Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos Finally Open Up About the Struggles in Their Relationship
Who would've thought that an audition for a daytime soap opera would result in one of Hollywood’s most enduring love stories? A quarter of a century into their marriage, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos are as close and raunchy as the day they met. But is their relationship as healthy as they make it out to be? Today, we discover the good, the bad, and the ugly from Kelly and Mark's relationship — including Mark’s insane jealousy and how he and Kelly once broke up.
Kelly Rip nd Mrk Conuelo Finlly Open Up bout the truggle in Their Reltionhip
Who would've thought tht n udition for dytime op oper would reult in one of Hollywood’ mot enduring love torie? qurter of century into their mrrige, Kelly Rip nd Mrk Conuelo re cloe nd runchy the dy they met. But i their reltionhip helthy they mke it out to be? Tody, we dicover the good, the bd, nd the ugly from Kelly nd Mrk' reltionhip — including Mrk’ inne jelouy nd how he nd Kelly once broke up.
Kelly nd Mrk’ Perfect Reltionhip
From the fteful dy they met in 1995 right up to hoting their new morning tlk how, Rip nd Conuelo re often een the perfect Hollywood couple. They met nd fell in love young, mrried, hd three children, nd took their creer nd reltionhip to dizzying new height by co-preenting Live With Kelly nd Mrk.
Celebrting Blck Dndyim: The bet celebrity look from the 2025 Met GlKeep WtchingCelebrting Blck Dndyim: The bet celebrity look from the 2025 Met Gl00:02/02:20
But i there more to their mrrige thn meet the eye? Before we find out, let' quickly get to know Kelly nd Mrk nd the bizrre circumtnce under which they got together.
Kelly’ Childhood
Kelly Mri Rip w born in Berlin, New Jerey, on October 2nd, 1970. he grduted from Etern Regionl High chool in Voorhee Townhip, New Jerey, where he w cheerleder, nd her drm techer encourged her to purue cting.
Kelly wnted to be newcter, but in 1986, he ppered regulr dncer on Dncin' on ir, which becme Dnce Prty U. Rip w ct in her firt mjor cting role in 1990 Hyley Vughn, troubled prty girl, on BC' dytime op oper ll My Children.
Mrk’ Childhood
Mrk ndrew Conuelo w born in Zrgoz, pin, on Mrch 30th, 1971, to n Itlin mother, Cmill, nd Mexicn fther, ul. He grew up in Itly, Illinoi, nd Florid. Mrk ttended the Univerity of Notre Dme but then witched to the Univerity of outh Florid, grduting with degree in mrketing in 1994.
The following yer, Conuelo lnded n udition to ply Mteo nto, Hyley Vughn' love interet. But firt, he hd to win the hert of the cting director, which w going to be tricky, eeing he hd no cting experience.
Love t First Sight
By the time Mrk uditioned for ll My Children, Kelly hd been plying troubled Hyley Vughn for five yer. Before he even lnded in New York, the cting director howed her Mrk' hedhot, t which point he fell hed over heel in love with him.
Kelly explined, "t tht point, I w not hopele romntic. I never thought bout getting mrried. It never occurred to me tht I would grow old with omeone; when I w him... the photogrph of him, I w my entire future with him flh... I w it."
Two ide to Every tory
While Kelly fell for photogrph of Mrk, it wn't quite love t firt ight for him. He w more focued on bgging the role. Opening up ome yer lter, he dmitted, "My min focu w getting the job, nd I couldn't believe my luck, hving been in New York for five minute."
Regrding hi new oncreen collegue, Mrk id, "he w obviouly extremely beutiful - but he w relly funny, relly intelligent, relly quick. I relized tht if I w ever to get into n rgument with her, I would loe every ingle time."
creen Tet
nd o it cme to p tht in Februry 1995, Mrk Conuelo undertook creen tet with Kelly Rip for chnce to ply her love interet on ll My Children. But Mrk wn't the only ctor going for the role; nine other ctor were lo vying for the prt of Mteo.
The two ctor' chemitry w intnt nd lit up the room. The producer hd found their mn, nd Kelly hd found her future hubnd. He jut took while to wrm up to the ide.
