Lisa Rinna

Lisa Rinna (born July 11, 1963) is an American actress, television personality and model. She portrayed Billie Reed on the NBC daytime soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'' and Taylor McBride on Fox's television drama ''Melrose Place''. Between 2014 and 2022, Rinna starred on Bravo's reality television series ''The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.'' Other television credits include being a contestant on NBC's ''The Celebrity Apprentice'' and ABC's ''Dancing with the Stars'', as well as guest-starring roles on ''Entourage'', ''Veronica Mars'', ''Community'', '' The Middle'', and ''American Horror Stories''. Rinna made her Broadway debut in ''Chicago'' as Roxie Hart in June 2007.

She was the host of Soapnet's talk show ''Soap Talk'' (2002–2006), for which she earned four Emmy nominations for Outstanding Talk Show Host. Rinna has written three books: ''Starlit''; ''The Big, Fun, Sexy Sex Book''; and ''Rinnavation''. Her other ventures include a fashion line for QVC named The Lisa Rinna Collection, the cosmetics collection Rinna Beauty, and the beverage company Rinna Wines.

Early life

Lisa Deanna Rinna was born July 11, 1963, in Newport Beach, California, to Lois Irene (née DeAndrade) and Frank Rinna. She is of Portuguese and Italian descent. Before Lisa’s birth, her mother was brutally attacked by American serial killer David Carpenter, who she had worked with. Lois was saved by a military police officer, who followed Carpenter’s car after it went in a prohibited area. When Lisa was seven, her older half-sister Laurene died. During that same year, her family relocated to Medford, Oregon, when her father was transferred there for job-related reasons, and she spent the remainder of her childhood there. Rinna graduated from Medford Senior High School in 1981.

Career

1981–1991: Career beginnings

After graduating from high school, Rinna moved to San Francisco to pursue a career as a model. She started her career by appearing in commercials and believed she obtained her SAG card "doing a Mervyn's commercial".

At age 21, Rinna appeared in the music video for John Parr's single " Naughty Naughty," as the passenger in Parr's car. Rinna later made her television debut appearing as the girlfriend of Jason Bateman's character in several episodes of ''The Hogan Family'' in 1990.

1992–1999: Soap opera stardom

In 1992, she first played the character of Billie Reed on NBC's ''Days of Our Lives''. Her character earned Rinna two consecutive Soap Opera Digest Awards. She departed in 1995, but reprised the role in 2002, 2012, and 2018.

She then made the jump to primetime television, portraying Taylor McBride on Aaron Spelling's ''Melrose Place'' from 1996 to 1998.

In 1998, Rinna, while six months pregnant with her first daughter, posed for a nude pictorial ("Melrose Mom," its title, paid tribute to her role in ''Melrose Place'') and cover shoot for the September issue of ''Playboy'' magazine. She later recounted the instructions given to her by ''Playboy'' photographer Deborah Anderson: "'I do not want you long and sinewy and angular and muscular. I want you soft...' This was really hard for me because being 35 years old and posing for ''Playboy'', you want to amp it up."

Through the late 1990s, Rinna appeared in a series of television films, including Lifetime's ''Sex, Lies & Obsession'' opposite her husband Harry Hamlin, based on Hamlin's real life sex addiction and alcoholism.

2000–2007: Subsequent roles and venture into hosting

In 2000, Rinna starred in the Lifetime film, '' Another Woman's Husband'', which boasted one of the highest ratings for a movie on Lifetime since 1999.Biography
Lisa Rinna's official website, accessed June 22, 2011.

In 2001, Rinna played the role of Veronica Simpson in the comedy film ''Good Advice,'' which starred Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards.

Rinna was the host of ''Soap Talk'' (2002-2006), the flagship daily lifestyle show of cable network Soapnet. She and co-host Ty Treadway received four consecutive Daytime Emmy Award nominations for their work. At the same time, Rinna hosted three seasons of Lifetime's TV home makeover program ''Merge''.

In 2004, Rinna guest-starred on the ABC sitcom ''8 Simple Rules'' and the CW drama ''Veronica Mars'', playing the recurring role of Lynn Echolls on the latter.

In 2006, Rinna competed in the second season of ''Dancing with the Stars'' with professional dancer Louis van Amstel. She was eliminated in round seven based on audience voting, despite having higher marks from the judges than fellow celebrity dancer Jerry Rice. She was a regular guest co-host on ''Live with Regis and Kelly.''

In 2007, she portrayed Drama's ex-girlfriend Donna Devaney on HBO's ''Entourage'', in the episode " Malibooty."

Over the summer of 2007, Rinna starred as Roxie Hart in the Broadway production of ''Chicago'' alongside her husband, who played the role of Billy Flynn.

In 2007, she also hosted Oxygen's '' Tease'', a reality competition series for hairstylists. From 2007 to 2009, she was the host of TV Guide Network's awards season red carpet coverage, replacing Joan Rivers.

2008–2013: Expansion into reality TV and entrepreneurship

In 2008, she appeared in Disney Channel's musical comedy television series ''Hannah Montana'', in the role of Mr. Dontzig's cousin Francesca. That same year, ''TV Guide'' reported that Rinna and Hamlin had signed a deal to create a reality television series based on their family life. The series, titled ''Harry Loves Lisa'', premiered on TV Land on October 6, 2010, and ran for 6 episodes.

