Valerie Anne Bertinelli is an actor and author from the United States. With her roles as Barbara on CBS’s “One Day at a Time” and Melanie Moretti on “Hot in Cleveland,” this two-time Golden Globe Award winner became a household figure. She began acting as a young adolescent and has since grown into a seasoned character actress. Her childhood connection with the daughter of a TV producer instilled in her a passion for the entertainment industry, and she decided to pursue acting professionally. Bertinelli began her career in television as a teenager after graduating from the Tami Lynn School of Artists. With her assured elegance and excellent acting abilities, she quickly carved out a niche for herself and became a highly sought-after television personality. She worked hard to reclaim her life and emerge victorious, despite her chaotic personal life and struggles with substance misuse. Her New York Moment’s best-selling novels, in which she chronicled her hardships during difficult times in her life, have made her well-known to the general public. This multi-talented personality is currently promoting her cooking show, ‘Kids Baking Championship.’ This obese adolescent turned sex icon is also affiliated with Jenny Craig’s weight-loss program and serves as a spokeswoman for it.
Childhood and Adolescence
Valerie Bertinelli was born on April 23, 1960, in Wilmington, Delaware, to Nancy and Andrew Bertinelli, both of whom worked for General Motors.
She has two younger brothers and was raised as a Roman Catholic. She had an older brother who passed away before she was born.
Because of her father’s business, she and her family had to move around a lot and lived in places including Delaware, Michigan, Clarkston, Claymont, Shreveport, California, Oklahoma City, and Louisiana.
Bertinelli attended Clarkston Middle School in the Michigan Area while she was in her early teens. She became friends with the daughter of a famous TV producer while living in California.
She was bitten by the acting bug at the moment and enrolled in the Tami Lynn School of Artists.
She went to Granada Hills High School as well.
The Career Of Valerie
Valerie Bertinelli began her acting career in 1974 when she appeared in an episode of the TV show ‘Apple’s Way.’
‘One Day at a Time,’ a CBS blockbuster TV series produced by Norman Lear, gave her her big break in 1975.
Barbara Jean Copper was her character in the series. At the time, Bertinelli was 15 years old.
She founded her own production studio in 1981 and produced the television films “Shattered Vows” in 1984 and “Silent Witness” in 1985. She also appeared in these films as a character.
Valerie Bertinelli also appeared in the 1987 television miniseries “I’ll Take Manhattan.” This series was inspired by Judith Krantz’s novel. ‘Sydney’ and ‘Cafe Americain’ were two more situation comedies in which she appeared. These shows were discontinued after only a few seasons.
Meanwhile, she appeared in three feature films: ‘C.H.O.M.P.S.,’ ‘Ordinary Heroes,’ and ‘Number One with a Bullet,’ all of which were released in 1979, 1986, and 1987.
She joined the cast of ‘Touched by an Angel’ for the final two seasons of the show in 2001.
Valerie Bertinelli gained a lot of weight over her career and was chastised for being overweight.
She had shed roughly 50 pounds after joining Jenny Craig’s weight loss program by March 2009, and she became a spokesman for the program as well as a model for many of its ads.
She was asked to co-host ABC’s ‘The View’ in 2010. In the same year, she starred opposite Betty White, Wendie Malick, and Jane Leeves in the hit TV series ‘Hot in Cleveland.’ Before finishing in June 2015, this situation comedy aired for six seasons.
She was a guest on the genealogical documentary series ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ in 2014. She is currently the host of the Food Network’s ‘Kids Baking Championship.’
She is also a well-known author. Valerie Bertinelli’s autobiography, ‘Losing It: And Gaining My Life Back One Pound at a Time,’ was published in 2008.
The following year, she published ‘Finding It: And Satisfying My Hunger for Life without Opening the Fridge,’ a follow-up book. Her book, ‘One Dish at a Time,’ was published in 2012. This book contained a collection of recipes from her Italian ancestors.
The Major Projects
Valerie Bertinelli is best remembered for her Emmy Award-winning portrayal as Barbara Cooper Royer in the sitcom “One Day at a Time,” in which she played a wisecracking adolescent. The actress earned a lot of attention for the performance, and it set the tone for the rest of her career.
Achievements & Awards
Valerie Bertinelli won the ‘Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress’ for two years in a row, in 1981 and 1982, for her role in ‘One Day at a Time.’
She was honored with the 2,476th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on August 22, 2012.
On VH1’s list of the “100 Greatest Kid Stars,” she was ranked 29th.
Bertinelli was inducted into the Hair Fans Hall of Fame in 2014.
Personal History and Legacy
Valerie Bertinelli married Eddie Van Halen, a guitarist, on April 11, 1981. A son (Wolfgang) was born to the couple in 1991. Eddie Van Halen’s favorite composer was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, so they named their kid after him.
In 2007, her marriage to Van came to an end. Bertinelli has discussed the reasons for their divorce in her autobiography. Her husband’s drug addiction and smoking habit, she claimed, were the causes of their divorce.
She began dating financial planner Tom Vitale in 2004, while still married to Van Halen, and the couple married in 2011.
While marketing her autobiography in 2008, she admitted to her infidelity. She said the same thing about her ex-husband Van Halen.
Bertinelli has also spoken about her battles with cocaine addiction and how she overcame them. She once remarked that she gets agitated anytime she heard the chirping of birds. She also stated that it took her years to recover from her addiction and once again appreciate the sound of birds.
Bertinelli gained weight over time and eventually joined the Jenny Craig weight-loss program, where she lost almost 50 pounds. She later became the program’s spokesman.
Estimated Net Worth
Valerie Bertinelli has a net worth of $20 million dollars acquired over the course of her five-decade career. She also owns a large number of family properties.
Valerie Bertinelli is a descendant of England’s King Edward I.
She refers to herself as a ‘GM brat.’
Tuxedo Limited, her production company, is named after a stray cat.
She also owns and operates a clothing and home décor business.
This 56-year-old actress is well-known for her timeless appearance. Her gorgeous appearance is a result of her workout routine and healthy lifestyle.