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Kelly Rutherford
Kelly Rutherford headshot.jpg
Rutherford in 2007
Born (1968-11-06) November 6, 1968 (age 56)
Occupation Actress
Years active 1987–present
Spouse(s)
Carlos Tarajano
(m. 2001; div. 2002)
Daniel Giersch
(m. 2006; div. 2010)
Children 2

Kelly Rutherford (born November 6, 1968) is an American actress. She is known for her television roles as Stephanie "Sam" Whitmore on the NBC daytime soap opera Generations (1989–1991), as Megan Lewis on the Fox primetime soap opera Melrose Place (1996–1999), and as Lily van der Woodsen on The CW series Gossip Girl (2007–2012).

Early life and education

Kelly Rutherford was born in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, on November 6, 1968, the daughter of Ann Edwards. She has a brother, Anthony. She attended Corona del Mar High School in Newport Beach, California. She later studied at HB Studio in New York City, and the Beverly Hills Playhouse in California.

Career

Rutherford began her career on daytime soap operas. She appeared on Loving in 1987, and later was cast as a regular on Generations from 1989 to 1991. In 1992 she joined the cast of the ABC drama Homefront.

From 1993 to 1994, Rutherford was a regular on the Fox series The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. as Dixie Cousins, a saloon singer and con artist who has a brief romantic encounter with Brisco. In later episodes, Dixie becomes Brisco's primary love interest.

She also appeared in the film I Love Trouble. She also starred in the short-lived series The Great Defender as Frankie Collet (1995), and in Kindred: The Embraced as Caitlin Byrne (1996). In 1996, Rutherford joined the cast of Fox primetime soap opera Melrose Place, as Megan Lewis. She starred on the show until 1999.

She also starred as Christine Hamilton in the horror film Scream 3 (2000). From 2003 to 2004, she starred in the ABC drama Threat Matrix as Special Agent Frankie Ellroy Kilmer. In next television season she starred in another short-lived series, E-Ring, on NBC. In 2007, Rutherford began starring as Lily van der Woodsen in the CW series Gossip Girl. The series ended in 2012. Rutherford has also starred in a number of Lifetime movies. In 2016, Rutherford was cast in the ABC thriller Quantico playing the recurring role of Laura Wyatt. From 2018 to 2019, Rutherford played the recurring role of Melissa Daniels in the CW reboot series Dynasty.

Personal life

Rutherford married Venezuelan banker Carlos Tarajano in June 2001. Rutherford filed for divorce in January 2002, after six months of marriage. The wedding was featured shortly thereafter in the February 2002 issue of InStyle magazine.

Rutherford married her second husband, German businessman Daniel Giersch, in August 2006. She gave birth to their first child, son Hermés Gustaf Daniel Giersch, in October 2006.

While pregnant with their second child, Rutherford filed for divorce from Giersch on December 30, 2008. Rutherford and Giersch subsequently became involved in a child custody dispute over their son and their unborn child. Rutherford gave birth to their second child, daughter Helena, in June 2009.

In August 2009, Rutherford and Giersch reached a temporary settlement of joint physical custody, in effect until April 2010. Rutherford also obtained a temporary restraining order against him the following month.

In August 2012, in a widely reported decision, a California Superior Court judge ruled that the 50/50 custody arrangement should remain and that, because Giersch is unable to travel to the United States, the children should live in France with him and attend school there, with Rutherford traveling there to visit them. Though Rutherford opposed the decision and requested a stay of proceedings while she appealed, her request was denied and it was ruled that, in two years, his eligibility to enter the United States and the consequent well-being of the children will be reassessed.

In June 2013, Rutherford filed for bankruptcy, stating she had debts of approximately $2 million, primarily due to the $1.5 million she spent on legal fees relating to the divorce and custody dispute with Giersch.

In May 2015, Rutherford was granted temporary sole custody of her children, following a ruling that both her son and daughter be brought back to the United States from Monaco, where they had been living with their father since 2012. On July 23, 2015, a California judge ruled that California did not have jurisdiction over Rutherford's child custody case because she resides in New York, and her former husband was again awarded custody.

