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Key Points
Kelly Ripa reveals to EW why she doesn't "act so much anymore" amid cohosting Live With Kelly and Mark.
"It's not that I don't love it," Ripa explains.
Ripa's husband, Mark Consuelos, is set to appear in the upcoming Scream 7.
Kelly Ripa, a queen of contemporary morning TV, is no stranger to getting into character — as evidenced byLive With Kelly and Mark's annualHalloween show— but as the seasonedAll My ChildrenandHope & Faithactress tellsEntertainment Weeklyin an exclusive interview from theLiveset, there's a reason she hasn't returned to full-time acting during her talk show reign.
"I try not to act so much anymore," Ripa, 55, explains to EW on a frigid December morning insideLive's New York City studio. She and husbandMark Consuelos, 54, have cohosted their daily daytime talk series for nearly three years, while Ripa is 24 years in on the iconic show, having started in 2001 alongside the late Regis Philbin.
As she prepares to launch the talk show's "Eat, Drink, and Be Merry" special segments next week (including Friday's annual Holiday Sweater Contest), Ripa clarifies, "It's not that I don't appreciate it, it's not that I don't love it. But I really am devoted to this show and my [Let's Talk Off Camera] podcast."
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While Consuelos, who first met his future wife on the set ofAll My Childrenbefore they married in 1996, regularly appears in film and TV projects amid cohostingLive(including recurring roles on9-1-1,The Girls on the Bus,and in the upcomingScream 7film), Ripa has been selective about parts that might take her away from her family since permanently joiningLivein February 2001.
"I feel like my plate is full. Also, we have three adult kids, and I like to be present in their endeavors," Ripa tells EW. "Our daughter [Lola] is now starting to perform in the music scene in London, so I like to be able to be present if she needs or wants me there."
Ripa has, however, taken at least one leading role during her run onLive.She fronted the ABC sitcomHope & Faith,which costarred Faith Ford and ran from 2003 to 2006.
While she enjoyed the sitcom, part of that experience, Ripa reflects, was a "hard job" balancing daily tapings in front of a live audience with her talk show duties.
"When you're an actor, your schedule is not your own," says Ripa.
Still, the actress has taken other smaller parts over the years, including guest spots onUgly Betty,Hannah Montana,30 Rock,Broad City, andopposite Consuelos in an episode of his popularRiverdaleseries.
While she hasn't headline a scripted TV series sinceHope & Faith, she tells EW that the experience of working on the sitcom emboldened her to protect her peace on future sets, as she and Ford implemented a "no a--hole" policy on set that holds true onLive.
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"We very quickly became super aligned in the fact that she had great people she always worked with, and I always had great people I always worked with. We combined that energy," Ripa recalls. "If there's any agitators, we just didn't tolerate it!"
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Live With Kelly and Markairs weekdays in syndication — including seasonally themed run-ups to the show's annual Christmas episode, which is set to air on Dec. 24. Check your local listings for timing in your area.
Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly
