Valerie Bertinelli is an American actress and author. She rose to fame with her portrayals of Barbara on CBS’s ‘One Day at a Time’ and Melanie Moretti on ‘Hot in Cleveland’. She is a two-time recipient of the Golden Globe Award.
From a young age, she took on acting roles and developed into an experienced character actress as time passed. Growing up, her bond with the daughter of a TV producer sparked a passion for the entertainment industry, leading her to pursue a career in acting.
Early Life & Education
Valerie Anne Bertinelli was born to Nancy and Andrew, a General Motors executive, on April 23, 1960, in Wilmington, Delaware, USA. She grew up in a Roman Catholic household with two younger brothers. Unfortunately, she also had an older brother who passed away before she was born.
Due to her father’s occupation, she and her family were often relocated and had to reside in various cities such as Delaware, Michigan, Clarkston, Claymont, Shreveport, California, Oklahoma City, and Louisiana at different intervals.
During her adolescence, Bertinelli resided in Michigan and attended Clarkston Middle School. After moving to California, she befriended the daughter of a renowned television producer.
It was during this period that she developed a passion for acting and began taking classes at the Tami Lynn School of Art. She also enrolled at Granada Hills High School.
Valerie Bertinelli’s Acting Career
Valerie Bertinelli made her debut as an actress in 1974, appearing in an episode of the TV show ‘Apple’s Way.’ Her breakthrough role came a year later when she was cast as Barbara Jean Cooper in the popular CBS series ‘One Day at a Time,’ produced by Norman Lear. She was only 15 years old when she landed the role.
She started her own film production company in 1981 and was involved in the making of two television films, ‘Shattered Vows’ (1984) and ‘Silent Witness’ (1985), in which she also had a role.
In 1987, Valerie Bertinelli was featured in the miniseries ‘I’ll Take Manhattan,’ an adaptation of a novel by Judith Krantz. Additionally, she had roles in two sitcoms, ‘Sydney’ and ‘Cafe Americain,’ but unfortunately, both were canceled after a brief run.
Additionally, she appeared in three feature films during this time: ‘C.H.O.M.P.S.,’ ‘Ordinary Heroes,’ and ‘Number One with a Bullet,’ released in 1979, 1986, and 1987 respectively. In 2001, she became a part of the ‘Touched by an Angel’ cast for the final two seasons of the show.
During her time in the entertainment industry, Valerie Bertinelli faced criticism for her weight gain. However, in March 2009, she shed approximately 50 pounds by enrolling in Jenny Craig’s weight loss program. As a result, she became a spokesperson for the program and appeared in numerous commercials.
She received an invitation to co-host ‘The View’ on ABC TV in 2010, the same year she also appeared in the highly successful show ‘Hot in Cleveland’ with veteran TV stars Betty White, Wendie Malick, and Jane Leeves. The sitcom ran for six seasons and concluded in June 2015.
Back in 2014, she was featured on the genealogy documentary show ‘Who Do You Think You Are’. Currently, she is the host of the food program ‘Kids Baking Championship’ on the Food Network.
Valerie Bertinelli is also a well-known author. She published her autobiography ‘Losing It: and Gaining My Life Back One Pound at a Time’ in 2008.
She followed this with another book in the following year, titled ‘Finding It: And Satisfying My Hunger for Life without Opening the Fridge’. In 2012, she released ‘One Dish at a Time’, a compilation of dishes inspired by her Italian roots.
Personal Life & Struggles
Valerie Bertinelli and guitarist Eddie Van Halen tied the knot on April 11, 1981. They welcomed their son, Wolfgang, in 1991, whom they named after Eddie’s beloved composer, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Unfortunately, their marriage came to an end in 2007 due to Eddie’s struggles with drug addiction and smoking, as revealed by Bertinelli in her autobiography.
During her marriage to Van Halen in 2004, she began a romantic relationship with financial planner Tom Vitale, whom she later married in 2011. In 2008, she publicly admitted to being unfaithful while promoting her autobiography and also revealed that she had been unfaithful to her ex-husband, Van Halen.
Bertinelli has openly acknowledged her battle with cocaine addiction and shared her journey to overcome it. She revealed that at one point, the sound of birds would agitate her due to her addiction. It took her several years to fully recover and appreciate the peaceful chirping of birds once more.
Valerie Bertinelli was previously married to businessman Tom Vitale for over ten years until they decided to end their marriage.
Net Worth
American actress Valerie Bertinelli has a fortune of $20 million. She gained recognition for her role on the sitcom “One Day at A Time” (1975-1984), which resulted in her receiving two Golden Globes.
