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#REDIRECT [[John Edwards extramarital affair]]
{{Short description|American film producer}}

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{{Article for deletion/dated|page=Rielle Hunter|timestamp=20230425151744|year=2023|month=April|day=25|substed=yes|help=off}}
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{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2013}}
{{Use American English|date=August 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Rielle Hunter
| other_names = Lisa Druck, Lisa Jo Druck, Lisa Hunter, Lisa Jo Hunter, Rielle Jaya James Druck
| birth_name = Lisa Jo Druck
| birth_date =
| birth_place = [[Fort Lauderdale, Florida]], U.S.
| known = {{ubl | [[John Edwards extramarital affair]] | Internet political media producer }}
| occupation = Filmmaker
| years active = 1987–2012
| spouse = {{marriage|Alexander M. "Kip" Hunter III|August 3, 1991|September 1, 2000|end=div}}
| partner = [[John Edwards]] (2006–2015)
| children = 1
| party = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| education =
}}
}}
'''Rielle Hunter''' (born '''Lisa Jo Druck'''; also known as '''Lisa Hunter''',{{cn|date=April 2023}} '''Lisa Jo Hunter''',{{cn|date=April 2023}} and '''Rielle Jaya James Druck''')<ref name="MERCURY">[http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_10067918 Birth certificate of child linked to ex-Sen. John Edwards lists no father], August 1, 2008, [[San Jose Mercury-News]].</ref> is an American former [[film producer]]. She is known for having had [[John Edwards extramarital affair|an affair]] with, and a child by, former U.S. Senator [[John Edwards]], while he was a contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008.<ref name=CT>{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-rielle-hunter-john-edwards-affair-080808-ht,0,2154658.story|title=Rielle Hunter, John Edwards Affair|date=August 8, 2008|periodical=[[Chicago Tribune]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080809145755/http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-rielle-hunter-john-edwards-affair-080808-ht,0,2154658.story|archive-date=August 9, 2008}}.</ref><ref>{{cite web |author1=Baker, Mike|url=http://www.theoaklandpress.com/article/OP/20100121/NEWS/301219944 |title=Former candidate Edwards admits he fathered videographer's child| work=Oakland Press|agency=Associated Press| date=January 21, 2010}}</ref> [[Jay McInerney]] has stated that Hunter, who he once dated, is the basis for the main character in ''[[Story of My Life (novel)|Story of My Life]]''.<ref name="GenXLit">{{cite news |title=Edwards' Mistress Rielle Hunter the Model for Character in Gen-X Lit |date=August 9, 2008 |work=[[ABC News]] |author=Jake Tapper |author-link=Jake Tapper |url=http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/08/edwards-mistres.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080829224323/http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/08/edwards-mistres.html |archive-date=August 29, 2008 |access-date=August 10, 2008 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref name="NYPost" />

==Early life==
Hunter was born in [[Fort Lauderdale, Florida]].<ref name=WashPost>{{cite news| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/08/AR2008080802371_pf.html | title= Edwards Admits He Had An Affair | date= August 9, 2008 | newspaper = The Washington Post | first1=Howard | last1=Kurtz | first2=Lois | last2=Romano | access-date=May 22, 2010}}</ref> Her parents, James Druck (1934–1990) and Gwen Druck, owned Eagle Nest Farm in [[Ocala, Florida]], where they raised [[show jumping|show horses]]. They had four daughters. James Druck was a wealthy lawyer, who specialized in defending insurance companies.<ref name="Palm Beach Post 2">{{cite news | title = Dad of Edwards' mistress had dark side | last = Lambiet | first = Jose |url= http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/local_news/epaper/2008/08/12/a2a_jose_0813.html |newspaper=Palm Beach Post | date = September 13, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080815041521/http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/local_news/epaper/2008/08/12/a2a_jose_0813.html |archive-date=August 15, 2008 |access-date=April 15, 2014}}</ref><ref name=ABC>{{Cite news|last=Baram | first=Marcus |title= The Many Lives of Rielle Hunter: From Equestrian With an Infamous Father to NYC Party Girl Immortalized in Fiction, Hunter's Life Story Is Unique | date = August 12, 2008 | url= http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=5560261&page=1 | work = [[ABC News]] |access-date = August 12, 2008 }}</ref>