Rutherford then filed a case in New York but on July 27, 2015, the New York court ruled it also did not have jurisdiction.

In December 2015, the Monaco courts reconfirmed that full custody remained with the children's father, with Rutherford granted extensive visitation rights in France and Monaco as well as shared input regarding "health, schooling, religious education, and any change of residence".

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1988 Shakedown TV watcher
1989 Phantom of the Mall: Eric's Revenge Salesgirl
1994 Tis a Gift to Be Simple Emily Hanover Short film
I Love Trouble Kim
Amberwaves Lola Barnes
1997 Six Months of Darkness, Six Months of Light Annie Short film
The Big Fall Veronica Direct-to-video film
Dilemma Woman in bar Uncredited
Cyclops, Baby Randy
1998 Disturbance at Dinner, TheThe Disturbance at Dinner Marian Pronkridge
2000 Scream 3 Christine Hamilton
Chaos Factor, TheThe Chaos Factor Jodi
2001 Tag, TheThe Tag Wendy
2002 Angels Don't Sleep Here Kate Porter
Swimming Upstream Sandra Bird
2013 Stream, TheThe Stream Maggie Terry
2017 Christmas Wedding Planner Aunt Olivia

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1987 Loving N/A Unknown episodes
1989–1991 Generations Stephanie "Sam" Whitmore
1992 Davis Rules Erika 2 episodes
Breaking the Silence Cheryl Television film
1992–1993 Homefront Judy Owen Main role (season 2)
1992 Bodies of Evidence Diana Wallace Episode: "Afternoon Delights"
1992 Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures Mona Episode: "As the Dude Turns (The Lives That We Live)"
1993–1994 Adventures of Brisco County, Jr., TheThe Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. Dixie Cousins Recurring role, 7 episodes
1995 The Great Defender Frankie Collett Main role
Courthouse Christine Lunden 4 episodes
1996 Kindred: The Embraced Caitlyn Byrne Main role
No Greater Love Edwina Winfield Television film
Buried Secrets Danielle Roff
1996–1999 Melrose Place Megan Lewis Mancini Main role (seasons 5–7); 90 episodes
1998 Perfect Getaway, TheThe Perfect Getaway Julia Robinson Television film
1999–2000 Get Real Laura Martineau 4 episodes
1999 Nash Bridges Roxanne "Roxie" Hill Episode: "Kill Switch"
2000 Sally Hemings: An American Scandal Lady Maria Cosway Miniseries
Outer Limits, TheThe Outer Limits Rachel Episode: "Nest"
2000–2001 The Fugitive Helen Kimble 3 episodes
2001 Night Visions Marilyn Lanier Episode: "The Passenger List"
Acceptable Risk Kim Welles Television film
2002–2003 District, TheThe District Deputy Mayor Melinda Lockhart Recurring role, 6 episodes
2003–2004 Threat Matrix Special Agent Frankie Ellroy-Kilmer Main role
2005–2006 E-Ring Samantha "Sonny" Liston
2007–2012 Gossip Girl Lily van der Woodsen
2007 Tell Me No Lies Laura Cooper Television film
2013 Sister's Nightmare, AA Sister's Nightmare Jane Ryder
2014 Bones Stephanie McNamara Episode: "The Ghost in the Killer"
Being Mary Jane Cynthia Phillips 4 episodes
Reckless Joyce Reed
2015 Mysteries of Laura, TheThe Mysteries of Laura Lisa Hanlon Episode: "The Mystery of the Popped Pugilist"
Night of the Wild Sara Television film
2016 Quantico Laura Wyatt Episodes: "Care", "Right"
Jane the Virgin Editor Episode: "Chapter Fifty"
2017 Nightcap Herself Episode: "What Would Staci Do?"
2017–2018 Gone Paula Lannigan 6 Episodes
2018–2019 Dynasty Melissa Daniels 7 episodes
2018 Love, of Course Amy Andolini Television film (Hallmark Channel)
2019 Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists Claire Hotchkiss Main role
Dark Angel Jillian Television film
Fallen Hearts Jillian
All My Husband's Wives Cheryl Volberg
2020 Power Book II: Ghost Colleen Saxe Episode: "The Stranger"
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