kelly ripa biography

Biography of Kelly Ripa

Early Life & Background

• Born Kelly Maria Ripa on October 2, 1970, in Stratford, New Jersey. She grew up in nearby Berlin, New Jersey
• Daughter of Esther (a homemaker) and Joseph Ripa (a bus driver, labor union president, and later
• Has a sister, Linda, a children’s book author. Of Italian and Irish descent, she was raised
• Passionate about performance from a young age—studied ballet from age 3, played piano, was a cheerleader, and was discovered during a high school theater production of The Ugly Duckling
• Attended Camden County College studying psychology but left to pursue an acting career in New York City

Acting Career

• Began her national on-TV career as a dancer on Dancin’ on Air, which evolved into Dance Party USA
• Landed her breakout role as Hayley Vaughan (later Santos) on the ABC soap All My Children (1990–2002, with return in 2010)
• Starred in the sitcom Hope & Faith as Faith Fairfield (2003–2006)

Talk-Show Fame & Production

• Joined Live! with Regis and Kelly in February 2001, succeeding Kathie Lee Gifford
• After Regis Philbin’s departure, co-hosted with several personalities: Michael Strahan, Ryan Seacrest, and since 2023, her husband Mark Consuelos—show retitled Live with Kelly and Mark
• Alongside Consuelos, owns Milojo Productions, a TV production company named after
• Hosted ABC’s game show Generation Gap (2022–2023)

Honors & Recognition

• Acknowledged in 2014 by The Hollywood Reporter as one of the Most Powerful People in Media
• Recipient of Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host, including a win alongside Michael Strahan; she has earned multiple
• In 2024, Kelly and Mark were nominated together for the Daytime Talk Series Host Emmy
• Honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2015

Personal Life & Family

• Met Mark Consuelos on All My Children in 1995; eloped in 1996. They share three children: Michael (b. 1997), Lola (b. 2001), and Joaquin (b. 2003)
• Their kids are following creative paths—Michael in production/acting, Lola in music, Joaquin in drama/wrestling
• Recently took a brief summer break from Live! and is expected to return on August 11, 2025
• Authored a memoir, Live Wire: Long-Winded Short Stories, exploring her experiences on TV, personal challenges, and public life

Quick Overview