Hunter attended the [[University of Tampa]], but she transferred after two years to the [[University of Florida]]. In her junior year she withdrew from the University of Florida to move to New York City to pursue an acting career.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Weisensee |first=Nicole |url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20219151,00.html |title=The Edwards Affair: The Mysterious Other Woman, Rielle Hunter – Scandals & Feuds, Elizabeth Edwards, John Edwards |magazine=People.com |date=August 14, 2008 |access-date=December 17, 2012}}</ref><ref name="NEWSOB">{{cite news|url=http://www.newsobserver.com/643/story/1169932.html|title= Who is Rielle Hunter? |author1=Jarvis, Craig |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080812063557/http://www.newsobserver.com/643/story/1169932.html |archive-date=August 12, 2008 |date=August 8, 2008|work=The News and Observer|location= [[Raleigh, North Carolina]]}}</ref>

==Literary inspiration==
"[[Brat Pack (literary)|Brat Pack]]" novelist [[Jay McInerney]] said that Hunter, his former girlfriend, is the basis for the lead character Alison Poole in the 1988 novel ''[[Story of My Life (novel)|Story of My Life]]''. McInerney described their relationship and Hunter's role as the inspiration for the character in an interview in 2005.<ref name=BreatheMag>{{cite news | last = McInerney| first = Jay | author-link = Jay McInerney | title = Interview | work = BREATHE MAGAZINE | date = January–February 2005 }}</ref><ref name="Huffington2007">{{cite news | title = Scrubbed: Edwards Filmmaker's Deleted Website Raises Questions | last = Stein | first = Sam | work = [[Huffington Post]] | access-date=August 1, 2008 | url = http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/10/10/scrubbed-edwards-filmmak_n_67868.html | date=October 10, 2007}}</ref><ref name=NYPost>{{cite news | title = Novel Tale Of Pol's 'Mistress' | work = [[New York Post]] | date = August 6, 2008 | url = https://pagesix.com/2008/08/06/novel-tale-of-pols-mistress/?_ga=2.172623142.444763952.1510523963-808237787.1488502769 | quote =We dated for only a few months, ...I ended up basing a novel on the experience.}}</ref> There was open speculation that ''Story of My Life'' was a ''[[roman à clef]]'' novel when it first appeared.<ref name=NYMag1988>{{cite news | title = Slave of New York: Jay McInerney is back with another nightlife novel. | work = [[New York Magazine]] | date = September 5, 1988 | url = http://nymag.com/arts/books/profiles/48479/index3.html | access-date = August 15, 2008}}</ref>

McInerney's friend and fellow Brat Pack author [[Bret Easton Ellis]] also includes the character Alison Poole in two of his novels, ''[[Glamorama]]'' and ''[[American Psycho]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2008/08/allow_bret_easton_ellis_to_int.html |title=Allow Bret Easton Ellis to Introduce You to Alison Poole, A.K.A. Rielle Hunter – Daily Intelligencer |publisher=Nymag.com |access-date=December 17, 2012}}</ref>

==Marriage and name change==
Druck married attorney Alexander M. "Kip" Hunter III in [[Cabo San Lucas]], [[Mexico]], on August 3, 1991,<ref name="NEWSOB-C">{{cite news |title=John Edwards Chronology |date=August 9, 2008 |newspaper=The News & Observer |url=http://www.newsobserver.com/politics/politicians/edwards/story/1170351.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080814182311/http://www.newsobserver.com/politics/politicians/edwards/story/1170351.html |archive-date=August 14, 2008 |access-date=May 25, 2011}}</ref> and they moved from New York to establish a new home in [[Beverly Hills, California]]. She [[name change|changed her name]] to Rielle Hunter in 1994.<ref name="NEWSOB-C" /><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/10/us/politics/10edwards.html?ref=politics Woman in Edwards Affair Will Not Allow DNA Test], August 9, 2008, ''New York Times''</ref>

Rielle Hunter filed for divorce in October 1999,<ref name="NEWSOB-C"/> which was finalized September 1, 2000.<ref name="NEWSOB"/><ref name="NEWSOB-C"/>

