Kelly Ripa Biography

Kelly Ripa, actress, talk show host

Birthdate: October 2, 1970

Birthplace: Stratford, New Jersey

Sign: Libra

Kelly Ripa is a former "All My Children" soap opera star and the co-host of "Live with Regis and Kelly."

Ripa started hosting the morning talk show with Regis Philbin in 2001. Prior to that she played Hayley Vaughan Santos on the ABC soap. She also played Faith Fairfield on ABC's "Hope & Faith."

Ripa's first major acting role came as a goth teenager turned suffering heroine on "All My Children." Her character became a popular fixture on the show.

Ripa won five Soap Opera Digest Awards during her time on the soap. She was also nominated for eight Daytime Emmy Awards, three for her role on "All My Children." Five of the Emmys came from her co-hosting duties with Regis on the popular morning talk show.

On the show "Hope & Faith," Ripa played Faith Fairfield, a former soap star whose character is killed off and moves in with - and subsequently wreaks havoc on - her sister Hope's family. The show ran for three years.

Ripa was born Kelly Maria Ripa in Camden County, New Jersey. Her mother Esther was a homemaker and her father, Joseph Ripa, was a labor union president and bus driver. In 1995, Ripa met Mark Consuelos, her co-star on "All My Children." They flew to Las Vegas and were married on May 1, 1996. The couple have three children, Michael, Lola and Joaquin.

Ripa replaced Kathie Lee Gifford on the morning talk show, and instantly became a favorite with fans. Regis calls her Pipa.

Ripa's fans keep up with "Kelly Trivia" including:

- Kelly ranked #85 in Maxim's 2007 Hot 100 List.

- Kelly loves getting into her characters on the Halloween editions of "Live with Regis and Kelly." Some of the characters she has dressed up as are Britney Spears, The Statue of Liberty, and the most recent Sharpay from "High School Musical."

- Kelly is friends with her former "Hope and Faith" co-star Faith Ford.

- Before Kelly became a co-host on "Live With Regis and Kelly" she appeared on the show as guest with her husband Mark Consuelos.

- Kelly auditioned with her husband Mark Consuelos for a role as her boyfriend on "All My Children." They later fell in love on the show.

- In 2001, Ripa was among People Magazine's 25 Most Intriguing People and E! Entertainment's Top 20 Entertainers of the Year.

- Kelly gets paid $36,000 an episode for "Live with Regis and Kelly." She is under a five year contract, ending in 2009.