NeNe Leakes

**Linnetha Monique "NeNe" Leakes** (nee Johnson; born December 13, 1967) is an American television personality, actress, presenter, author and designer. She is best known for starring in the Bravo reality series The Real Housewives of Atlanta.

## Early Life

Leakes was born in Queens, New York. She is one of five children but her and one of her brothers were sent to live with their aunt in Athens, Georgia while the other three stayed with their mother as it was believed that she could not take care of all five.

She attended Clarke Central High School and then Morris Brown College.

## Career

Leakes, in 2013, landed a minor role as a stripper in the film The Fighting Temptations, starring Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Beyoncé. However, none of the scenes are present in the final edit of the film, therefore she is not credited for her work on the production.

She co-wrote the book, Never Make The Same Mistake Twice with Denene Millner.

Leakes also transitioned into scripted television, playing the secretary Rocky Roades in the NBC comedy The New Normal. Ryan Murphy cast Leakes on his series Glee in the third season in a recurring role as synchronised swim coach and Olympic bronze-medalist Coach Roz Washington. In 2011, she was a contestant on the eleventh installment of Donald Trump's NBC series Celebrity Apprentice. During the tenth episode, after arguments with fellow cast member Star Jones, Leakes walked off the show. Leakes failed to win any money for her selected charity, My Sister's House.

She has guest-hosted Anderson Live, The Talk and appeared in Betty White's Off Their Rockers and The Price Is Right. On March 4, 2014 she was announced as one of the celebrities who would compete in the 18th season of Dancing with the Stars. She paired with professional dancer, Tony Dovolani. Leakes and Dovolani were eliminated in week 7 of the competition on April 28, 2014, finishing in 7th place.

As well as competing on Dancing with the Stars, she played the Mistress of Sensuality in Las Vegas, for resident show Cirque du Soleil: Zumanity. She made her Broadway debut on November 25, 2014, as Madame in Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella. She played the role until the production closed on January 3, 2015. In November 2015, she was cast as playing Matron "Mama" Morton in Chicago on Broadway for four weeks.

On January 2, 2017, she and her husband took part in the second MasterChef Celebrity Showdown. The pair faced Trai Byers and Grace Gealey from Empire, in the tag team challenge and lost.

### Other Ventures

Leakes founded NeNe Leakes Entertainment, a television production company

In February 2014, she announced that she would be launching a clothing line later in the year. On July 28, 2014, Leakes launched the NeNe Leakes Collection for the Home Shopping Network (HSN).

In March 2016, she announced that she would be touring the United States in a one-woman comedy tour called "So Nasty, So Rude," named after one of her catchphrases. The tour started in April and was to continue until the end of the year. Many shows sold out.

She filmed a spin-off series during her time on The Real Housewives called I Dream of NeNe: The Wedding which followed her second wedding.

### The Real Housewives of Atlanta

In 2008, NeNe joined the cast of the Bravo reality television series for the first season. She then appeared in the first seven seasons before returning as a 'guest' in Season 8. She then returned as a full-time housewife for Season 10, 11 and 12 but left again after this.

#### **RHOA Taglines**

* Season 1 and 2 - "I don't keep up with the Joneses. I am the Joneses."
* Season 3 and 4 - "When I walk into the room I own it."
* Season 5 - "I have arrived and the spotlight is on me honey."
* Season 6 - "Success is in my DNA. When one door closes another one opens."
* Season 7 - "Why be so nasty and so rude when I can be so fierce and so successful."
* Season 10 - "Ten years in the game and I'm still the tastiest peach in Atlanta."
* Season 11 - "I am the glue for my wig and my family."
* Season 12 - "I'm on a spiritual journey and still travelling first class."

## Personal Life

### Marriages and Children

Leakes was in a long-term relationship with Calvin Bryant and together they have one son, Bryson Rashard (born December 26, 1989). The couple separated.

Leakes has been married twice (to the same person). She married Gregg Leakes in 1997 and together they have one son, Brentt Ahmad (born February 22, 1999). The couple divorced in 2011 but they later reunited and got re-married on June 22, 2013. Their wedding was shown on The Real Housewives. She is also the stepmother to his five children: Daryl Leon (born September 1, 1976), Damian Bernard (born September 3, 1977), Katrina LaShawn (born September 10, 1982), Dexter Lewis (born 1985) and Denton Gregory (born January 19, 1990).

She has one granddaughter from Bryson, Bri'Asia (born June 28, 2012).

## Family

**Husbands and Partners**

* Calvin Bryant (Ex-boyfriend)
* Gregg Leakes (Husband; 1997-2011; 2013-present)

**Children**

* Bryson Bryant
* Brentt Leakes
* Daryl Leakes (Stepson)
* Damian Leakes (Stepson)
* Katrina Leakes (Stepdaughter)
* Dexter Leakes (Stepson)
* Denton (Stepson)

**Grandchildren**

* Bri'Asia Bryant

## Bibliography

* Never Make The Same Mistake Twice - (October 15, 2011)