Lisa Rinna has stayed in the public eye for over three decades by constantly reinventing herself. From soap opera star to reality television icon, she’s built a career on being boldly herself—whether people love it or hate it.
What makes her interesting isn’t just longevity in Hollywood. It’s her willingness to take risks, laugh at herself, and turn controversy into opportunity. While many celebrities carefully guard their image, she has made a career of being unapologetically direct, creating a persona that feels both calculated and genuine at the same time.
Quick Profile Overview
Lisa Rinna is an American actress, television personality, author, and entrepreneur. She gained fame in the 1990s playing Billie Reed on “Days of Our Lives” and Taylor McBride on “Melrose Place.” From 2014 to 2022, she starred on “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” which brought her more mainstream recognition than any previous role. She has also competed on “Dancing with the Stars” and “The Celebrity Apprentice,” written three books, and launched multiple business ventures including fashion lines and beauty products.
Early Life and Parents
Lisa Deanna Rinna was born on July 11, 1963, in Newport Beach, California. Her parents were Lois and Frank Rinna. She has Italian and Portuguese heritage through her family.
Before Lisa was born, her mother Lois survived a serious and frightening incident while at work, an experience that later became part of the family’s history. The event was resolved thanks to quick action by authorities, and Lois went on to live a long and active life.
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. She spent the rest of her childhood there.
Lisa graduated from Medford Senior High School in 1981. After graduation, she moved to San Francisco to pursue modeling, starting her career by appearing in commercials.
Her mother Lois remained an important part of her life until November 15, 2021, when Lois passed away after suffering a stroke. Fans of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” knew Lois from her appearances on the show.
Career Journey
At age 21, Lisa appeared in the music video for John Parr’s single “Naughty Naughty”. This early exposure led to more opportunities in television.
Her breakthrough came in 1992 when she was cast as Billie Reed on NBC’s soap opera “Days of Our Lives.” She played this role until 1995 and returned several times over the years, winning two Soap Opera Digest Awards.
From 1996 to 1998, she starred as Taylor McBride on Fox’s primetime drama “Melrose Place.” This role expanded her audience beyond daytime television viewers.
From 2002 to 2006, she hosted Soapnet’s talk show “Soap Talk,” earning four Emmy nominations for Outstanding Talk Show Host. This demonstrated her ability to work in different formats beyond acting.
In 2007, she made her Broadway debut in “Chicago” as Roxie Hart, showing her versatility as a performer. She competed on “Dancing with the Stars” in 2006 and appeared on “The Celebrity Apprentice” in 2011 and 2013.
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How She Became Widely Famous
While she was well-known in soap opera circles, mainstream fame came when she joined “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” in 2014 for the show’s fifth season. As documented on her verified Instagram, her casting is often credited with saving the series and delivering a substantial boost in ratings.
She acknowledged in a 2019 Los Angeles Times interview: “I’ve never been more famous than I am at this point, because of the show.” This level of recognition surpassed anything she had achieved during her acting career.
Her eight seasons on RHOBH from 2014 to 2022 made her a household name. She became known for memorable moments, catchphrases like “Own it, baby!!” and her willingness to engage in drama that kept viewers watching.
On January 6, 2023, she announced her departure from the show after eight seasons, leaving fans wondering what would come next.
Husband and Relationships
Lisa married actor Harry Hamlin on March 29, 1997, in an intimate ceremony held in a candlelit tent in their Hollywood Hills backyard. They met in 1992 while he was ending his marriage to Nicollette Sheridan.
Their first meeting happened when Lisa, working at an eyeglass store, dropped off keys to her boss who was having dinner with Harry. He invited her to sit for wine, and she started talking about attending Cirque du Soleil. Harry later recalled: “I go, ‘Wait a minute, who is this broad?'”
He pursued her persistently, even inviting her to Aspen, but she played hard to get following advice from “The Rules,” a popular dating book at the time. Their relationship developed gradually, with both later describing it as unconventional but lasting.
They’ve now been married 28 years as of March 2025. According to coverage on entertainment news sites, Harry told the Daily Mail in February 2025: “We’ve always had a great relationship, it wasn’t even tested during the Housewives thing.”
The couple launched a podcast together in February 2025 called “Let’s Not Talk About the Husband,” a cheeky reference to Lisa’s famous fight with Kim Richards on RHOBH.
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Children
Lisa and Harry have two daughters: Delilah Belle, born in June 1998, and Amelia Gray, born in June 2001. Both daughters have pursued successful modeling careers.