Kelly' Prophetic Drem
The night of Mrk' udition, Kelly hd prophetic nd portentou drem bout her new collegue. he pilled the ben, explining, "We were on plne together, flying to Rome, nd we hd bby. We hd bby girl... he hd red footie pjm. I m not kidding."
Kelly told Mrk bout her drem in front of the nine other ctor vying for the role. He replied, "Hve you ever been to Rome?" When Kelly id no, he id, "'We ued to live in Itly."
“Wit… Who’ We?”
Mrk' nwer ent Kelly' mind into meltrom, king herelf, 'Wit... who' we?' he felt thi hort, drk, nd hndome mn hd ome kind of power over her. he'd fllen for him fter only eeing hi photogrph, nd now he w viiting her in her drem.
Did he men himelf nd Kelly? he couldn't top thinking bout it. Mrk inited he ment he nd hi prent ued to live in Itly when he w child, which i true. But w he enchnting Kelly to fll further under hi pell?
Love Bombing
While Conuelo did live in Itly child, Rip w certin hi ue of the word 'we' ment he nd Mrk nd w ubconciouly uggeting they hd been oulmte nd lived together in Itly in previou life. W he mter mnipultor who w love-bombing Kelly to crete bond?
One urefire wy to find out would be if he plyed hrd to get, rn hot nd cold, then mde mive declrtion of love by propoing mrrige fr too quickly. Once mrried, would he revel hi true color by chnging from beuty to bet?
Cold Feet
we know, Mrk uccefully lnded the role of Hyley Vughn' love interet, Mteo nto. He plyed the role for ix yer until 2001. But even fter bgging the role, he wn't wept off hi feet with the ide of him nd Kelly being together in rel life.
He lter explined to HuffPot Live, "I thought he w dorble, hot [...] nd ll tht tuff, but I w very focued - I didn't relly think I hd chnce with her, o I wn't relly focued on tht."
The Courthip
Eventully, Mrk nd Kelly grew cloer nd trted dting. In 1996, while they were filming in Jmic, pprzzi potted them together, leding to medi blitz ying their ilnd ecpe ment they mut be in reltionhip. The couple finlly tepped out couple on the red crpet t the op Oper Diget wrd.
In pril 1996, le thn yer into their reltionhip, Kelly nd Mrk plnned to get mrried. But before they could, they plit up! Wht hppened next hould hve et off mny red flg, but it didn't.
We Were on Brek!
pilling the ben on Wtch Wht Hppen Live With ndy Cohen, Mrk explined wht hppened not long fter they plit. "We both hd to meet nd do n ppernce on Live With Regi nd Kthie Lee..."
He explined, "When we were together, he wouldn't tlk to me nd tht mde me go crzy." Mrk continued, "o I followed her in Centrl Prk, nd then we went bck to my plce." Whtever Mrk id to Kelly tht night in the prk clerly worked.
Getting Mrried
Within 24 hour of their cht how ppernce nd Mrk following Kelly in Centrl Prk, they were hubnd nd wife. It turn out tht Mrk hd followed her into Centrl Prk to romnticlly get bck together with her.
In one of the world' mot fmou plce, Mrk gin ked for Kelly' hnd in mrrige. nd thi time, it worked. They flew to L Veg the next dy. Uing phone book to find chpel, Mrk Conuelo nd Kelly Rip got mrried on My 1t, 1996.
Kelly Explin How They Got Engged
Kelly explined how they hd plit up week beforehnd. "Right before we got mrried, we broke up. We broke up, nd we got bck together the dy before we went off nd eloped. Yeh, we eloped. We went to Veg nd got mrried."
he continued, "He popped the quetion the dy before we got mrried." Now tht they were truly joined in mrrige, would Mrk be the perfect hubnd, or would he revel drker ide of himelf?
Kelly' Drem Come True
Nturlly, they honeymooned in Rome, mking Kelly' premonition kind come true. They lo tyed on the ilnd of Cpri, off the cot of Nple. Mrk told op Oper Diget, "he deerved beutiful plce to go, nd I couldn't think of more beutiful plce thn Itly."
