NeNe Leakes is many things, but fans should never forget that she's the only original cast member who is still present on The Real Housewives of Atlanta. Having found herself feuding and bickering with her co-stars over the years, NeNe still managed to venture out and build an empire, including a fashion collection and TV deals.
But NeNe's life hasn't always been a walk in the park -- in her earlier years, she supported her family by dancing for a living, before finding herself in an abusive relationship that took a very big toll on her confidence. She has two children and a husband, Gregg Leakes, whom she divorced. She later decided to re-marry Greg on reality TV, during a show called, I Dream of NeNe: The Wedding.
What else is there to know about one of reality TV's most famous personalities? Here are 20 facts about the real NeNe Leakes - or better yet, Linnethia Monique "NeNe" Leakes.
20 She’s The Only Original Cast Member Left On ‘RHOA’
On the Atlanta version of Real Housewives, NeNe Leakes is the only remaining original cast member. Aside from the fact that she left the show in season nine, NeNe has played a significant part in turning the franchise into a household name. Nobody can deny that.
19 She Was Partnered With Tony Dovolani On ‘DWTS’
When NeNe signed up for ABC’s, Dancing With the Stars, in season 18, she was partnered with dancing professional, Tony Dovolani. And, though Nene had tried her best to keep up with the competition, she was eventually sent home. This means that she lost out on taking home the glittery ball prize.
18 She Used To Dance For Money
NeNe has never shied away from the fact that she was once dancing to earn money. After all, she had a family to provide for...and dancing was the only way she knew how to make quick money.
She’s not proud of her past, but NeNe isn’t a person who won't address her own mistakes and her own past. She faces up to things in order to move forward in her life.
17 She Moved To Atlanta When She Was 4-Years-Old
NeNe is originally from Brooklyn, New York, but when she was just four years of age, her family decided to relocate to Atlanta. Here, the reality star would make friends who introduced her to producers over at Bravo — and the rest was history. On top of that, NeNe says she’ll never leave Atlanta.
16 Her Real Name Isn’t NeNe Leakes
Many fans assume that NeNe was born with her first name, but that isn’t the case at all. In fact, her real name is Linnethia Monique Johnson. She chose to stick with the name, NeNe, because all of her friends kept calling her that.
It’s believed that she’s had the name since her early 20s — she rarely goes by the name Linnethia these days.
15 She’s One Of The Highest Paid Cast Member On ‘RHOA’
When NeNe Leakes negotiates her salary, she makes sure to take one of the biggest RHOA salaries for each season...that’s for sure. For season 12 of RHOA, the TV star reportedly earned herself a whopping $2.75 million, which is drastically higher than Kandi Burruss’ $2.3 million.
14 She’s Been With Her Husband Gregg Leakes For 20 Years
When she was still dancing for money in 1996, NeNe happened to meet Gregg, who would later go on to become her husband. But their relationship definitely has had its ups and downs. The duo married in 1997 and welcomed a son named Brentt in 1999. Gregg and Nene then divorced in 2011, before tying the knot once again in 2013.
13 She Can Actually Sing
NeNe Leakes has proven herself to be a triple threat — not only can she act and be super entertaining on TV...she’s also a singer. Her skill set was on full display when she appeared in the Broadway show, Chicago, in 2015.
Those familiar with NeNe were stunned by her singing, with many wondering why she’s never considered a career in music.
12 She’s Owed The IRS A Lot Of Money In The Past
In 2014, NeNe was banking a lot of money, thanks to her fashion line, endorsement deals, booming acting career and steady salary from Bravo. However, it seemed she dropped the ball when it came to paying her taxes.
Linnethia was ordered to pay the IRS $830,000 in back taxes. It wasn’t as if she didn’t have it, but it did make her look bad in the press.
11 She’s No Stranger To Plastic Surgery
NeNe knows she gets a lot of attention for her looks and many have claimed that she’s gone under the knife on multiple occasions. However, the only time she admitted to having a little work done was when she said she had two nose jobs. The rest is apparently all-natural. But fans can make their own judgments on that.
10 She’s Had A Rocky Friendship With Wendy Williams
In 2019, NeNe and Wendy Williams rekindled their friendship. This happened after a feud that dragged on for several years. While neither one remembers what actually caused their fallout, the two may now actually be closer than ever before — even going as far as to dine out in New York together.
9 She Quit ‘RHOA’ In Season 9
With all that she had going on in her life, it seemed as if NeNe didn’t need the backing of a TV franchise anymore. She was booked and busy in all parts of the world. She wanted to do other things, but she couldn't, as those things would clash with her filming dates for the show. This led her to quit RHOA for an entire season, before making her anticipated return in season 10.
8 She Landed A Major TV Gig With Ryan Murphy
NeNe is absolutely adored by the TV mogul, Ryan Murphy, who hired the reality star to appear on his former sitcom, Glee. The family show was watched by millions across the globe. NeNe had a recurring role that was really major. She was later handed another role in Ryan’s other TV show, The New Normal, which ran for just one season on NBC.
7 She Dislikes Filming With Co-Star Kenya Moore
Ever since Kenya Moore first made her mark on Real Housewives, it seemed apparent that NeNe didn’t get along with the former beauty queen, and that's an understatement. The two have clashed, dissed, and fought one another over the past couple of years. Furthermore, NeNe had made it known that there’ll never be a friendship between the two. Yikes.
6 She Has An Ongoing Feud With Star Jones
Aside from Kenya, NeNe also isn’t fond of Star Jones, whom she was closely working with while taking part in NBC’s, Celebrity Apprentice, in 2011. She later told Ellen in an interview: “Some people are difficult to get to know. She’s not the easiest person to get to know. She is a disaster.”
5 She Was Stuck In An Abusive Relationship
NeNe’s first son, Bryson, comes from a relationship she had when she was in her 20s and dealing with an abusive partner. “The first person to really say ‘I love you’ a lot became my abuser,” she bravely expressed in the past. "He hit me and then later on he would say ‘I love you’ and I thought that this must be what love is.”
4 She Puts Family Before Her Career At All Times
NeNe Leakes has two sons and a husband. She puts these loved ones before anything else — and that’s including her successful career. With Gregg Leakes having faced multiple cancer scares during their time together, it has always been NeNe’s priority to put her man’s health first.
3 She’s Previously Had Trouble With The Law
Since landing fame on Real Housewives, NeNe’s previous run-ins with the law - prior to TV stardom - have come to light in the press. In 2014, Star Magazine revealed she’d previously been arrested and charged with one misdemeanor. Three felony counts of 'theft of services', for ripping off a company back in 1992, soon followed.
2 She Partnered With Kim Kardashian For Her Mobile Game
In 2015, NeNe expanded her brand by joining forces with Kim Kardashian for her mobile app, Kim Kardashian: Hollywood. The game allows each fan to play as a favorite celebrity while navigating through the trials and tribulations of being famous in La La Land.
NeNe’s involvement, via having her own character in the game, would have earned her a lucrative income.
1 She Launched Her Own HSN Fashion Collection
Having previously launched The NeNe Leakes Collection, NeNe moved on by partnering with HSN for her next clothing line. The new line was a huge success for the Home Shopping Network. In fact, it's reported that there was nothing left in stock after just one day. That’s right, NeNe’s line was so popular, it sold out in just one day!