Lisa Rinna

At age 22, Rinna appeared in the music video for John Parr's single "Naughty Naughty," as the passenger in Parr's car. Rinna later appeared as the girlfriend of Jason Bateman's character in several episodes of The Hogan Family in 1990. In 1992, she first received national recognition when she originated the character of Billie Reed on NBC's Days of Our Lives. She departed in 1995, though she has reprised the role in 2002, 2012, and 2018. She later switched from daytime to primetime, portraying Taylor McBride on Aaron Spelling's Melrose Place from 1996 to 1998. Rinna has starred in two projects opposite husband Harry Hamlin, the teen crime-drama Veronica Mars, and the Lifetime television film Sex, Lies & Obsession. Her previous Lifetime film, Another Woman's Husband, boasted one of the highest ratings for a movie on Lifetime since 1999.[9] In 2001, Rinna played the role of Veronica Simpson in the comedy film Good Advice (2001) alongside Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards.

From June to July 2007, Rinna starred in the Broadway production of Chicago, in the role of Roxie Hart, alongside her husband, who played the role of Billy Flynn.[10] In 2007, she portrayed Donna Devaney on HBO's Entourage, in the episode "Malibooty"'. In 2008, she appeared in Disney Channel's musical comedy television series Hannah Montana, in the role of Mr. Dontzig's cousin Francesca. She also guest-starred on an episode of Movie Stars for the WB, the first-ever on-screen appearance she shared opposite her husband. In 2009, Rinna stated that she would love to reprise her role of Taylor McBride on the CW's revival Melrose Place, if given the offer;[9] however, the series was cancelled after only one season. In 2011, Rinna guest-starred on Nickelodeon's Big Time Rush as Brooke Diamond. Later that year, it was confirmed that Rinna would again reprise the role of Billie Reed on Days of Our Lives. She reported to work in December, with her first scenes airing March 9, 2012.[11][12] However, in August 2012, it was confirmed by The Huffington Post that Rinna would once again leave the soap to develop a panel-focused talk show.[13] She has made guest appearances in several television series, including C.S.I., The Hotwives of Las Vegas, The Guest Book, Awkward. and This Close.

Rinna at the 81st Academy Awards in 2009

From 2002 to 2006, Rinna was the host of Soap Talk, the daily lifestyle show that aired on Soapnet, for which she received four Daytime Emmy Award nominations.[14] In 2006, Rinna competed in the second season of Dancing with the Stars with professional dancer Louis van Amstel. She was eliminated in round seven based on audience voting, despite having higher marks from the judges than fellow celebrity dancer Jerry Rice.[15] In August 2007, Rinna replaced Joan Rivers as the host of TV Guide Network's red carpet coverage. In addition to subsequently guest-hosting Live with Regis and Kelly, Rinna also hosted the TV makeover program Merge on Lifetime.

In 2008, TV Guide reported that Rinna and Hamlin had signed a deal to create a reality television series based on their family life.[16] The series, titled Harry Loves Lisa, premiered on TV Land on October 6, 2010 and ran for 6 episodes. In 2010, she was also featured as a guest judge on the fourth episode of the second season of RuPaul's Drag Race. In 2011, Rinna participated in season 4 of The Celebrity Apprentice. She was eliminated after being the project manager on the second task, writing and performing a children's book. Rinna returned to the show in its sixth season as one of the "All-Stars" contestants. After being eliminated from that roster, she appeared on the May 13, 2013 episode of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon with Lil Jon to talk about their time on the show. In 2014, she was one of the contestants on ABC's game show Sing Your Face Off.

In 2014, Rinna joined the cast of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills for the show's fifth season.[17] Los Angeles Times wrote that since joining the show, "she's endeared herself to viewers with her self-deprecating attitude—poking fun at herself, including her enhanced lips and the haircut she's sported for decades. And she's had a hand in some of the show's most memorable moments."[8]

In 1998, Rinna, while six months pregnant with Delilah Belle Hamlin, the first of Harry Hamlin's and her two daughters, posed for a nude pictorial ("Melrose Mom," its title, paid tribute to her role in Melrose Place) and cover shoot for the September issue of Playboy magazine. She later recounted the instructions given to her by Playboy photographer Deborah Anderson: "'I do not want you long and sinewy and angular and muscular. I want you soft...' This was really hard for me because being 35 years old and posing for Playboy, you want to amp it up."[18] In May 2009, she posed again for Playboy and, this time, was also its cover model.[19][20]

Lisa Rinna modeling at The Heart Truth Fashion Show in 2008

She has also graced the covers of CVLUX, Living Well, Soap Opera Magazine and Soap Opera Digest.[21][22] Rinna has appeared in commercials and print ads throughout her career. In 2008, she appeared in print ads for Mars Inc's M&M candies with Joey Fatone as part of the "There's an M&M in everyone" advertising campaign.[23] In 2012, Rinna appeared in an infomercial for abdominal muscle toner "The Flex Belt" alongside Adrianne Curry, Denise Richards and Janet Evans. She has appeared in a television commercial for Taco Bell and infomercial for Winsor Pilates.[23] In 2012 to benefit the charity Dress for Success, she modeled an adult incontinence brief made by Depend under a tight-fitting evening gown.[24] She appeared in print ads and commercials for Depend and,[25] according to reports, Depend paid her $2 million to be their celebrity spokesperson.[26] In September 2019, she walked the runway for Kyle Richards' and Shahida Clayton's new women's clothing brand at New York Fashion Week.[27]

In 2008, she released a series of workout videos called Dance Body Beautiful.[28][29]

Rinna and her husband Harry Hamlin jointly owned the Belle Gray clothing boutique in Sherman Oaks, California in 2011.[30] They closed the store in 2012 because, by then, both had grown too busy with their respective acting careers to manage it.[31] In June 2019, Rinna launched an activewear collaboration with retailer Goldsheep.[32] Proceeds from the collaboration benefited The Trevor Project, a national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide-prevention services to LGBTQ youth.[32]

In April 2012, Rinna brought her collection to QVC as the Lisa Rinna Collection, which has been a success.[33]