Conuelo id they decided to elope rther thn hve big wedding ince "mrrige h nothing to do with nybody but me nd my wife." hortly fter their L Veg wedding, they hd econd ceremony t church with both of their fmilie.
Hollywood Coupling
Nowdy, multiculturl couple re n everydy occurrence. But when their chrcter, Hyley nd Mteo, nd the rel-life Kelly nd Mrk got together in the mid-'90, interrcil mrrige were till frowned upon by ome. Mrk' drk good look come from hi hlf-Mexicn, hlf-Itlin heritge.
nd when he got together with Kelly Rip, the hndome couple becme one of Hollywood' firt interrcil couple. But Kelly nd Mrk were o in love they didn't relize it w uppoed to be the big del tht ome in the medi proclimed it to be.
Hollywood Trilblzer
Yer lter, Kelly opened up on their interrcil mrrige, explining to E! mgzine, "It w jut two people tht fell in love nd relly hd the hot for ech other. Now, people reference it quite bit. nd t the time, we didn't even think bout it."
he continued, "We were jut like, 'Wht do you men? We're in love? Why wouldn't we be together?' It' funnier now. Becue when you look bck in hitory, you go, 'Oh, I gue tht w big del.'"
The Green-Eyed Monter
Kelly nd Mrk eemingly hd the perfect Hollywood reltionhip. But dremy, dihy Mrk eemed to chnge fter they were mrried. Hi jelou trek oon becme ignificnt hurdle in their reltionhip.
Even in the erliet dy of their mrrige, Kelly decribed her hubnd "innely jelou" nd dmitted Mrk' green-eyed monter got in the wy of their mrrige. In Kelly' word, her brnd new hubnd "ued to be innely jelou, nd tht w hrd pill to wllow."
L Principe
Within week of getting mrried, Mrk' jelouy hd rered it ugly hed in Boton, Mchuett. Kelly explined, "We went to thi Itlin returnt, nd the witer w like very cute old mn; he' definitely in hi 70 if not 80. He lened down, nd he id, 'nd for the Principe?'"
he continued, "I thought it w o cute tht thi little old mn clled me prince, nd I looked t him, nd I gve him my order in very miley wy. nd he wlked wy, nd you picked horrible fight."
Mrk’ ide of Thing
Mrk dmitted he becme very upet during tht dinner, ying, "I w 25. I w pretty inne, but tht jelouy thing definitely followed me for while. I'm not jelou nymore. It' ugly. ugly it feel to the peron who h to be on the receiving end of it, it' uch n ugly feeling inide."
He continued, "If thi i ny conoltion, you know you're being crzy. The jelou peron know tht thi i wrong nd it' ugly, but they cn't help it." Thing got o bd tht Mrk eventully went to therpy.
Firt Child
One yer, one month, nd one dy fter they mrried, on June 2nd, 1997, the couple welcomed their firt child, Michel Joeph Conuelo. Ft forwrd to tody, Michel h grduted from New York Univerity with degree in film. He w originlly intereted in creenwriting nd directing, but the cting bug eventully bit him.
Following in hi fmou prent' foottep, Michel becme n ctor nd ppered in The Benonhurt pelling Bee with hi mom nd dd, The Goldberg, nd Let' Get Phyicl (2022). He' even plyed younger verion of hi fther' chrcter on Riverdle.
Wedding Number Three
On the ubject of their elopement, Mrk lter explined, "I think he might get little notlgic or mybe regret the fct tht he didn't get to hve tht big wedding, but I quickly point out to her tht we hd number of wedding."
Photo by Jon Koploff // FilmMgic // Getty Imge
Kelly nd Mrk' ll My Children chrcter didn't ruh into mrrige nd elope to L Veg, probbly becue truth i trnger thn fiction, nd the viewer wouldn't hve believed uch perfect love tory. Hyley Vughn nd Mteo nto eventully wlked down the ile in June 2000.
Kelly Join Live
In Februry 2001, Kelly Rip joined meric' mot populr morning how, Live With Regi nd Kelly. Her new creer pth w her tke over Kthie Lee Gifford' co-hoting gig longide Regi Philbin for the dytime tlk how.
