Bio
Valerie Bertinelli is an American actress best known for her role as Barbara Cooper on the long-running television show One Day at a Time, appearing in one of the four leading roles from 1975-1981.
She is better known to South African viewers for her role as Gloria in the drama series Touched By An Angel. She joined the show for the last three seasons, appearing in 59 episodes from 2001-2003. She also played the title role in the short-lived series Sydney, in 1990.
She currently stars in the sitcom Hot in Cleveland, since 2010.
Now known more for her dramatic weight loss (she melted away more than 50 lbs. doing the Jenny Craig diet) and bubbly fitness regime than being cutie pie Barbara Cooper from One Day at a Time or Mrs. Van Halen, Bertinelli is and always has been the sparkly Girl Next Door.
Born in Wilmington, Delaware, Bertinelli's family migrated to California for her GM exec father's career. She attended high school in L.A. and got her lucky break at the tender age of 15 on One Day at a Time.
She portrayed younger sister Barbara until the series (plagued by co-star MacKenzie Phillips' rampant drug use) was canceled in 1984, just shy of its 10-year anniversary.
During its run, Bertinelli took on another famous part as the wife of rocker Eddie Van Halen. The couple had a son together in 1991, but in 2005, Bertinelli filed for divorce. She wrote about it in her 2008 autobiography Losing It: And Gaining My Life Back One Pound at a Time.
In March 2009, just before her 49th birthday, Bertinelli showed the world how proud she is of her transformed self by posing in a bikini on the cover of People.
She is now the Jenny Craig spokesperson, has completed the 2010 Boston Marathon and portrays divorcee/best-selling author Melanie on Hot in Cleveland.
She also maintains a popular personal website, ValerieBertinelli.com, which features a blog, polls and lifestyle tips.