Delilah is currently also dabbling in music beyond her modeling work. Amelia has walked runways for major fashion brands and built her own modeling portfolio.
Lisa is also stepmother to Harry’s son Dimitri Alexander Hamlin, born in May 1980 from Harry’s previous relationship with actress Ursula Andress. Dimitri grew up in Rome with his mother but has attended some events with his father.
Lisa has been open about struggling with postpartum depression after both daughters were born. On their podcast in April 2025, she described feeling “absolutely hopeless” after Delilah’s birth and said the condition hit even harder after Amelia arrived.
Physical Appearance and Public Image
Lisa stands approximately 5 feet 5 inches (165 cm) tall. She’s known for her signature full lips, which became such a recognizable part of her look that she named her cosmetics line Rinna Beauty, focusing on lip products.
She has been refreshingly honest about cosmetic procedures, openly discussing Botox and other treatments rather than pretending to age naturally. This transparency stands out in an industry where many celebrities avoid such admissions.
Her fashion sense leans toward bold, attention-grabbing choices. She’s posed for Playboy multiple times, including while six months pregnant in 1998 and again in 2009 as the cover model.
She owned a boutique called Belle Gray (named after her daughters Delilah Belle and Amelia Gray) with Harry, though they eventually closed the store.
Net Worth and Income Sources
Lisa Rinna’s wealth did not come from a single role or moment. Instead, it has grown gradually through consistent work across television, reality shows, and business projects.
Industry observers estimate her net worth to be approximately $10 million in 2025, earned through decades of acting, reality TV appearances, product lines, and media work. Like many celebrities, these figures are estimates rather than official disclosures.
Where Her Money Comes From:
Her acting career from the 1990s and 2000s provided a strong financial foundation through roles on “Days of Our Lives,” “Melrose Place,” and various television movies.
“The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” salary significantly boosted her income. While exact figures aren’t public, main cast members on successful Bravo shows earn substantial per-episode fees, especially after eight seasons.
In April 2012, she launched the Lisa Rinna Collection on QVC, a fashion line that continues generating income through regular appearances on the shopping network.
In September 2020, she launched Rinna Beauty, with lip kits named Birthday Suit, Legends Only, and No Apologies. The cosmetics line capitalizes on her famous lips becoming a signature part of her brand.
In August 2022, she announced entering the alcoholic beverage industry with Rinna Rosé, expanding her business portfolio beyond fashion and beauty.
She has written three books: “Starlit,” “The Big, Fun, Sexy Sex Book,” and the New York Times bestseller “Rinnavation,” all contributing to her overall wealth.
Public Persona vs Real Life
This is where Lisa Rinna’s career gets fascinating. On “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” she played a specific character—bold, confrontational, willing to stir drama. According to her detailed IMDb profile, her television work has always involved performing, whether in scripted soap operas or reality TV.
The question viewers constantly ask: How much of “Lisa Rinna” on RHOBH was real versus performance?
She’s been remarkably honest about this. She understands reality television as a job, not just documentation of her life. Her willingness to engage in storylines, create memorable moments, and stay relevant season after season showed strategic thinking.
Yet her marriage to Harry, her relationships with her daughters, and her openness about postpartum depression suggest genuine vulnerability beneath the performance.
The truth is probably somewhere in between—she amplifies certain personality traits for television while maintaining authentic core values about family and career.
Why She Remains Relevant Today
People still search for Lisa Rinna because of her long run on reality television, her outspoken personality, and her continued media presence even after leaving The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
She stays in the public conversation through constant reinvention. After leaving RHOBH, she didn’t disappear. She launched a podcast with Harry, continues business ventures, and recently joined Season 4 of Peacock’s “The Traitors.”
Her social media presence remains strong, with millions of followers on Instagram where she posts everything from fashion content to family moments to cheeky throwbacks.
She represents a particular type of Hollywood longevity—staying relevant not through one big role but through multiple platforms, constant visibility, and willingness to be talked about even when the conversation isn’t flattering.
Her career demonstrates that in modern entertainment, being memorable matters more than being universally liked.
FAQs
Who is Lisa married to?
She has been married to actor Harry Hamlin since 1997.
What is she known for?
She is known for her work as a television actress and for her long-running role on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
Is Lisa Rinna still on RHOBH?
No, she left the show in 2023 after appearing for eight seasons.
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