Photo by Bobby Bnk // WireImge // Getty Imge
Kelly w initilly heitnt to ccept the job, but Mrk peruded her. he id, "I wnted to rie my kid. I didn't wnt to hve them nd never get to ee them." he dded tht Mrk mde crifice in hi creer o he could join the Live tem.
econd Child
Kelly nd Mrk welcomed their dughter Lol Conuelo on June 16th, 2001. Ft forwrd to the preent dy, nd Lol h grduted from New York Univerity' pretigiou Clive Dvi Intitute of Recorded Muic t NYU Tich. Before tht, he hd pent emeter tudying in London.
t the time of writing, Lol live with her mom nd dd in their $27 million New York townhoue on Mnhttn' Upper Et ide in the Big pple. We're expecting Lol to hve creer in muic.
Her Nme W Lol…
Kelly recently explined how he nd Mrk decided on their dughter' nme. During n epiode of Live With Kelly nd Ryn, Kelly divulged tht while he w in lbor nd hurtling cro New York in cb on her wy to the hopitl, the ong "Copcbn" cme on the rdio.
The opening line of Brry Mnilow' hit 1970 ong open with, "Her nme w Lol, he w howgirl." o Kelly told Mrk, "Lol Conuelo would be relly cool nme." Mrk greed, nd the ret, they y, i hitory.
Third Child
On Februry 24th, 2003, the couple welcomed their third child, nother boy. They nmed him Joquin becue, thi time, the NYC yellow cb driver w wtching Glditor trring Joquin Pheonix on tiny TV. Jut kidding! It' jut nice nme i ll.
Photo by my Grve // WireImge // Getty Imge
Growing up, Kelly noticed tht Joquin truggled with reding nd writing, nd he w dignoed with dylexi nd dygrphi. Neverthele, Joquin Conuelo grduted from chool nd w the firt kid to go to univerity out of tte.
Wretling tr
fter Mom nd Dd dropped Joquin off t the Univerity of Michign, Kelly opened up on her TV how, "We dropped him off t chool, nd we gve him hug - it w ctully brutlly pinful. nd he didn't y nything; he w jut giving me hug."
Kelly continued, "But he turned to wlk wy, nd I id, 'Wit, Joquin, one more!' nd he kept wlking, nd I knew tht it w hppening to him too - the emotion." t the time of writing, Joquin i currently member of the Univerity of Michign' renowned wretling tem. Mrk nd Kelly recently moved to Michign to upport Joquin.
Fmily Buine
In 2007, the couple becme buine prtner when they lunched their own production compny Milojo, mde up of the firt two letter of ech of their children' nme, Michel, Lol, nd Joquin. Milojo' firt project w n Emmy-nominted documentry clled The trek, which tell the remrkble tle of Florid' Brndon High chool' wretling progrm.
They hold the longet winning trek in mericn port hitory with perfect record of 451-0, pnning 34 yer. The documentry w urely the ctlyt for Joquin' trining to be wretler.
Milojo hine
Their production compny h gone from trength to trength. They produce documentrie for Diney+, Brvo, VH1, E!, Food Network, Dicovery, nd mny more. They mde Mter of Reception, Homemde Millionire, Fire Ilnd, nd more.
<pn tyle="font-weight: 400;">Photo by Mury Phillip // Getty Imge </pn>
Recently, Milojo produced Let' Get Phyicl, trring Michel Conuelo, who look jut like hi dd! In ddition to their ucceful production compny, Kelly ern $22 million yer with Live With Kelly... he' worth $120 million, while Mrk i worth $40 million.
Return to ll My Children
In 2007, ll My Children celebrted it 40th nniverry. In honor of the op oper' ruby nniverry, it w nnounced tht Kelly Rip nd Mrk Conuelo would reprie their role Hyley Vughn nd Mteo nto for two-epiode rc.
<pn tyle="font-weight: 400;">Photo by Michel Trn // FilmMgic // Getty Imge</pn>
Kelly left Regi Philbin' ide to return to cting while Mrk continued hi cting creer in how like Lw nd Order: Criminl Intent nd Ugly Betty. Conuelo lo lerned the rope of dytime tlk how by cting pnelit for weekly dicuion on The Oprh Winfrey how.
