Luann de Lesseps

Luanne de Lesseps, better known to fans of "The Real Housewives of New York" (Bravo, 2008- ) as "The Countess," was a popular presence on the reality television series for nearly nine seasons, which allowed her to parlay her fame into stints as an author, actress and nightclub singer. Born LuAnn Nadeau on May 17, 1965 in New York City, New York, Lesseps was raised with her six siblings in Berlin, Connecticut. She worked as a nurse and briefly modeled for the Wilhelmina agency before marrying Count Alexandre de Lesseps, an entrepreneur and descendent of the family that built the Suez Canal. In 2008, she joined Bethenny Frankel, Alex McCord, Ramona Singer and Jill Zarin as the original cast of "The Real Housewives of New York City," the second iteration of Bravo's popular "Real Housewives" reality television franchise. Her tenure during the first five seasons of the series was marked by her divorce from her husband over allegations of infidelity, her pursuit of a music career, which encompassed a trio of singles between 2010 and and 2012, and conflict with Ramona Singer over their individual parenting skills. Lesseps also forayed into acting, playing an art patron involved in a murder on a 2011 episode of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (NBC, 1999- ), and wrote Class with the Countess: How to Live with Elegance and Flair in 2009. In 2015, Lesseps' relocation to a home outside of New York City necessitated her demotion to a supporting role - a "Friend of the Housewives" - which she maintained until 2015, when she resumed her position as one of the main castmates. The following year, she married businessman Tom D'Agostino, Jr., though the union proved short-lived and ended in divorce seven months later in 2017. Lesseps capped that difficult year with an arrest in Palm Beach, Florida on charges of disorderly intoxication and battery of an officer, for which she pled not guilty in January 2018. After taking time to organize her life and affairs, Lesseps debuted a cabaret act at Feinstein's/54 Below in February 2018 shortly before the debut of "Housewives'" ninth season debut in April of that year.