Lisa Vanderpump

Lisa Jane Vanderpump is an English restaurateur, businesswoman, and television personality. Born on 15 September 1960 in Dulwich, London, she initially gained widespread recognition as an original main cast member on the Bravo reality television series The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills from 2010 to 2019. Following her emigration from the United Kingdom to the United States, Vanderpump established a prominent career in the hospitality industry alongside her husband, Ken Todd. She is also widely known as a cast member and executive producer of the spin-off reality series Vanderpump Rules.

Vanderpump grew up in London, where her father worked as an art director at an advertising agency. She began taking ballet lessons at the age of three and attended Riverston School in Lee Green, South London. At nine years old, she enrolled in the Corona Academy drama school. By age 19, she lived in a flat in Fulham, West London, and maintained financial self-sufficiency after leaving home.

Vanderpump began acting in her youth, making her film debut at age 13 as an uncredited extra in the 1973 film A Touch of Class. Her credited film debut occurred in the 1978 horror movie Killer's Moon. She made her television debut in 1974 on John Halifax, Gentleman and subsequently appeared in minor roles across various television series in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, including Silk Stalkings and Baywatch Nights. Vanderpump was featured in over 100 commercials for major brands and appeared in music videos for acts such as ABC, Naked Eyes, and Lady Gaga.

In May 2005, Vanderpump and her husband partnered with Guillermo Zapata and Nathalie Pouille Zapata to co-own SUR Restaurant & Lounge in West Hollywood, California. She went on to open several other establishments, including Villa Blanca in 2009, Pump Restaurant & Lounge in 2014, and Tom Tom in 2018. Expanding into Nevada, she opened the Vanderpump Cocktail Garden, Vanderpump à Paris, Wolf by Vanderpump, and Pinky's at the Flamingo. She also partnered with Caesars Entertainment to open the first Vanderpump Hotel. In addition to hospitality, Vanderpump launched several beverage lines, including Vanderpump Vodka, Vanderpump Sangria, and Vanderpump Wines, along with homeware collections.

Vanderpump's reality television career expanded significantly after joining The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills in 2010. In 2013, SUR became the central setting for Vanderpump Rules, on which she serves as a cast member and executive producer. Her executive producing and hosting credits also include E!'s Overserved with Lisa Vanderpump, Peacock's Vanderpump Dogs, and Hulu's Vanderpump Villa. Additionally, she competed on season 16 of Dancing with the Stars in 2013 and served as a judge on ABC's Pooch Perfect in 2021.

Beyond entertainment and hospitality, Vanderpump is an animal rights activist. In 2016, she launched The Vanderpump Dog Foundation, a non-profit animal rescue organization that operates rescue centers in Los Angeles and China. She co-founded the Stop Yulin Forever campaign to oppose the Yulin Dog Meat Festival, addressed Congress on the issue, and produced the 2018 documentary The Road To Yulin… And Beyond. Her philanthropic efforts earned her the Key to the City of Beverly Hills in 2013, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars in 2014, and the Ally Leadership Award from Equality California in 2015.

Vanderpump married businessman Ken Todd in August 1982. The couple has two children, a daughter and an adopted son, as well as a stepson from Todd's previous marriage and two grandsons. Vanderpump primarily resides in Beverly Hills, California, and has maintained residences in locations including London, Monaco, the South of France, Montecito, and Las Vegas.