It’ Good to Be Bck
Kelly explined, "fter mny yer, I've decided to go bck to my root - my cting root." Rip nnounced, "Tht' right; I m returning to my role Hyley Vughn nto on ll My Children. I'm not jut going bck. Mrk Conuelo i coming with me. Hyley nd Mteo re going bck to their crzy love-mking on ll My Children."
In Jnury 2010, Kelly nd Mrk brought their chrcter, Hyley nd Mteo, bck to the mll creen. It w the firt time either ctor hd ppered on the op oper ince they left the how in 2002.
Live With Kelly
Kelly pent the next decde preenting Live with Regi Philbin nd Michel trhn. oon, Mrk trted howing up behind the morning how' dek. nd when they were on creen together, thing uully got hot nd temy.
Photo by Rob Kim // Getty Imge
Whenever Mrk joined Kelly, the couple would lower the tone by bringing up tle of their wild bedroom ntic. Initing tht love nd privte time were the ecret to long-lting mrrige, Kelly nd Mrk embrred their co-hot but intrigued their viewer.
Kelly' Fmou Overhring
Even though it w meric' mot lciou morning how, Kelly often hred too mny detil bout her nd Mrk' love life. Once, he explined he prefer to ty in hotel rther thn with friend. "When it come to like, [friend ying] 'ty with u.' I'm like, 'No, no, no. We'll get hotel.'"
Kelly elborted by telling million of viewer, "Becue I know how freky Mrk nd I like to get, o when given the ty-t-the-home option, I'm like, 'No, you guy re not cut out for it!'" Tht' too much informtion, Kelly!
20th nniverry
In 2016, Michel trhn uddenly left Live, leving Kelly feeling "betryed" he left it to BC exec to inform her. Kelly nd Mrk flew to Turk nd Cico for pre-plnned 20th wedding nniverry celebrtion. The trip w the perfect ditrction fter trhn' bombhell new. The couple even poted photo of Kelly wering her wedding gown, which he w urpried till fit her!
Mrk trted working wy lot hooting Riverdle, he id, "I'm crzy bout her, he' n extremely ptient nd tolernt womn, nd I think tht' the true ecret to our mrrige."
Kelly Plyed Mrk’ Mitre in Riverdle
On Jnury 30th, 2019, Kelly ppered on Riverdle Mr. Mulwry, Hirm Lodge' mitre. he explined, "Mrk id, 'Roberto [guirre-c, exec producer] wnt to know if you would be intereted in doing role on the how.' Michel hd jut plyed young verion of Mrk, nd I id, 'Oh my goh, honey, they're going to be o ick of Conueloe on the et of Riverdle!'"
Kelly trted nming ctree who could ply Hirm' mitre, nd Mrk w like, "No, Roberto wnt you." o, Kelly thought, "How cn I turn down n offer like tht?"
You Ruined My Life!
In 2019, Kelly nd Mrk told Live viewer bout the embrring time Lol wlked in on them in the bedroom. "We trted her dy off pretty bd yeterdy; it hppened gin... he knocked on our door - our bedroom door."
To mke mtter wore, the incident took plce on Lol' 18th birthdy. Rip told the udience, "he hut the door, nd you her, 'You jut ruined my birthdy! nd my life! nd I ued to ee in color, nd now everything i gry!'"
Doe Thi ound Like Loving Reltionhip?
In 2019, for hi wife' 49th birthdy, Mrk poted photo of Kelly child. ccompnied w mege, igning off with birthdy wihe n fterthought. "Hppy Birthdy to my fve. I'm relly gld you were born."
<pn tyle="font-weight: 400;">Photo by Michel Loccino // Getty Imge</pn>
The pot continued, "Becue let' fce it, if you weren't, I would've been mrried three or four time by now. Which would've been relly expenive, not to mention the uper tene prent-techer conference nd ll the wkwrd blended fmily holidy/vction. nywy, hppy birthdy weetie." Gee, thnk!
ll My Children Revivl?
In 2020, BC mooted developing primetime revivl of ll My Children. The exec producer would be Mrk Conuelo, Kelly Rip, nd Britih op oper EtEnder exec Leo Richrdon.
