Lisa Rinna's Explosive Memoir Names 'Biggest Bully' Co-Star
Former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Lisa Rinna has unleashed a torrent of shocking revelations in her new memoir, You Better Believe I'm Gonna Talk About It, including identifying the Hollywood actor she claims made her professional life "a living hell" during their time working together.
Days of Our Lives Drama Unveiled
The 62-year-old television personality, who gained fame playing Billie Reed on the long-running soap opera Days of Our Lives in the 1990s, singles out co-star Robert Kelker-Kelly as the primary source of her on-set misery. Rinna describes their behind-the-scenes relationship as toxic and abusive, despite their convincing portrayal of love interests on screen.
"There's a very fine line between love and hate, and our disgust for each other made for fiery chemistry on-screen," Rinna writes in her candid memoir, recalling how she even thanked Kelker-Kelly during her Newcomer of the Year acceptance speech at the Soap Opera Digest Awards while secretly despising him.
Allegations of Verbal Abuse and Manipulation
Rinna makes serious allegations against Kelker-Kelly, who played Bo Brady opposite her character. "He was horrible to me, and I'd go so far as to say verbally abusive. He was passive-aggressive and manipulative and played weird mind games," she claims in the book. "It was the craziest situation I've ever experienced with a co-star."
The actress describes having to film intimate love scenes while feeling vulnerable and exposed, alleging that Kelker-Kelly would give her the "silent treatment" if she didn't comply with his demands. Rinna theorizes that his behavior stemmed from unrequited attraction that turned toxic when she didn't reciprocate his advances.
Unpredictable On-Set Environment
"I never knew when I arrived on set each morning if I'd get nice Robert Kelker-Kelly or dark Robert Kelker-Kelly," Rinna recalls, painting a picture of an unpredictable and exhausting work environment. "He was a ticking time bomb."
Rinna expresses regret about not confronting her co-star at the time, explaining that she was young and unwilling to make waves in what she considered an "awesome job." Her memoir suggests she wasn't alone in struggling with Kelker-Kelly's behavior, hinting at broader issues among the cast.
Security Measures and Sudden Departure
In one of the most dramatic revelations, Rinna claims that Kelker-Kelly suddenly disappeared from the Days of Our Lives set, after which she and co-star Kristian Alfonso received full-time security details. "We had rent-a-cops parked outside our houses and trailers for three weeks and were driven to and from work," she writes, suggesting NBC implemented these measures to protect against potential threats.
Both actors left the soap opera in 1995, though Rinna has made several returns to the show over the years. Kelker-Kelly was replaced by Peter Reckell and later appeared on other daytime dramas including Another World and Port Charles, with his last credited role on General Hospital in 2014.
Previous Comments and Current Revelations
Rinna has previously hinted at their contentious relationship, telling Bravo in 2015: "I hated Robert Kelker-Kelly, hated him with a passion. He hated me with a passion. We were a volatile combination, and it looked like love and sexual chemistry on camera, so that was some darn good acting right there."
Her new memoir expands significantly on these earlier comments, providing detailed accounts of what she describes as psychological torment during their working relationship. The Independent has reached out to NBC for comment regarding the security measures mentioned in the book, while representatives for Kelker-Kelly have not immediately responded to requests for comment on these allegations.
Rinna's memoir positions her experience with Kelker-Kelly within the broader context of Hollywood bullying, referencing the infamous moment when Kathy Hilton called Rinna the "biggest bully in Hollywood" during their Real Housewives tenure. "I've been working in showbiz since I was 24 years old, and I have legit stories about the real bullies in this town," Rinna asserts, clearly positioning Kelker-Kelly as one of those "real bullies."
