Kelly Maria Ripa (born October 2, 1970) an American Daytime Emmy Award-winning actress, television personality and talk show host. Since February 2001, x.htm" target="_blank">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. 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.

Kelly Ripa had been performing in her senior high school play, The Ugly Duckling, when she was approached by her current manager, Cathy Parker, who encouraged her to pursue acting. After attending new Jersey's Camden County Community College, she performed in local theater productions before joining "All My Children" (1970) in November, 1990. Kelly has received nominations for a 1993 Daytime Emmy Award and a 1993 Soap Opera Award. Kelly, is the first in her family to enter the acting profession. She had studied ballet since age three, plays the piano and, in her words, is "no Barbra Streisand", but can carry a tune.