Kelly Rutherford

Kelly Rutherford (born November 6, 1968) is an American actress. She is known for her television roles as Stephanie "Sam" Whitmore on the NBC daytime soap opera Generations (1989–1991), as Megan Lewis on the Fox primetime soap opera Melrose Place (1996–1999), and as Lily van der Woodsen on The CW series Gossip Girl (2007–2012).

Early life and education Kelly Rutherford was born in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, on November 6, 1968, the daughter of Ann Edwards. She has a brother, Anthony. She later studied at HB Studio in New York City, and the Beverly Hills Playhouse in California. .

Career Rutherford began her career on daytime soap operas. She appeared on Loving in 1987, and later was cast as a regular on Generations from 1989 to 1991. In 1992 she joined the cast of the ABC drama Homefront.

From 1993 to 1994, Rutherford was a regular on the Fox series The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. as Dixie Cousins, a saloon singer and con artist who has a brief romantic encounter with Brisco. In later episodes, Dixie becomes Brisco's primary love interest.

She also appeared in the film I Love Trouble. She also starred in the short-lived series The Great Defender as Frankie Collet (1995), and in Kindred: The Embraced as Caitlin Byrne (1996). In 1996, Rutherford joined the cast of Fox primetime soap opera Melrose Place, as Megan Lewis. She starred on the show until 1999.

She also starred as Christine Hamilton in the horror film Scream 3 (2000). From 2003 to 2004, she starred in the ABC drama Threat Matrix as Special Agent Frankie Ellroy Kilmer. In next television season she starred in another short-lived series, E-Ring, on NBC. In 2007, Rutherford began starring as Lily van der Woodsen in the CW series Gossip Girl. The series ended in 2012. Rutherford has also starred in a number of Lifetime movies. In 2016, Rutherford was cast in the ABC thriller Quantico playing the recurring role of Laura Wyatt. From 2018 to 2019, Rutherford played the recurring role of Melissa Daniels in the CW reboot series Dynasty.

Personal life Rutherford married Venezuelan banker Carlos Tarajano in June 2001. Rutherford filed for divorce in January 2002, after six months of marriage. She gave birth to their first child, son Hermès Gustaf Daniel Giersch, in October 2006.

While pregnant with their second child, Rutherford filed for divorce from Giersch on December 30, 2008. Rutherford gave birth to their second child, daughter Helena Grace, in June 2009.

In August 2009, Rutherford and Giersch reached a temporary settlement of joint physical custody, in effect until April 2010. Rutherford also obtained a temporary restraining order against him the following month.

Giersch's U.S. visa was revoked in April 2012, after Rutherford's lawyer informed the State Department about issues pertaining to Giersch's businesses, which led the department to conclude that it had sufficient evidence to deport him. Giersch consequently was unable to enter the United States and took up residence in France and Monaco. Rutherford asked the court to grant her sole custody so that she could keep the children primarily in the United States following their visit to France, as the existing joint custody agreement required her to travel frequently to enable Giersch to spend time with the children.

In May 2015, Rutherford was granted temporary sole custody of her children, following a ruling that both her son and daughter be brought back to the United States from Monaco, where they had been living with their father since 2012. On July 23, 2015, a California judge ruled that California did not have jurisdiction over Rutherford's child custody case because she resides in New York, and her former husband was again awarded custody.

Rutherford then filed a case in New York but on July 27, 2015, the New York court ruled it also did not have jurisdiction.

In December 2015, the Monaco courts reconfirmed that full custody remained with the children's father, with Rutherford granted extensive visitation rights in France and Monaco as well as shared input regarding "health, schooling, religious education, and any change of residence".

Filmography Film Television Year Title Role Notes 1987 Loving Unknown episodes 1989–1991 Generations Stephanie "Sam" Whitmore 1992 Davis Rules Erika 2 episodes Breaking the Silence Cheryl Television film 1992–1993 Homefront Judy Owen Main role (season 2) 1992 Bodies of Evidence Diana Wallace Episode: "Afternoon Delights" 1992 Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures Mona Episode: "As the Dude Turns (The Lives That We Live)" 1993–1994 Dixie Cousins Recurring role, 7 episodes 1995 The Great Defender Frankie Collett Main role Courthouse Christine Lunden 4 episodes 1996 Kindred: The Embraced Caitlyn Byrne Main role No Greater Love Edwina Winfield Television film Buried Secrets Danielle Roff 1996–1999 Melrose Place Megan Lewis Mancini Main role (seasons 5–7); 90 episodes 1998 Julia Robinson Television film 1999–2000 Get Real Laura Martineau 4 episodes 1999 Nash Bridges Roxanne "Roxie" Hill Episode: "Kill Switch" 2000 Sally Hemings: An American Scandal Lady Maria Cosway Miniseries Rachel Episode: "Nest" 2000–2001 The Fugitive Helen Kimble 3 episodes 2001 Night Visions Marilyn Lanier Episode: "The Passenger List" Acceptable Risk Kim Welles Television film 2002–2003 Deputy Mayor Melinda Lockhart Recurring role, 6 episodes 2003–2004 Threat Matrix Special Agent Frankie Ellroy-Kilmer Main role 2005–2006 E-Ring Samantha "Sonny" Liston 2007–2012 Gossip Girl Lily van der Woodsen 2007 Tell Me No Lies Laura Cooper Television film 2013 Jane Ryder 2014 Bones Stephanie McNamara Episode: "The Ghost in the Killer" Being Mary Jane Cynthia Phillips 4 episodes Reckless Joyce Reed 2015 Lisa Hanlon Episode: "The Mystery of the Popped Pugilist" Night of the Wild Sara Television film 2016 Quantico Laura Wyatt Episodes: "Care", "Right" Jane the Virgin Editor Episode: "Chapter Fifty" 2017 Nightcap Herself Episode: "What Would Staci Do?" 2017–2018 Gone Paula Lannigan 6 Episodes 2018–2019 Dynasty Melissa Daniels 7 episodes 2018 Love, of Course Amy Andolini Television film (Hallmark Channel) 2019 Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists Claire Hotchkiss Main role Dark Angel Jillian Television film Fallen HeartsJillian All My Husband's Wives Cheryl Volberg 2020 Power Book II: Ghost Colleen Saxe Episode: "The Stranger"