Age, Biography and Wiki
Minka Kelly was born Minka Dumont Dufay on June 24, 1980, to Maureen Kelly and former Aerosmith guitarist Rick Dufay. Her ancestry includes French, Dutch-Indonesian, and French roots. Kelly's early life involved moving to various locations in the United States, eventually settling in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she attended Valley High School. Following high school, she returned to Los Angeles to pursue a career in modeling before transitioning into acting.
| Occupation | Stage Actress |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 24 June 1980 |
| Age | 45 Years |
| Birth Place | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Cancer |
| Country | U.S |
Height, Weight & Measurements
While specific details about Minka Kelly's height and weight are not provided in the search results, she is widely recognized for her model-like physique and appearance, which have contributed to her roles in various genres of film and television.
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Dating & Relationship Status
Minka Kelly has been involved in several high-profile relationships, including with notable figures like Trevor Noah. Unfortunately, the search results do not provide current relationship status information.
She is the only child of Maureen Dumont Kelly and former Aerosmith guitarist Rick Dufay. She has French, Irish, and Dutch-Indonesian ancestry. She was raised primarily by her mother and her mother's on-and-off boyfriend David Gonzalez.
Her mother worked various jobs, including as a stripper and bartender, and often struggled to make ends meet throughout Kelly's childhood. At one point, they lived in a storage shed at an apartment complex after losing their apartment unit. To earn extra money, her mother tried to smuggle drugs across the Mexico–United States border, but was caught and jailed for a period of time. While her mother was incarcerated, Kelly was sent to live in the homes of various friends and acquaintances of her mother. In one home, Kelly was physically abused.
Before Kelly began junior high school, she and her mother relocated to Albuquerque, New Mexico, to be near her father figure, David Gonzalez's, extended family. When she was 16 her mother and Gonzalez fled New Mexico in an attempt to escape drug charges. Kelly moved in with a boyfriend who was five years her senior, and had an abortion at 17 when she became pregnant with his child. Briefly dated Now Fairview, TN Commissioner Don Bufalini originally from NY.
She attended two high schools, before graduating from Valley High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico. After graduation, Kelly reconnected with her biological father and moved back to Los Angeles. Kelly's mother Maureen died in 2008, at age 51, from colon cancer.
Kelly's book entitled Tell Me Everything: A Memoir was released on May 2, 2023 by Henry Holt and Company. Her memoir is a tribute to her mother and all working-class single mothers "who were dealt a bad hand." Publishers Weekly called it "an immensely moving story of one woman’s unconquerable spirit." Kirkus Review wrote in a favorable book review: "The author is not shy about discussing difficult topics, and this candid text will appeal to Kelly’s fans and to readers seeking a courageous story of self-acceptance. A generous and humane memoir." Actress Drew Barrymore called it "incredible and "powerful." The book was a major best-seller, debuting at number 12 on The New York Times non-fiction best-seller list for the week ending May 21, 2023. The book appeared on numerous lists as one of the best memoirs of 2023 such as Elle and The Washington Post.
On December 5, 2023, Forbes announced that Kelly will play concert pianist Quinn, opposite Josh Duhamel, in Netflix's upcoming drama series Ransom Canyon. Created and executive produced by April Blair, the show follows the lives of three ranching families in rural Texas. Filming for the show concluded in June 2024 after six months in Kelly's hometown Albuquerque and Las Vegas, New Mexico. Kelly worked with a piano teacher in Albuquerque and learned the piano parts for the role by memory/rote repetition, as she does not read music. Her boyfriend, Dan Reynolds (of Imagine Dragons), also helped her learn the piano parts by translating the music and showing her hand placements.
After Kelly's mother died in 2008, she decided to focus on helping others, saying: "I found that the only way to fill that hole in my heart was to be of service. And I wanted to be of service with women." In September 2009, Kelly teamed up with Emily Deschanel, Jaime King, Alyson Hannigan, and Katharine McPhee in a "video slumber party" featured on FunnyorDie.com to promote regular breast cancer screenings for the organization Stand Up 2 Cancer. Kelly joined an eight-day, four-country United Service Organizations tour in December 2011 with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey, Robert Horry, Jordin Sparks, Thomas Miles, and Sergeant Major Bryan Battaglia.
Kelly has been friends with actress Mandy Moore since 2007. Kelly previously dated American actor Chris Evans. She also dated former New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter from 2008 to 2011. She was previously in a relationship with comedian Trevor Noah, but the two split in 2022. She has been in a relationship with Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds since 2022.
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Net Worth and Salary
As of early 2025, Minka Kelly's net worth is estimated to be approximately $5 million. Her salary per episode can reach up to $50,000, depending on the show and her role. Her earnings are also influenced by her real estate investments and charitable activities.
