Luann de Lesseps

Countess Luann de Lesseps(néeNadeau, previouslyD'Agostino; born May 17, 1965)is an American television personality, singer, model, and author. She is best known as an original cast member of theBravoreality television seriesThe Real Housewives of New York City, featuring in the first 13 of 15 seasons since its 2008 premiere. In 2018, she began headlining "Countess and Friends", a cabaret show of her own making.
Born LuAnn Nadeau, she was raised inBerlin, Connecticut, where she grew up with her six siblings, and where her father owned a construction company.Her mother is French Canadian.In an early episode ofThe Real Housewives of New York City, de Lesseps shared that she had captained her high school varsity softball team.
de Lesseps was formerly alicensed practical nursein Connecticut,as well as aWilhelminamodel.
She is one of the main cast members onBravo'sreality seriesThe Real Housewives of New York City. For the sixth season, she was demoted to a recurring "Friend of the Housewives" role due to not living in New York City at the time of filming. In April 2015, it was confirmed that de Lesseps would be returning as a main cast member for the show's seventh season.
In February 2011, de Lesseps guest starred onLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit, in the episode "Bully", playing a socialite who makes a gruesome discovery.
de Lesseps wrote a book,Class with the Countess: How to Live with Elegance and Flair(published byGotham Books) released April 16, 2009, and released her first record, "Money Can't Buy You Class" (throughUltra Records), on May 25, 2010.  She released her second single, "Chic C'est la Vie" in June 2011.She released a third single, "Girl Code", on July 6, 2015. In June 2019, De Lesseps released her fourth single, "Feeling Jovani".In September 2020, she released her fifth single, "Viva La Diva", with Grammy-winning songwriter and producerDesmond Child.
In February 2017, de Lesseps played a role in the filmMaternal SecretsinBermuda.
In May 2017, de Lesseps appeared in the celebrity roast ofMichael MustoalongsideBianca Del Rio,Jinkx Monsoon,Orfeh, Michael Riedel,Randy Rainbow, Crystal Demure,Judy Gold, andRandy Jones. The roast, which was produced by Daniel DeMello and directed by Rachel Klein, was hosted byBruce Vilanchand introduced by Rosie O'Donnell.
In February 2018, de Lesseps headlined her own cabaret show, called #CountessAndFriends, atFeinstein's/54 Belowin Midtown Manhattan.The show features de Lesseps singing songs about her life as a countess and reality TV star, with appearances from celebrity friends likeRachel DratchandHousewivesco-starSonja Morgan. In August 2018, de Lesseps announced that she was taking the show on tour, with engagements scheduled inLong IslandandNew Jersey.
de Lesseps has been a guest onMonét X Change'spodcastThe X Change Rate.
de Lesseps starred in the first season ofThe Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip, a spin-off featuring various women fromThe Real Housewivesfranchise, that premiered onPeacockin November 2021.In 2023, she co-starred in aReal Housewivesspin-off series with longtime castmateSonja Morgan, titledLuann & Sonja: Welcome to Crappie Lake, which premiered on July 9, 2023.de Lesseps starred in the fourth season ofThe Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip, which premiered in December 2023 .
On September 29, 2023, de Lessups was telecast judge of the72nd Miss USApageant held at theGrand Sierra ResortinReno,Nevada. She also competed inseason 10ofThe Masked Singeras "Hibiscus" and was the first contestant of Group C to be eliminated during "One Hit Wonders Night".
In July 2024, it was announced that de Lessups would be starring in aReal Housewivesdating show spin-off titledLove HotelonPeacock, alongside fellow housewives Gizelle Bryant,Ashley DarbyandShannon Storms Beador, with filming taking place inCabo San Lucasand expected to premiere in 2025.
In December 2017, de Lesseps was arrested inPalm Beach, Floridaon charges of disorderly intoxication, resisting arrest, battery of an officer, and making threats against a public servant. She was later released on her own recognizance, but was charged with a third-degree felony on January 25, 2018.After her release she entered an alcohol treatment program.
In July 2018, de Lesseps settled the charges stemming from her Palm Beach arrest, by agreeing to plead guilty to the misdemeanor charges of battery, disorderly intoxication, and trespassing. In exchange, the felony charge of resisting an officer with violence was dropped, and de Lesseps agreed to fulfill 50 hours of community service, attend twoAlcoholics Anonymousmeetings a week, and to abstain from drinking alcohol for one year.
In May 2019, de Lesseps was taken into custody over her alleged probation violations and later released.She completed her probation in August 2019.
In 2021, de Lesseps dined at Le Diplomate, an upscaleWashington, D.C.restaurant, and left without paying the bill. Several days later, de Lesseps paid her outstanding bill.
de Lesseps has donated to many charitable organizations, including:The American Cancer Society,GLAAD, and ACE Partnership for the Homeless. She has most recently partnered with The Fortune Society, which supports formerly incarcerated inmates by helping them reenter into society.
In 1993,she married French CountAlexandre de Lesseps, an entrepreneur and pioneer of microfinancing in developing countries. He is a descendant ofFerdinand de Lesseps, the famous French diplomat and entrepreneur who built theSuez Canaland started thePanama Canal. Together they have two children, Noel andVictoria.They divorced in 2009.On December 31, 2016, de Lesseps married Tom D’Agostino Jr., losing her “countess”courtesy titlein the process.In August 2017, de Lesseps announced that she and D'Agostino were getting divorced.In October 2017, it was reported that the divorce had been settled out of court and would be finalized "imminently".
Her niece is artist Nicole Nadeau, who was on Bravo'sWork of ArtTV series.
On July 16, 2018, de Lesseps'RHONYco-starBethenny Frankelannounced that de Lesseps had chosen to skip the filming of the show's reunion to re-enter an alcohol treatment program.de Lesseps left the facility after just under three weeks.
On March 16, 2022, de Lesseps was filmed taking over the microphone and saying obscenities to the crowd at a piano bar in New York City.On March 18, 2022 de Lesseps released a statement apologizing for her actions and admitting her struggle with alcohol is still real.