Carlton Elizabeth Gebbia | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 17, 1973 |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1994–2014 |
| Known for |
|
| Spouse | David Gebbia (married 1997–2018) |
| Children | 3 |
Carlton Gebbia (born October 17, 1973) is an English reality television personality, actress, and interior designer. She is best known for her appearance during season four of the Bravo reality television program The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
Gebbia grew up with her mother in London until she was 14, at which point her family moved to South Africa for four years. [1] Gebbia struggled with living under Apartheid and was harassed for not adhering to it. [2] In her early twenties, Gebbia moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting. [1]
Gebbia practices Wicca and is open about her religious beliefs. [3] [4] Gebbia was raised in a pagan household until her mother got married when Gebbia was seven years old. [5] Like Gebbia, her grandmother was a pagan but practiced witchcraft. Gebbia describes herself as a "sole practitioner" because she does not belong to a coven. [6]
Gebbia became an actor in her early twenties, landing small roles on The Young and the Restless and Suddenly Susan. [7] After she got pregnant with her first child, Gebbia felt that she was not a talented actor and began working in the securities industry. [1]
Gebbia was a main cast member of the fourth season on Bravo's reality television series The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills . [8] Gebbia joined the series in 2013 after the departure of original cast member Taylor Armstrong. [9] [10]
Gebbia's Wiccan faith was a major part of her storyline on the show, with Gebbia being involved in an ongoing feud with fellow cast member Kyle Richards that centered on their different religious beliefs and practices. [11] [12] Richards, a Jewish woman, made several comments in relation to Wicca that Gebbia interpreted as disrespectful. [13] [14] After Richards mistook a pentagram tattoo on the back of Gebbia's neck for the Star of David, Gebbia became angry at Richards's confusion, which prompted Richards to label Gebbia as "anti-semitic." [15] Richards also accused Gebbia of casting a spell on her family computer to display words like "bigot", "travesty, "wraith," and "larva." [16]
Gebbia also had religious conflict with fellow new cast member Joyce Giraud. [17] After Giraud indicated to Gebbia that she didn't believe in spells because she is a Catholic, Gebbia told Giraud, "When you go home tonight, watch out." [18] Giraud interpreted this as an attempt to cast a spell on her when Giraud's husband fell ill that night. [19] Gebbia denied casting a spell on Giraud. [20]
In early 2014, Gebbia appeared alongside her castmates on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills in the music video for Lady Gaga's single G.U.Y. [21] The video premiered on March 22 and featured Gebbia and her costars as a Greek chorus, with Gebbia playing the harp. [22]
In May 2014, Gebbia was fired from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills after one season. [23] [24] Gebbia called her firing a "blessing in disguise" and indicated that she was working on another reality series with her husband, [25] though the series never came to fruition. In December 2023, producer Andy Cohen indicated that he had recently spoken to Gebbia and that he had not ruled out her return to the series. [26]
Gebbia became an interior designer in the early 2000s. Her work often blends Gothic, spiritual, and Old World elements with modern design features. In 2009, Gebbia and her then-husband David built a 7-bedroom, 15,000 square foot home that combines Gothic elements with elements of Italian Romanticism. [27] [28] The home was featured on Million Dollar Listing Lost Angeles and was sold by agent Josh Altman for $13.9M in 2020. [29]
In 2013, her "playroom," which was inspired by Fifty Shades of Grey , was prominently featured in an episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. [30]
Gebbia married David Gebbia in 1997. [26] The couple shared three children: daughters Destiny and Mysteri and son Cross. [31] After a year-long separation in which the Gebbias lived together to raise their children, [32] David filed for divorce in 2017, citing irreconcibale differences. [33] [34] The couple were married for 20 years before their divorce was finalized in September 2018. [35]
In 2014, Gebbia was hospitalized after drinking six tequila shots at Mastro's Steakhouse in Los Angeles. [36] Gebbia later apologized for her behavior online and assured fans that she was okay. [37]
In 2020, Gebbia was the subject of online rumors that she had engaged in sexual activity with fellow The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alumni Brandi Glanville and Kim Richards after Glanville posted a photograph of the three spending time together. [38] Glanville denied the rumors on her podcast and clarified that the trio are just friends, [39] though she did admit that she "fooled around" with Gebbia after her divorce was finalized in 2018. [40] [41]
In 2015, Gebbia's then-husband, David, was fined $800,000 by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) when their firm, Stockcross Financial Services, allegedly failed to deliver shares and executed short sales without arranging to borrow the securities, known as "naked short selling," in violation of SEC regulations. [42] The investigation determined that the firm's supervisory systems were fundamentally flawed between November 2009 and May 2013. [43] StockCross settled with FINRA without admitting or denying the allegations and agreed to implement remedial measures to address the regulatory deficiencies. [44]
In late 2017, Gebbia was sued by a former housekeeper who had worked for her and her family for several years. [45] The suit alleged physical, emotional, and verbal abuse, including an incident in which the employee claimed Gebbia pushed her after a dispute, leaving bruises. [46] The suit also claimed that Gebbia was frequently under the influence of alcohol during her interactions with staff and that Gebbia had attempted suicide after the altercation with the employee. [47] Gebbia denied the allegations and alleged that the housekeeper was suing over a jewelry dispute. [47]
During a 2024 lawsuit against Bravo, former The Real Housewives of New Jersey cast member Caroline Manzo alleged that Brandi Glanville had sexually harassed Gebbia during the seventh episode of the fourth season of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. [48] In the suit, Manzo alleged that Glanville told Gebbia, "I'm going to molest you," while Gebbia responded "get off" and "go to bed." [48] Gebbia has not publicly acknowledged the lawsuit.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Lady Gaga: G.U.Y. | Self | Music video |
| 2001 | Pretty When You Cry | Sara Carreni | |
| 2000 | Time Share | Felice Templeton | as Carlton Elizabeth Gebbia |
| 1999 | The Young and the Restless | Janina | 1 episode |
| 1999 | Suddenly Susan | Jeanine | Episode: "One Man's Intervention is Another Man's Tupperware Party" |
| 1998 | The Sexperiment | Joan | as Carlton Lynx |
| 1994 | Eyes of the Serpent | Raven | as Carlton Lynx |