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We all know Nene Leakes and her bigger than life personality. She’s a woman who has worked her way to the top and continues to entertain us in everything she does. Now Mrs. Leakes is taking on Dancing With The Stars. Read on to hear all about DWTS, Nene’s marriage, her career in reality TV, some of her key acting roles, her stripper past, and more.
1. Nene Is the Only Original Cast Member Left of the Real Housewives of Atlanta
Last year on Good Morning America, Nene opened up about missing her original cast-mates from RHOA – Kim Zolciak, DeShawn Snow, Lisa Wu-Hartwell, and Sheree Whitfield. As many know, Nene wasn’t on the best terms with some of the other women, so this comes as a little bit of a surprise.
I never thought in a million years that I would say this, but I kind of miss the old girls a little bit. The deal is, we started together, and it was a sort of like a journey that we had together, so I miss them in that way … I am the last original housewife standing, so that should tell you a lot.
For those of you who don’t follow the Housewives, Nene Leakes was actually part of one of the biggest feuds in Housewives history – between herself and Kim Zolciak.
2. Tony Dovolani Is Her DWTS Partner
Tony Dovolani has Nene Leakes as a partner and he says she has a fantastic worth ethic. He also hopes that they can make it to the finals and says Nene has started practicing in pretty good shape, especially considering that she had a recent health scare of a collapsed lung. Check out the above interview with Dovolani about his work with Nene so far …
3. Nene Used to be a Stripper
There are so many celebrities out there who have a stripper past. The only difference with Nene Leakes is that she’s proud of her past and owns who she is as a woman today. Take a look at the video below to hear Nene talk about her stripper days.
4. A Family DNA Test on Reality TV Changed Her Life
Nene did the smartest thing by makin Bryson get a DNA test bcuz these hoes be actin up!! #RHOA
— Ms.Longlegsdontcare (@Jst_hi_n_bye) January 7, 2013
When Nene first became a part of the “housewives,” she talked about her father Curtis who had been in and out of her life a bit. At one point, Nene learns that Curtis might not be her biological dad, so she gets a DNA test and sure enough, Curtis is not her father. This is heartbreaking, especially because Nene and Curtis begin to drift even further apart.
If that wasn’t enough, years later, when Nene’s son Bryson announces he’s going to be a father, Nene advises him to make sure that he is the father and get a paternity test. Bryson is sure to do so and the baby proved to be his … Now Nene is a proud “Glam-ma” with an adorable “Glam-baby.”
5. Gregg Leakes and Nene Had a Very Public Divorce
Nene and Gregg Leakes went through a divorce that was very public and filmed on the Real Housewives of Atlanta. Wikipedia reports that the two actually first met when Nene was working as a stripper.
While working as a stripper, she met Gregg Leakes in 1996. Gregg Leakes is a real estate investor and business consultant. They married in 1997 and had son Brentt on February 22, 1999. Gregg has older children with his exes.
As far as their divorce and reconciliation:
In 2010, Nene and Gregg separated, and NeNe filed for divorce on April 29, 2010. The divorce was finalized September 29, 2011, after season four of The Real Housewives had finished shooting. In October 2011, Leakes released a memoir describing her experiences with abuse called Never Make the Same Mistake Twice: Lessons on Love and Life Learned the Hard Way. NeNe and Gregg Leakes reunited and announced that they were engaged in January 2013.
Click the “Next Page” link below to hear about Nene’s reconciliation with husband Gregg, her acting roles, how she left The Celebrity Apprentice, and all about her adorable “glam baby.”