Kelly Rutherford

Known best for her roles in television series like Generations, as Stephanie Whitmore, Megan Lewis on Melrose Place and Lily van der Woodsen of Gossip Girl, Kelly Rutherford is a well known and experienced American actress. She has been the center of attraction with regard to many disputes over her personal life and relationships over the years. Kelly has recently filed for bankruptcy as well.

Early Life And Education Of Kelly Rutherford

Kelly Rutherford was born on November 6, 1968, as Kelly Rutherford Deane in Elizabethtown, Kentucky under the birth sign Scorpio. Rutherford is American as per nationality and as far as her ethnicity is concerned, she is White.

Her mother Harriet Edwards is a model and writer. Her parents raised her with her has three siblings, a younger brother Anthony Giovanni Deane and younger sisters, Courtney Edwards and Lindsey Edwards. She did her schooling from the Corona del Mar High School. Later, she studied at HB Studio in New York. She started acting at the young age of 19.

Kelly Rutherford's Career

Movies And TV Show

Kelly Rutherford’s professional career started with her roles on daytime soap operas like Loving in 1987. She was also cast as a regular on NBC's TV series, Generations, on which she appeared from 1989 to 1991. She shared the screen with Lynn Hamilton, Joan Pringle, and Vivica A. Fox. Her performance was highly appreciated by fans and critics. 

In 1992, Rutherford landed her the regular role on the ABC drama series Homefront in the main role of a blonde bartender, Judy Owens with Jason Statham, James Franco, and Winona Ryder.

Rutherford’s breakthrough role came about in 1996 when she was asked to join the cast of Fox primetime soap opera Melrose Place which was a huge hit among her other works.  She worked in the series with Linden Ashby, Josie Bissett, and Thomas Calabro. She did the role of Megan Lewis on the show from 1996 to 1999 which gave her a push up in her career and made her more sought after. 

Rutherford started appearing on the ABC drama series Threat Matrix as Special Agent Frankie Ellroy Kilmer in 2003. The show ended on 2004 and she then starred on the NBC, short-lived, drama series E-Ring. Another of her notable character was as Lily Humphrey in the CW series Gossip Girl from 2007 to 2012. She has also appeared in numerous Lifetime movies. 

Rutherford made her film debut in 1988 in the movie I Love Trouble. Her other endeavors include roles in short-lived series The Great Defender as Frankie Collet on 1995 and as Caitlin Byrne on 1996 in Kindred: The Embraced. Kelly was then called upon to play the role of Christine Hamilton in the horror film Scream 3 in 2000. 

Kelly Rutherford's Net Worth

Kelly Rutherford has an estimated net worth of $1 million. Rutherford is earning an impressive amount from her movies and TV show. She worked in several movies which made a good collection at the box office. 

Here is the list of her hit movies:

Rutherford used to earn a salary of $486k monthly for her performance in the TV series, Gossip Girl. As of June 2013, Rutherford filed for bankruptcy claiming that she was in debt of $2 million. She stated $1.5 million dollar debt was due to her divorce and child custody issues with her ex-husband.

Kelly Rutherford's Personal Life And Kids

As it is common with celebrities to have a hyped up life, with many rumors, issues, news surrounding them, same has been the case with Kelly Rutherford. She has been into many controversies regarding her romantic life and issues with her children.

Kelly Rutherford is married to banker Carlos Tarajano in June 2001 and divorced in 2002 six months after their marriage. This Venezuelan banker was diagnosed with a heart condition, which was followed by Rutherford’s plea for divorce in January 2002. Their marriage only lasted 6 months and Tarajano died in 2004 owing to his health problems. This news was highly hyped up and Rutherford was criticized for her demeanor and reasons leading to the divorce.  

Rutherford married her second husband German businessman Daniel Giersch in August 2006 after having an affair for months. Her first child, Hermes Gustaf Daniel Giersch was born on October 2006. After about two years of marriage, Kelly filed for divorce with Giersch on December 30, 2008, while she was pregnant with her second child.

Eventually, matters became worse and the couple became involved in a child custody dispute over their children, the unborn child, and their son. Claims from Giersch, that Rutherford did not inform him about the birth of their daughter, Helena Giersch, in June 2009, hit the news and created another dispute.

Her second husband stated that he came to know about the birth only through media reports and the couple eventually settled in a temporary joint legal and physical custody, which would be in effect until April 2010. Rutherford went on to obtain a restraining order against her former husband the following month.

On April 2012, Giersch’s American visa was revoked after Rutherford’s lawyer gave insights to the State Department about issues related to Giersch’s businesses. The department was led to believe that they had enough evidence to deport him by pointing allegations like fraud, involvement in drugs and weapons, terrorism etc on him.

Giersch was made unable to enter the United States in effect due to the restraining order and started staying in France and Monaco. His kids were allowed to visit him in his residence in France. The children went to France to spend the summer with their father on May 2012, but Rutherford later asked the court to grant her sole custody of the children so that she could keep the children primarily in the United States following their visit to France.

Rutherford also stated that the joint custody agreement required her to travel frequently to allow Giersch to spend time with the children and it was not acceptable to her. Her grant, however, was denied and a 50-50 custody agreement, with the children living with Giersch, was decided by the California Superior Court on August 2012.

This situation got media coverage and it was decided that the children would be living with their father as he wouldn’t be able to visit the US and that Rutherford would be allowed to visit them in France. She opposed the decision and requested a stay of proceedings which was again denied. It has been decided that Giersch’s availability to enter the United States and well being of the children will be properly addressed to in two years time. The entire business of the child custody between this couple has attracted huge media attention.

Rutherford’s denial and attempts to alienate her kids from their father has been quoted to be the reason for the new settlement that has reached. It has been known that while Giersch tried his best to keep a healthy relationship with his ex and his children, no effort as such had been on Kelly’s part as she asked the court to grant her sole custody.

In 2015, the child custody was again awarded to her ex-husband so, she filed the case. In December 2015, the court confirmed that the custody remained with the children's father.

Kelly Rutherford's Body Measurement And Age

• Height = Kelly Rutherford stands at the height of 5 feet 8 inches
• Weight = She weighs 59 kg.
• Body Measurement = Her body measurement is 36-26-36.
• Age = As of 2022, her age is 53.

Here is the video where Kelly Rutherford talks about the ongoing custody battle: