Show the lead in the senior play and decided to become an actress—a Career path her parents did not initially embrace ‘The way I saw it there was nothing else that I was very good at” die explains Ripa landed roles in several TV commercials and in 1990 when she was only 19 moved to New York City An audition for ABC’s All My Children netted of a successful morning talk show the veteran soap opera star As co-ho- st Kelly Ripahm emerged as the princess of daytime TV With twojobs her the featured role of Hay ley Vaughan “I had no life experience and no work experience and I get this job on a national TV show!” Ripa says “I was at the studio 14 to 16 hours every day As a young girl alone in the city I had no time to get into any trouble” (These days after her morning stint with Regis Ripa heads directly to another studio several times a week to tape All My Children until early evening) Five years into her soap opera Ripa began dating Mark Consuelos who'd been hired to play Mateo Santos her character's love interest A year later in 1996 they eloped to Las Vfegas (Their onscreen characters got married in 1997) Today they have two children —Michael 3 and Lola 14 months When the World Trade Center was attacked last September Ripa's initial reaction was to protect her family by leaving New York City and fee Ripa spotlight says “I told my husband ‘We've and two kids how does she handle it all? saved enough mon- Katty and har chiMran Michael and Lola vteit the eet of the Disney Chaimer Bmp ey Let's go someplace safe and get regular jobs” But BBig BMm Houn KEPT DREAMING THAT a giant tidal wave was about to engulfme because I felt I was in over my head” says £ of LA Hitft Regis and Kelly “I cried at night for weeks thinking ‘What if I ruin a show that's been on the air for so many years?” co-ho- st Few fears could have been more Ever since Ripa a veteran soap-opestar took over the position vacat- ed ra B Y ed by Kgthie Lee Gifford the number of women viewers aged 18 to 34 has increased by 31 In April she launched seg“Reading With Ripa" a book-clu-b ment that catapulted her first selection to the top spot on Amazonxom’s er list And this year Ripa’s dual career earned her not one but two Daytime Emmy nominations: for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (AUMy Children) and with Regis Philbin for Outstanding Host of aTtlk Show Ripa credits her parents and husband for helping her handle die demands of SAN D Y COVET rNOTOGKAFH BY HAKE LITTLE MAKElirNAIB MKUCE WA TNE STYLIST UAK1ANNA HUZIALE FOX DAN1ELE FOBSTTHE POP STYLIST ALUSONSEED Consudos saw filings two differently “My hus- band said ‘Not only jobs and raising a are we staying put family “I grew up in a with work a we ethic” are to a life here' build family strong says going in was who “Our raised Berlin NJ Ripa relationship is all about buildfather a bus driver never turned ing each other up” adds Ripa “In file “My down overtime because he wanted us days when I was really nervous about to have great things in life I remember live Mark told me every day that I was him getting up at 3:30 un and workdoing a great job that I had no reason to till 10 be upset Well there still are days when he whether sick was ing pm or it was 30 degrees below That was I think I'm just never going to give the such an example to me" show the justice it deserves But you get As achild Ripa often sang show tunes put there You do your jotx And you alto her family In high school she won ways do the best you can” high-profi- le n KENYON MOB a MMUST a 1008 MMOB MAtAZMB ' |