Bethenny Frankel Facts: A Real Housewives of New York Fave

You know that Bethenny Frankel is a mother, a mogul, a businesswoman, but she’s definitely best known for being one of the most iconic reality stars ever on The Real Housewives of New York.

Though she’s sadly not returning to RHONY next season, we’ll always remember the good times we had with her and the other women. From where she was born and raised to her west coast Housewife BFF, here are five fast facts about the Real Housewives star.

In The Beginning

Frankel was born on November 4 in New York City, New York. She moved around a lot when she was growing up, but she graduated from Pine Crest School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She then attended the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York City and Boston University. Her father was Bobby Frankel, one of the most respected and successful trainers in the history of thoroughbred racing.

Worked On A Classic Show
After college graduation, Frankel moved out to Los Angeles with the dream of becoming an actress. Though she didn’t get to appear in front of the camera right away, she did work as a production assistant on the iconic show Saved by the Bell.

West Coast Housewife BFF
Frankel has been very close friends with Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Kyle Richards for many years. In fact, they met when Frankel was a hostess at a restaurant in Los Angeles called La Scala. Frankel also worked as a personal assistant for Richards’s sister, Kathy Hilton, and used to babysit her children Nicky and Paris Hilton.

Author, Author

Fans know Frankel started her iconic Skinnygirl cocktails, but before she created her million-dollar business, she actually wrote a number of books. She released Naturally Thin: Unleash Your Skinnygirl and Free Yourself From a Lifetime of Dieting in 2009, as well as The SkinnyGirl Dish: Easy Recipes for Your Naturally Thin Life that same year.

Getting Personal
Frankel married entertainment executive Peter Sussman in 1996, but the couple divorced in 1997. She then married Jason Hoppy in 2010 and the couple welcomed their daughter, Bryn, the same year. However, they announced their separation in 2012 and Frankel filed for divorce in 2013. Though they haven’t been together in years, they are technically still legally married as their divorce battle is still on-going.