live! won its first Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show in 2012. In 2016, Michael Strahan left the show. Once again, Kelly hosted with many guest co-hosts. On May 1, 2017, Ryan Seacrest became the new permanent co-host, and the show was renamed Live with Kelly and Ryan.

In February 2023, Ryan Seacrest announced he would be leaving the show because he lived in Los Angeles and the show taped in New York City. Kelly's husband, Mark Consuelos, took over as her new co-host. The show is now called Live with Kelly and Mark. Ryan Seacrest still plans to return as a guest host sometimes.

Starring in Hope & Faith

In September 2003, Kelly Ripa also starred in a prime-time sitcom called Hope & Faith. She played Faith Fairfield, a former soap opera star who was out of work. The show was very successful for ABC. It ended in May 2006.

Film Appearances

While Kelly is mostly known for her TV work, she has also been in a few movies. She appeared in the movie Marvin's Room in 1996, alongside famous actors like Meryl Streep and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Other Projects and Charity Work

Spokesperson for Brands

Kelly Ripa has worked as a spokesperson for several companies. She has partnered with brands like Tide, 7 Up, and Pantene. Currently, she works with Electrolux and Rykä. For Rykä, she even helps design her own line of fitness clothing called The Kelly Ripa Collection.

Helping Others Through Charity

Kelly is a strong supporter of the ovarian cancer cause. She works with Electrolux to raise money for the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance. Every summer, she hosts a special event called Super Saturday, which raises millions of dollars for the charity. She is dedicated to this cause because she lost a friend to ovarian cancer.

In 2001, Kelly appeared on a celebrity version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and won $250,000 for Tomorrow's Children's Fund. This organization helps children with cancer and blood disorders.

Milojo Production Company

In 2007, Kelly and her husband Mark Consuelos started their own production company called Milojo. The name Milojo comes from the first two letters of their children's names: Michael, Lola, and Joaquin. Their company has produced documentaries, TV series, and short films. One of their first projects was a documentary called The Streak, about a high school wrestling team.

Awards and Recognition

Kelly Ripa has won many awards throughout her career.

• In 1999, she won the Best Actress Award at the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival for her role in The Stand-In.
• She has won five Soap Opera Digest Awards and received three Daytime Emmy Award nominations for playing Hayley Vaughan on All My Children.
• Kelly also won an Emmy Award in 2006 for co-hosting the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade.
• She and Regis Philbin won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show Host twice for Live! with Regis and Kelly.
• Later, she and Michael Strahan won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host in 2015 and 2016 for Live! with Kelly and Michael.
• In 2019, she won her sixth Daytime Emmy Award with Ryan Seacrest for Live with Kelly and Ryan.
• In 2024, she won her seventh Daytime Emmy Award with Mark Consuelos for Live with Kelly and Mark.
• In 2010, Kelly was honored by the Broadcast Pioneers and inducted into their Hall of Fame.
• On October 12, 2015, Kelly Ripa received a star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame.
• In 2017, she was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame.

Kelly has even broken Guinness World Records! In 2006, 24 banana-cream pies were tossed at her mouth in one minute. In 2011, she tried to break the record for most grapes stomped in one minute, extracting 8.4 liters of juice.

Personal Life

Kelly Ripa met her husband, Mark Consuelos, in 1995 when they were both acting on All My Children. They got married on May 1, 1996. They have three children: Michael Joseph (born in 1997), Lola Grace (born in 2001), and Joaquin Antonio (born in 2003).

For many years, Kelly and Mark lived in SoHo, Manhattan. In 2015, they moved to a new townhouse on East 76th Street in New York City.

Filmography

See also