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NeNe Leakes facts for kids

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NeNe Leakes
NeNe Leakes at PaleyFest 2013.jpg
Leakes in 2013
Born
Linnethia Monique Johnson

(1967-12-13) December 13, 1967 (age 56)
Education Morris Brown College (two years)
Occupation
  • Television personality
  • actress
  • presenter
  • author
  • fashion designer
Years active 1999–present
Spouse(s)
Gregg Leakes
(m. 1997; div. 2011)
(m. 2013; died 2021)
Children 2

Linnethia Monique "NeNe" Leakes ( née Johnson; born December 13, 1967) is an American television personality, actress, presenter, businesswoman, author, and fashion designer. She first rose to prominence after becoming the breakout star on Bravo's reality television series, The Real Housewives of Atlanta. She is widely regarded as one of the most notable personalities from The Real Housewives franchise and a prominent figure in reality television and pop culture.

Born in Queens, New York and raised in Athens, Georgia, she is also known for her recurring character, Roz Washington, on the Fox comedy-drama series Glee.

Leakes also played Rocky Rhoades as a series regular on the sitcom The New Normal on NBC until its cancellation in 2013. She was a participant on NBC's The Celebrity Apprentice and ABC's Dancing with the Stars. Leakes made her Broadway debut as Madame in Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella in 2014, and in 2015, starred as Matron "Mama" Morton in Chicago.

She was one of the regular panelists on ABC's revival of the 1950s game show To Tell the Truth. In addition to her television projects, Leakes had a clothing line on Home Shopping Network, before launching her SWAGG boutiques in select cities across the country.

Early life

Linnethia Monique Johnson was born in Queens, New York City. One of five children, she and one of her brothers were sent to live with an aunt in Athens, Georgia, while the other three children stayed with her mother. It was believed that her mother could not take care of all five. After graduating from Clarke Central High School in Athens, she decided to further her formal education at Morris Brown College in Atlanta for two years before becoming pregnant.

Career

Before Leakes met the producers of The Real Housewives of Atlanta, she had appeared on TV shows like The Parkers thanks to meeting casting director Robi Reed-Humes.

In 2008, Leakes made her first appearance on The Real Housewives of Atlanta as an original cast member. After the first season, she co-wrote the book Never Make The Same Mistake Twice with Denene Millner. Leakes was a main cast member for the first seven seasons. In June 2015, Leakes announced that she would not be returning to The Real Housewives of Atlanta for its eighth season. However, Leakes was featured in season 8 of The Real Housewives of Atlanta in a supporting role, reportedly earning her full salary from the previous seven seasons. Leakes later returned to the show as a full-time housewife for the tenth through twelfth seasons (2017-20).

In 2020, Leakes announced that she would not return to The Real Housewives of Atlanta for its thirteenth season.

Leakes has also transitioned into scripted television, playing the secretary Rocky Roades in the NBC comedy The New Normal. Ryan Murphy cast Leakes on his series Glee in the third season in a recurring role as synchronized swim coach and Olympic bronze-medalist Coach Roz Washington. In 2011, Leakes was a contestant on the eleventh installment of Donald Trump's NBC series Celebrity Apprentice. During the tenth episode of Celebrity Apprentice, after arguments with fellow cast member Star Jones, Leakes walked off the show.

Leakes has guest-hosted Anderson Live, The Talk, appeared in Betty White's Off Their Rockers and The Price Is Right. On March 4, 2014, she was announced as one of the celebrities who would compete in the 18th season of Dancing with the Stars. She was paired with professional dancer, Tony Dovolani. Leakes and Dovolani were eliminated in Week 7 of competition (Latin Night) on April 28, 2014, finishing in 7th place.

Leakes played the Mistress of Sensuality in Las Vegas for resident show Cirque du Soleil: Zumanity. She made her Broadway debut on November 25, 2014, as Madame in Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella. She played the role until the production closed on January 3, 2015. In November 2015, she was cast as playing Matron "Mama" Morton in Chicago on Broadway for four weeks.

Leakes released a song, entitled "Come and Get This Hunni" in April 2020.

Other ventures

Production

Leakes founded NeNe Leakes Entertainment, a television production company. The company produced Leakes' spin-off series I Dream of NeNe: The Wedding alongside True Entertainment, which premiered on September 17, 2013.

Fashion line

In February 2014, Leakes announced that she would be launching a clothing line later in the year. On July 28, 2014, Leakes launched the Nene Leakes Collection for the Home Shopping Network (HSN).

Comedy

In March 2016, Leakes announced that she would be touring the United States in a one-woman comedy tour called "So Nasty, So Rude," named after one of her catchphrases. The tour started in April, with many shows sold out.