Since 2009, Kelly has worked with retailer ABLE, which is dedicated to creating sustainable jobs for vulnerable women in Africa. ABLE started by employing and training women in Ethiopia who were former sex workers. In 2015, Kelly teamed up with ABLE to create a pouch in honor of International Women's Day. Kelly designed the clutch herself, including leather, color, stitching, size and color of the zipper. "I was affected on such a deep and profound level when I heard that one woman chose to go into the sex industry because she had to pay for sister's breast cancer treatment," Kelly said in a 2015 People interview. In 2019, she designed a jewelry collection "The Barbara Collection" for ABLE, which was named after one of ABLE's first jewelry designers, Barbara. The collection features rings, necklaces and hoop earrings, priced between $28 and $88.
Career, Business and Investments
Minka Kelly began her acting career with the critically acclaimed series "Friday Night Lights," playing the role of Lyla Garrity from 2006 to 2009. She has since appeared in numerous TV shows and films, including "The Roommate," "Charlie's Angels," "Parenthood," "Jane the Virgin," and "Titans". Kelly also recently joined the cast of "Euphoria" for its second season.
In addition to her acting career, Kelly is involved in real estate investments. She and Trevor Noah have been associated with a $27.5 million Bel Air property. Her philanthropic work includes supporting organizations like Habitat For Humanity and Stand Up To Cancer.
Kelly has appeared in print ads and commercials throughout her career. She has been a brand ambassador for Dove chocolate, and modeled in ads for Madge Cosmetics. She has appeared in commercials for Johnson & Johnson, Mucinex. and Bud Light's Super Bowl commercial. In 2016, Kelly became a spokesperson for online real estate marketplace Trulia to launch their "Best Neighborhoods in America" tool. She has appeared on the cover of numerous fashion and lifestyle magazines, including Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Esquire, Self and Health.
Social Network
Minka Kelly is active on social media platforms, notably Instagram, where she has over 1 million followers. She uses her platform to connect with fans and share updates about her life and career.
In 2003, Kelly made her acting debut as an extra in the short film The Turbo Charged Prelude for 2 Fast 2 Furious, a six-minute introduction to the action film 2 Fast 2 Furious. This was followed by a special guest appearance on Cracking Up. She has since appeared in a number of television shows such as Entourage, Drake & Josh, and American Dreams. In 2005, Kelly landed a three-episode recurring role in The WB comedy series What I Like About You.
Education
Before pursuing a career in acting, Kelly worked as a scrub technician for four years after attending school to become a surgeon's assistant. This background reflects her adaptability and diverse skill set.
While on a test shoot for a modeling agency in Los Angeles, she was approached by a former Playboy Playmate who was interested in managing her. She helped Kelly find work as a receptionist at a surgeon's office who would provide Kelly a breast augmentation in exchange for hours worked. Kelly decided against getting the surgery and was fired. Her exposure to the medical field spurred her to attend school for a year studying to become a surgical technician (not a nurse). During the four years she spent in the vocation she continued auditioning for film and television roles and appeared in commercials for Old Navy and Clearasil.
In April 2006, Kelly was cast as a series regular on the NBC drama series Friday Night Lights. The show was based on the high school football film of the same name; it follows a high school football team in the fictional small town of Dillon. Kelly played the role of high school student and cheerleader Lyla Garrity. In preparation for her role as a cheerleader she trained with the Pflugerville High School cheerleading squad. The series premiered on October 3, 2006, with Kelly receiving praise for her performance with The New York Times calling her performance "heartbreaking." At the end of the show's third season Kelly left the series as her character left for college.
Kelly starred in the thriller film The Roommate (2011) as a college freshman whose roommate, portrayed by Leighton Meester, has an obsession with her that turns violent. Although released to generally negative reviews, the film went on to make over $15.6 million in its opening weekend and over $40 million worldwide.
She accepted a role in the Off Broadway play Love, Loss, and What I Wore for an April 27–May 29, 2011, run with Conchata Ferrell, AnnaLynne McCord, Anne Meara, and B. Smith. Variety announced that Kelly was cast as the lead in the mystery comedy film Searching for Sonny (2011). The film follows two reunited friends who are suspects in a murder mystery that is similar to a play in which they appeared during high school. Production took place in May and June 2010 in Fort Worth, Texas. The film won the "Best Narrative Feature" Award at the Festivus Film Festival. In February 2012, she was one of the celebrities who modeled in red dresses for The Heart Truth Red Dress Collection show, part of New York Fashion Week. She wore a Diane von Fürstenberg dress. In June 2012, she appeared in the music video for "One More Night" by Maroon 5. In 2013, she appeared in the film The Butler as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
Kelly enjoys cooking and baking. She graduated from the New School of Cooking in Culver City, California, in June 2015. She has expressed an interest in launching a traveling cooking television show. In 2016, she appeared in Food Network's cooking show Star Plates, in which celebrities work as line cooks alongside top chefs in a restaurant kitchen.