In 2008, she released a series of workout videos called ''Dance Body Beautiful''.

In May 2009, she posed again for ''Playboy'' and once again was also its cover model. She also graced the covers of ''CVLUX'', ''Living Well'', ''Soap Opera Magazine'' and ''Soap Opera Digest''.

In 2009, Rinna expressed interest in reprising her role of Taylor McBride on the CW's revival ''Melrose Place'', if given the offer; however, the series was cancelled after only one season. In 2010, she was also featured as a guest judge on the fourth episode of the second season of ''RuPaul's Drag Race''.

In 2011, Rinna appeared on Nickelodeon's ''Big Time Rush'' as Brooke Diamond. Rinna then competed in season 4 of ''The Celebrity Apprentice''. She was eliminated after being the project manager on the second task, writing and performing a children's book. Rinna returned to the show in its sixth season as one of the "All-Stars" contestants. After being eliminated from that roster, she appeared on the May 13, 2013, episode of ''Late Night with Jimmy Fallon'' with Lil Jon to discuss their time on the show.

Rinna and her husband Harry Hamlin jointly owned the Belle Gray clothing boutique in Sherman Oaks, California in 2011. They closed the store in 2012 because, by then, both had grown too busy with their respective acting careers to manage it.

Rinna began appearing in more commercials and print ads during this time in her career. She appeared in print ads for Mars Inc's M&M candies with Joey Fatone as part of the "There's an M&M in everyone" advertising campaign. In 2012, Rinna appeared in an infomercial for abdominal muscle toner "The Flex Belt" alongside Adrianne Curry, Denise Richards and Janet Evans. She has appeared in a television commercial for Taco Bell and an infomercial for Winsor Pilates. In 2012 to benefit the charity Dress for Success, she modeled an adult incontinence brief made by Depend under a tight-fitting evening gown. She appeared in print ads and commercials for Depend and, according to reports, Depend paid her $2 million to be their celebrity spokesperson.

In April 2012, Rinna brought her collection to QVC as the Lisa Rinna Collection.

2014–2022: Established reality TV star

In 2014, she appeared as one of the contestants on ABC's game show ''Sing Your Face Off''.

In 2014, Rinna joined the main cast of ''The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills'' for the show's fifth season. Her casting is often credited with 'saving' the series midway through its run, delivering a substantial boost in ratings. She acknowledged in a 2019 ''Los Angeles Times'' interview that being a Housewife brought her unprecedented attention: "I've never been more famous than I am at this point, because of the show."

In June 2019, Rinna launched an activewear collaboration with retailer Goldsheep. Proceeds from the collaboration benefited The Trevor Project, a national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide-prevention services to LGBTQ youth. In September 2019, she walked the runway for Kyle Richards' and Shahida Clayton's new women's clothing brand at New York Fashion Week.

In September 2020, Rinna announced that she will be launching Rinna Beauty, with its lip kits named Birthday Suit, Legends Only, and No Apologies.

In 2021, Rinna reprised her role of Billie Reed for a special Peacock miniseries, '' Days of Our Lives: Beyond Salem,'' alongside costars Deidre Hall, Eileen Davidson, and Jackée Harry. She has continued to appear in television roles, with guest parts on series including '' C.S.I.'', '' The Middle, The Guest Book'', '' Awkward.'' and ''This Close''.

In August 2022, Rinna announced on an episode of ''The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills'' she is in the process of entering the alcoholic beverage industry with a product called Rinna Rosé.

2023–present: Post-''Housewives'' career

On January 6, 2023, Rinna announced her departure from ''The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills'' after eight seasons.

In 2023, Rinna guest starred on the third season of ''American Horror Stories.''

Legacy

In 2020, a Buzzfeed profile on Rinna observed: "She’s created her own brand of iconic absurdity with her self-help catchphrases (“Own it, baby!!”), tearful controversies about stuffed rabbits, and one of the most aggressive glass-breaking scenes in ''Housewives'' history (a tall order in the franchise)." She was nominated as Favorite Reality Star at the People's Choice Awards for her role in the show.

Personal life

Rinna married actor Harry Hamlin on March 29, 1997, in Beverly Hills, California. They have two daughters, Delilah Belle and Amelia Gray.

She has acknowledged having plastic surgery and having silicone, Botox, and Juvéderm injections.

On November 15, 2021, Rinna announced that her mother Lois, who was featured in ''The Real Housewives'' franchise, died of a stroke. Lois Rinna had survived being attacked by the Trailside serial killer David Carpenter in 1960, three years before Lisa was born.Lisa Rinna reveals that before she was born, her mom was almost murdered by serial killer
by Cydney Henderson, April 18, 2019, USA Today

Filmography

Theater

Bibliography

Awards and nominations

References

External links

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Lisa Rinna
s collection on QVC

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rinna, Lisa
1963 births
Actresses from Los Angeles
Actresses from Oregon
American fashion designers
American soap opera actresses
American television actresses
American television talk show hosts
American people of Italian descent
American people of Portuguese descent
Female models from Los Angeles
Living people
Participants in American reality television series
People from Medford, Oregon
North Medford High School alumni
American women fashion designers
21st-century American women