Boutiques

Leakes opened the first SWAGG Boutique location in Duluth, Georgia in November 2017, and it closed in August 2020. She then expanded SWAGG Boutique to the MGM National Harbor in Maryland and to Miami Beach, with these locations still open and operating.

Lounge

In October 2020, Leakes posted on Instagram that she would be opening a lounge in Duluth, Georgia. The Linnethia Lounge, named after Leakes' birth name, opened in May 2021. Singers such as KeKe Wyatt and Tamar Braxton have made appearances and performed concerts.

Personal life

Leakes resides in Duluth, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. Her home is known as "Casa Leakes". Leakes listed the home for sale in October 2021.

She and husband Gregg Leakes separated in 2010, and she filed for divorce on April 29, 2010. The divorce was finalized September 29, 2011. NeNe and Gregg Leakes reunited and announced that they were engaged in January 2013. Bravo filmed their wedding planning and ceremony for a spin-off entitled I Dream of NeNe: The Wedding. NeNe and Gregg remarried on June 22, 2013, at the InterContinental Buckhead Hotel in Atlanta. Gregg Leakes died from colon cancer on September 1, 2021 at the age of 66.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2018 Uncle Drew NeNe Leakes Minor Role
2019 How High 2 Mrs. Silas Television film
2019 Ride or Die Glo Television film

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2004 The Parkers Minor role 1 episode
2008–2020 The Real Housewives of Atlanta Herself Main cast (seasons 1–7, 10–12);( season 16, ) Recurring (season 8)
2009-2020 Entertainment Tonight Herself
2011 The Celebrity Apprentice 4 Herself Contestant; Season 11; 10 episodes (7th place)
2012–2015 Glee Roz Washington Recurring role; 13 episodes
2014-2020 Extra with Billy Bush Herself
2012 The Amandas Herself 1 episode
2012 The Game Herself 1 episode
2012 Let's Stay Together Herself 1 episode
2012–2013 The New Normal Rocky Rhoades Series regular
2013 Betty White's Off Their Rockers Herself 1 episode
2013 The Price Is Right Herself 1 episode
2013 Miss USA Herself Main judge, 1 episode
2013 I Dream of NeNe: The Wedding Herself Main cast/executive producer; 7 episodes
2013–2017 Fashion Police Co-host Guest co-host (2013–15); co-host (2016–17)
2014 The Millionaire Matchmaker Herself 1 episode
2014 Dancing with the Stars Herself Contestant; Season 18; 8 episodes (finished 7th/12)
2015 The Prancing Elites Project Herself 1 episode
2015 Real Husbands of Hollywood Herself 1 episode
2015–2016 New Year's Eve with Carson Daly Co-host Special broadcast from Times Square
2016 To Tell the Truth Panelist Television panel game show
2016 Larry King Now Herself 1 episode
2016 Cupcake Wars Competitor 1 episode
2016 Celebrity Family Feud Competitor 1 episode: "Lance Bass vs Kellie Pickler and Ernie Hudson vs Nene Leakes"
2016 Lip Sync Battle Competitor 1 episode: "NeNe Leakes vs. Todd Chrisley"
2016 Hollywood Medium with Tyler Henry Herself 1 episode
2017 MasterChef Celebrity Showdown Competitor 1 episode
2018 Uncensored Herself TV One production; 1 episode
2019 First Wives Club Angel 1 episode: "Diamonds Are Forever"
2020 Celebrity Ghost Stories Herself 1 episode: "NeNe Leakes"
2020 Celebrity Show-Off Competitor Season 1; 3 episodes
2020 Celebrity Call Center Herself Season 1; 1 episode
2020 Tamron Hall Herself Season 1; 1 episode
2021 Dynasty Herself Episode: "The British Are Coming"
2022 College Hill: Celebrity Edition Herself Main cast

Music videos

Year Song Artist Role
2015 "If I Don't Have You" Tamar Braxton Madam NeNe

Video games

Year Video game Character
2015 Kim Kardashian: Hollywood NeNe Leakes

Producer

  • I Dream of NeNe: The Wedding (TV Series) (executive producer)

Theatre

Year Title Role Notes
2011 Loving Him Is Killing Me Pinky Bell Stage play (toured major U.S. cities)
2014 Zumanity Mistress of Sensuality Las Vegas resident show
2014–15 Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella Madame (Replacement) The Broadway Theatre
2015 Chicago Matron "Mama" Morton (Replacement) The Ambassador Theatre

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: NeNe Leakes para niños

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