Kristen Taekman

Kristen Taekman
Birthplace	Farmington, Connecticut, United States
Nationality	American
Occupation	Television personality, model, entrepreneur
Known for	The Real Housewives of New York City
Spouse(s)	Josh Taekman (m. 2004)
Children	2

Kristen Taekman is an American television personality, former model, and entrepreneur who gained public recognition as a cast member on the Bravo reality television series The Real Housewives of New York City. Born in Farmington, Connecticut, Taekman began her modeling career at the age of fourteen after being discovered by John Casablanca's modeling agency, and she went on to work in the fashion industry before transitioning into reality television and business ventures. She appeared as a full-time cast member on the show's sixth and seventh seasons, which aired in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Beyond her television career, Taekman is known for founding Pop of Color, a nail polish brand. Her personal life drew significant media attention in 2015 when her husband, Josh Taekman, was linked to the Ashley Madison data breach, a scandal that the couple has publicly addressed in the years since. Taekman returned to the Bravo network as a cast member on The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: RHONY Legacy, which brought together former New York City housewives for a reunion series.

Early Life

Kristen Taekman was born and raised in Farmington, Connecticut. Details about her family background and upbringing have not been extensively documented in public sources. Her entry into the public sphere began at a young age when she was discovered by John Casablanca's modeling agency at the age of fourteen, launching what would become a career in the fashion and modeling industry. Farmington, a suburban town in Hartford County, Connecticut, served as the backdrop for Taekman's formative years before she pursued opportunities in modeling that would eventually lead her to New York City, where she built her adult life and career.

Career

Modeling

Taekman's professional career began in the modeling industry. After being discovered at the age of fourteen by John Casablanca's agency, she embarked on a modeling career that spanned several years. The modeling work provided Taekman with experience in the fashion world and established her presence in New York City, where much of her subsequent career would unfold. While specific details of her modeling assignments and campaigns are not extensively documented in available sources, her background in the industry informed her later ventures in beauty and fashion-related businesses.

The Real Housewives of New York City

Taekman joined the cast of The Real Housewives of New York City as a full-time housewife beginning with the show's sixth season, which premiered in 2014. The Bravo reality series, part of the larger Real Housewives franchise, follows the personal and professional lives of women living in New York City. During her time on the show, Taekman's storylines included her family life with husband Josh Taekman and their two children, her entrepreneurial pursuits, and her interactions with fellow cast members.

She continued as a full-time cast member through the seventh season in 2015. During the seventh season, Taekman engaged in various storylines involving the dynamics among the cast, including interactions with Bethenny Frankel, who returned to the show that season. In a blog post for Bravo during the seventh season, Taekman wrote about the interpersonal dynamics on the show, noting her perspective that "not everyone is out to get Bethenny" and commenting on various cast members' behavior and experiences during filming.

After two seasons on the show, Taekman departed from The Real Housewives of New York City. In the years following her exit, she described herself as having become "a completely different person" compared to who she was during her time on the reality series.

The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: RHONY Legacy

In 2023, Taekman returned to the Bravo network as part of the cast of The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: RHONY Legacy. The series, a spinoff of the Ultimate Girls Trip franchise, brought together former cast members from The Real Housewives of New York City for a group trip and reunion-style filming. The show provided an opportunity for Taekman to reconnect with former castmates and introduce viewers to the changes in her life since her departure from the original series. Her return to reality television marked a significant moment for Taekman, who had been largely out of the Bravo spotlight for several years following her exit from RHONY.

During promotional appearances and interviews surrounding the RHONY Legacy series, Taekman spoke openly about how her life had evolved since her original stint on reality television, including changes in her personal outlook, her family life, and her professional endeavors.

Pop of Color

Outside of television, Taekman established herself as an entrepreneur through the founding of Pop of Color, a nail polish brand. The business venture reflected her interests in beauty and fashion, drawing on her background in the modeling industry. Pop of Color was featured during her time on The Real Housewives of New York City and represented one of her primary professional pursuits outside of reality television. The brand allowed Taekman to position herself within the beauty industry as both a businesswoman and a public figure with a connection to fashion and style.

Personal Life

Kristen Taekman has been married to Josh Taekman since 2004. The couple's relationship has been a subject of public interest, particularly due to their appearances together on The Real Housewives of New York City and subsequent events in their personal lives. Josh Taekman is an entrepreneur in his own right, and the couple has shared their relationship publicly through their television appearances.

Together, Kristen and Josh Taekman have two children. Taekman's role as a mother has been a consistent theme in her public appearances and was a notable element of her storylines during her time on RHONY.

In 2015, the Taekmans' marriage came under intense public scrutiny when Josh Taekman's name appeared among the accounts revealed during the Ashley Madison data breach. Ashley Madison was a website marketed to individuals seeking extramarital affairs, and the breach of its user database exposed millions of account holders. The revelation generated significant media coverage and public discussion about the couple's relationship.

In the years following the scandal, Kristen Taekman has spoken publicly about the state of her marriage. In a December 2023 exclusive interview with People magazine, she stated that her nineteen-year marriage to Josh was "stronger than ever" nearly a decade after the Ashley Madison controversy. She also addressed the topic in other media appearances around the same time, telling outlets that her marriage was strong "despite what everyone probably thought." The couple's decision to remain together and work through the public ordeal became a recurring subject in Taekman's interviews during the promotional cycle for The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: RHONY Legacy.

Taekman has described experiencing significant personal growth in the years since leaving The Real Housewives of New York City, characterizing herself as "a completely different person" from the woman viewers saw on the reality series. She has spoken about how the various challenges she faced, both publicly and privately, contributed to changes in her perspective and approach to life.

Recognition

Taekman's public profile has been primarily shaped by her appearances on the Bravo television network. Her two-season run on The Real Housewives of New York City introduced her to a national audience and established her as a recognizable figure within the Real Housewives franchise. The show, one of the longest-running installments of the franchise, has maintained a dedicated viewership, and former cast members continue to attract media attention and public interest.

Her return to the Bravo network on The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: RHONY Legacy in 2023 renewed public and media interest in Taekman. The series generated coverage across entertainment media outlets, including People magazine, Yahoo Entertainment, and Bravo's own digital platforms, all of which published features and interviews with Taekman surrounding the show's airing.

Taekman's candid public discussions about her marriage, particularly in the context of the Ashley Madison scandal, drew additional media attention and positioned her as a figure who had navigated a high-profile personal crisis in the public eye. Her willingness to address the topic directly in interviews was noted by multiple media outlets during the December 2023 press cycle for the RHONY Legacy series.

Within the broader Real Housewives fan community, Taekman remains a recognized former cast member whose tenure on the New York City edition of the franchise is documented and discussed by fans and media commentators covering reality television programming.