Christel Khalil — A Biography
Born Christel Adnana Mina Khalil in Los Angeles, California. She knew that she wanted to be an actress at a very young age. Khalil landed her first role at age five on The Sinbad Show.
Christel began building her resume with small roles in film and television such as Dragon Fury, Matilda, Family Matters, George & Leo, You’re Invited to Mary-Kate and Ashley’s Christmas Party, and Milo.
Everything changed in 2002. She began to land more mature roles, including the sought-after role as Lily Winters, Neil, and Dru Winters’s daughter, on The Young and the Restless.
In 2003, she began voicing the character of Cornelia Hale on W.I.T.C.H., as well as her Y&R duties. Khalil added appearances on That’s So Raven and Malcolm in the Middle. She won over fans and critics alike, receiving multiple award nominations.
Christel took a break from her busy schedule in 2005, for about a year, before returning to Genoa City. It was just what she needed!
Writers at Y&R got busy writing more adult storylines, such as the death of Dru Winters, love, marriage, and childbirth. Khalil shined, winning an NAACP Image Award in 2008 and an Emmy Award in 2012. She was nominated for her first Outstanding Supporting Actress Emmy in 2020.
She still manages to continue adding to her repertoire; appearances on such shows and films as NCIS: Los Angeles, 2 Broke Girls, Chronologia Human and Bedlam.
Khalil resides with her son in Los Angeles, California. She loves to travel all around the world in her spare time and fits in yoga, pilates, hiking, dancing, cooking, and singing whenever she can.
Follow her on Twitter @ChristelAdnana and Instagram @christeladnana.
The Young and the Restless (YR) airs weekdays on CBS. Check your local listings for airtimes. For more about what’s coming up in Genoa City, check out all the latest that’s been posted on Y&R spoilers.
Fast Facts
- November 30, 1987 — Birthdate
- Her mother, Belita Edwards, is of African American, Native American, and Caucasian descent. Her father, Adnan Khalil, is Pakistani.
- Has three older brothers: Alex, Adam, and Chris, and a younger half-sister, Aysha.
- Began acting at age 5.
- Plays the acoustic guitar.
- Is close friends with co-stars Lyndsy Fonseca and Tammin Sursok. Both of whom portrayed Colleen Carlton, her character’s best friend.
- Gave birth at the age of 22, to Michael Caden Hensley on April 17, 2010. His father is ex-husband Stephen Hensley.
- Co-star Bryton is her son’s godfather.