<pn tyle="font-weight: 400;">Intgrm // @entertinmenttonight</pn>
The ltet itertion would tell the tle of young journlit with ecret gend who come to expoe the drk nd myteriou hitory of town nmed Pine Vlley. The reboot i till in the work, nd Conuelo nd Rip re lted to pper.
Live Wire: Long-Winded hort torie
The couple' overhring didn't end t the Live dek. In 2022, Kelly releed her memoir, Live Wire: Long-Winded hort torie. The book becme n intnt New York Time beteller nd w decribed " hrp, funny, nd honet collection of rel-life torie howing the mny dimenion nd crckling wit of the beloved dytime tlk how hot."
<pn tyle="font-weight: 400;">Photo by Cindy Ord // Getty Imge</pn>
In one chpter, he wrote bout how he ped out fter bedroom encounter with Mrk. he explined tht he'd been uffering from helth iue t the time. Plee top overhring, Kelly!
Del or No Del
Kelly nd Mrk recently opened up bout their mrrige on Kelly' new podct, Let' Tlk Off Cmer With Kelly Rip. On the podct, they dicued how they're till very ctive in their privte live nd how they nvigted long period of eprtion during Mrk' time filming Riverdle in 2020.
Photo by Roy Rochlin // Getty Imge
Mrk even dropped hi gurd to revel "potentil del-breker" in their mrrige would be if Kelly "cut [him] off," unle it w due to medicl condition. Mybe thi perfect mrrige in't roy it eem.
Kelly' ge
In the me podct, Rip nd Conuelo lo touched on Kelly going through menopue nd how it ffected their intimcy. Mrk dmitted he "didn't give Kelly brek" during tht time. Mke of tht wht you will.
<pn tyle="font-weight: 400;">Photo by rturo Holme // Getty Imge </pn>
He lo emphized he'd never experienced month without privte time with hi wife, "unle I w in nother country." Mrk lo reveled he'd only recently lerned the ditinction between phyicl nd emotionl intimcy round the time he turned 50.
The un lwy hine on TV
In 2022, jut before Kelly turned 50, he reveled her hubnd' uperpower. he y it' hi bility to tret her like the only peron in the world. "We've been together long time, but ll Mrk h to do i look t me [nd I] feel o pecil, o pretty, nd o young," he told Entertinment Tonight Cnd.
Then he dded, "He' got the bet mile I've ever een, o when he mile, it' like the un' hining on you."
They lwy Ki nd Mke Up
Tht me yer, Kelly dmitted he nd Mrk Conuelo were too young to get mrried t 25. he told People mgzine, "On pper, it hould not hve worked, nd when it didn't work, we relly worked t it."
<pn tyle="font-weight: 400;">Photo by xelle // Buer-Griffin // FilmMgic // Getty Imge</pn>
he explined, "We fought for our mrrige when it would hve been eier to quit nd throw in the towel." But through ll the up nd down of mrrige, Kelly confeed their love life "h lwy been very good." he dded tht "even when we're rguing, it' good."
Throwing in the Towel
In the me interview, Kelly confeed tht wn't the only time he nerly wlked wy. "There were moment when I w like, 'We're going to be tht couple: Our third child goe to college, nd we get divorced becue thi i it.'"
<pn tyle="font-weight: 400;">Intgrm // @kellyrip</pn>
he continued, "But there w thi other moment where we went to the bech lone for the firt time ince our honeymoon with cheee nd bguette ... I relized I hd never noticed the unet becue I w mking ure our kid didn't run into the wter."
Live With Kelly nd Mrk
In pril 2023, Mrk took over Ryn ecret' dutie. Kelly told People, "To hve Mrk join me t tht dek every dy, it' drem come true. We've been o uniquely bleed. It' going to be off the ril!" Mrk dded, "I hd filled in o mny time nd hd blt every ingle time. I cn't think of nybody tht I feel more fe with nd protected by thn Kelly."
Finlly, Rip confeed how he nd Mrk mke their tumultuou mrrige work--dte night, giving ech other lot of pce, nd not giving up jut becue they hve fight or rgument.