How ‘All My Children’ Hid Kelly Ripa’s Real-Life Pregnancy
Long before she became a famous talk show host, Kelly Ripa was a soap opera darling on All My Children. For 12 years, Ripa portrayed Hayley Vaughan on the ABC series. During the show, Ripa met her husband, Mark Consuelos. The couple has been married for 26 years and has three children.
Kelly Ripa met her husband, Mark Consuelos, on ‘All My Children’
Ripa’s acting career began when she debuted as Hayley on All My Children in November 1990. Hayley is the rebellious daughter of Adam Chandler (David Canary) and Arlene Vaughan (Olivia Birkelund). Ripa became a hit as Hayley, and in 1995, the producers decided to cast a new love interest for her character.
Consuelos debuted as Mateo Santos in February 1995. The onscreen chemistry between Hayley and Mateo turned into a real-life romance for Ria and Consuelos. A year after Consuelos joined the soap opera, he and Ripa eloped to Las Vegas in May 1996. It wasn’t too long afterward that the couple received a visit from the stork.
‘All My Children’ producers hid the actor’s pregnancy
Ripa’s pregnancy left All My Children producers in a conundrum. While an actor’s pregnancy is often written into the soap opera, Hayley and Mateo weren’t ready for children. As Ripa’s baby bump grew, the producers and directors had to devise creative ways to hide her pregnancy.
In an interview with People, Ripa described how she’d carry props to hide her stomach. “Initially, I would carry luggage with me everywhere. Then I started to carry guitar cases. Then I carried trees. Tress!” Ripa joked.
The couple’s first son Michael was born in June 1997. Juggling a baby and work was hard, but the couple brought their son to the set and had help from a nanny while filming.
Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos left the soap opera in 2002
In February 2001, Ripa was announced as Regis Philbin’s new co-host for Live! Ripa pulled double duty while also continuing her work on All My Children. Ripa and Consuelos’ lives got busier when their second child, daughter Lola, was born in June 2001.
When Ripa became pregnant with her third child Joaquin in 2002, she and Consuelos decided to leave the ABC soap opera. Their characters, Hayley and Mateo, received a happy sendoff. The couple reunited after a brief separation. Then they and their son Lorenzo left Pine Valley for California when Hayley got a talk show host job.
Ripa and Consuelos reprised their roles in 2010 for the show’s 40th anniversary. Hayley and Mateo returned to Pine Valley to make a documentary about the famous small town.
Thanks to the soap opera, Ripa and Consuelos found love. The couple is enjoying life with their three kids and their successful careers.
