Kelly Maria Ripa (born
October 2,
1970) an
American Daytime Emmy Award-winning
actress,
television personality and
talk show host. Since February 2001,
[Kelly Ripa signs 5-year Live contract, an Associated Press article from June 2004 via USA Today] she has served as the co-host of
Live with Regis and Kelly, along with
Regis Philbin. Earlier in her career, Ripa played
Hayley Vaughan Santos on
All My Children; she also played
Faith Fairfield on
Hope & Faith. Both are television series on
ABC.
Biography
Early life
Kelly Ripa went to Berlin Community School in Berlin, NJ, then attended school at
Eastern Regional High School in
Voorhees Township, New Jersey.
She performed in high school plays and was discovered while performing in a play during her senior year of high school,
The Ugly Duckling.
[ Ripa acted in local theater and was a featured regular on USA Network's Dance Party USA – an afternoon teen music program. She is 3/4 Italian and 1/4 Irish descent.]
Career
Ripa acquired her first major acting role as goth teen turned suffering heroine Hayley Vaughan on the soap opera All My Children. While there, the character would become a popular fixture.
