Kristina Kelly

Kristina Kelly
Birthplace	United States
Nationality	American
Occupation	Reality television personality, restaurant worker
Known for	Appearing on Vanderpump Rules

Kristina Kelly is an American reality television personality who gained public recognition through her appearances on the Bravo television series Vanderpump Rules. First appearing on the show during its debut season in 2013, Kelly became known as a recurring friend of the main cast members and a staff member at SUR Restaurant & Lounge in West Hollywood, California. While never promoted to a full-time cast member, Kelly maintained a presence on the series across multiple seasons and became a familiar figure among the show's fanbase. In the years since her Bravo debut, Kelly has spoken publicly about her diagnosis with seronegative myasthenia gravis, a rare autoimmune condition, and has become an advocate for awareness of the disease. Her post-television life has drawn continued media attention, with outlets documenting the personal and professional changes she has experienced since leaving the reality television spotlight.

Career

Vanderpump Rules

Kelly's television career is primarily associated with Vanderpump Rules, an American reality television series that premiered on Bravo on January 7, 2013. The series was developed as the first spin-off from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and centers on Lisa Vanderpump and the staff at her West Hollywood restaurants and bars, including SUR Restaurant & Lounge, Pump Restaurant, and Tom Tom. The show was greenlit by Bravo alongside numerous other unscripted series during its initial development period.

Kelly appeared on the series as a recurring presence, categorized as a "friend of" the main cast rather than a full-time series regular. In this capacity, she was featured in various episodes interacting with the principal cast members, including Stassi Schroeder, Jax Taylor, Kristen Doute, Tom Sandoval, and Scheana Shay, among others. Her role on the show was tied to her position as a staff member at SUR, the restaurant that served as the primary setting for the series.

Vanderpump Rules proved to be a significant commercial and cultural success for Bravo, running for twelve seasons and spawning three spin-off series: Vanderpump Rules After Show, Vanderpump Rules: Jax & Brittany Take Kentucky, and The Valley. The show underwent substantial cast changes over the course of its run. In 2020, several cast members were fired from the series. Stassi Schroeder and Kristen Doute were dismissed in June 2020, followed by Jax Taylor later that year. Other cast members, such as Dayna Kathan, also departed from the series during this period.

Kelly was among the many cast members and recurring personalities who were featured during the show's earlier seasons but did not continue as the series evolved its lineup. A 2025 Us Weekly feature profiling former Vanderpump Rules stars who had left the series included Kelly among those whose post-show lives were documented, noting the trajectory of various cast members who had departed over the show's long run.

Post-Television Career

Following her time on Vanderpump Rules, Kelly transitioned away from regular television appearances. In the more than eleven years since her Bravo debut, she has experienced what media outlets have described as significant life changes. A 2025 Yahoo Entertainment feature highlighted Kelly sharing details of her life after reality television, providing an updated look at her personal and professional circumstances.

Kelly has also become involved in health advocacy work, particularly in connection with her own medical diagnosis. She has contributed to public awareness campaigns related to myasthenia gravis, sharing her personal experiences with the disease through published essays and media appearances.

Personal Life

Health

Kelly has been publicly open about her diagnosis with seronegative myasthenia gravis, a rare form of the autoimmune neuromuscular disease myasthenia gravis. In a June 2025 essay published by Myasthenia Gravis News during MG Awareness Month, Kelly detailed what she described as a long and frustrating journey to receiving her diagnosis. Seronegative myasthenia gravis is a variant of the condition in which patients test negative for the antibodies typically associated with the disease, which can make diagnosis more difficult and often leads to delays in treatment.

Kelly's willingness to share her medical experience publicly has contributed to awareness of the condition. Her account of the diagnostic process highlighted the challenges faced by patients with seronegative forms of autoimmune diseases, where standard diagnostic tests may not detect the condition despite the presence of symptoms.

Life After Television

As of 2025, Kelly has continued to maintain a public presence, albeit at a lower profile than during her years on Vanderpump Rules. Media coverage in August 2025 provided updates on her life, indicating that she has undergone considerable personal changes since her time on the Bravo series. The specifics of her current professional activities and personal life beyond her health advocacy and media appearances have been documented in entertainment press, reflecting ongoing public interest in the lives of former reality television personalities.

Recognition

Kelly's primary public recognition stems from her association with Vanderpump Rules, one of Bravo's longest-running and most culturally discussed reality television series. While she did not receive individual awards or honors for her television appearances, the show itself achieved significant commercial success, being renewed for multiple seasons over the course of more than a decade.

Kelly's advocacy work related to myasthenia gravis has also brought her recognition within the chronic illness community. Her June 2025 essay for Myasthenia Gravis News, published to coincide with MG Awareness Month, positioned her as a public voice for patients navigating the diagnostic challenges of seronegative forms of the disease.

Her continued presence in entertainment media, including features in outlets such as Us Weekly and Yahoo Entertainment in 2025, reflects the sustained interest in former Vanderpump Rules cast members and the show's lasting cultural impact on reality television.