==Involvement with John Edwards==
⚫
{{Main|John Edwards extramarital affair}}
In 2006, Hunter [[Pitch (filmmaking)|pitched]] the idea of a series of short informal campaign videos to Democrat [[John Edwards]] when she met him at a bar in New York City, where he was attending a business meeting.<ref name = darman>{{cite news |first=Jonathan |last=Darman |title=Politics 2008: John Edwards, Untucked |url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/44245 |work=[[Newsweek]] |date=December 25, 2006 |access-date=August 2, 2008}}</ref> The Edwards campaign soon hired her to produce a series of promotional videos portraying behind-the-scenes life on the campaign trail and Hunter filmed and produced four of these short videos for the [[John Edwards presidential campaign, 2008|2008 presidential campaign of John Edwards]].<ref name= darman />

In July 2006, Hunter formed the production company Midline Groove Productions LLC with her partner Mimi Godfrey Hockman. This company, which was based in [[South Orange, New Jersey]], produced campaign promotional videos for Edwards. The series of ads, "Inspiring Politics: A Webisode Series Following John Edwards," was broadcast on the Internet rather than through conventional television. According to the [[Associated Press]], Edwards' [[One America Committee]] paid Midline Groove Productions $100,000 on July 6, 2006, five days after Hunter incorporated the firm in Delaware. The committee later made two subsequent payments totaling $14,461, the final one on April 1, 2007.<ref>{{cite news |title=Edwards admits to affair, denies fathering child|work=Frederick News-Post |agency= Associated Press |date=August 8, 2008 |access-date= August 9, 2008|url=https://www.fredericknewspost.com/archive/john-edwards-admits-to-affair-denies-fathering-child/article_efc39f5b-82f3-58c5-bff7-b5dbec54c89d.html }}</ref> In all, Midline Groove filmed and produced four of these short videos; the shortest was 2½ minutes long.<ref name=WCNC1Aug>{{cite news |first=Stuart |last=Watson |title=No father on alleged love child's birth certificate |url=http://www.wcnc.com/news/topstories/stories/wcnc-073108-krg-birthcertificate.1f42367b.html |publisher=[[WCNC-TV]] |date=August 1, 2008 |access-date=August 2, 2008}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref>

Hunter's videos were uploaded to YouTube. Recognition of the innovative nature of the series was given by ''[[BusinessWeek]]'' magazine, which included one of the episodes in a 2006 feature on new developments in [[Web video]]. Catherine Holoran, writing for the magazine, noted that the Hunter videos had effectively announced the presidential candidacy of Edwards ten days before he released the information to the [[mainstream media]]. Holoran stated that Hunter's series marked a "tipping point" in the history of web video which "sent the message that online video is a serious medium, ready to contend with traditional media for audiences and ad dollars."<ref>{{cite news |first=Catherine |last=Holahan |title=The Year in Web Video |url=http://images.businessweek.com/ss/07/01/0102_videostory/source/1.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070104221741/http://images.businessweek.com/ss/07/01/0102_videostory/source/1.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 4, 2007 |work=[[BusinessWeek]] |access-date=August 2, 2008}}</ref> In 2008, Maria Russo, the reviewer of websites for the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', also mentioned that Hunter had been among the earliest adopters of YouTube for [[viral marketing]] purposes, and was the first filmmaker who exploited that venue for political campaign marketing.<ref>{{cite news |first=Maria |last=Russo |title=A closer look at the John Edwards/Rielle Hunter webisodes |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/webscout/2008/08/edwards-rielle.html |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=August 11, 2008 |access-date=August 11, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080813112142/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/webscout/2008/08/edwards-rielle.html |archive-date=August 13, 2008 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }} "...&nbsp;the peppy, jagged little production called 'Inspiring Politics: A Webisode Series Following John Edwards' was made in the summer and fall of 2006. YouTube was just over a year old, and the idea of a "Webisode series" was barely a twinkle in Hollywood’s eye&nbsp;— [[lonelygirl15]], the first such series to attract mainstream attention, did not get big until September."</ref>

In October 2007, ''[[The National Enquirer]]'', a U.S. [[Tabloid (newspaper format)|tabloid]], cited claims by an anonymous source that Edwards had engaged in an [[extramarital affair]] with Hunter during [[John Edwards presidential campaign, 2008|Edwards's 2008 presidential campaign]] and that Hunter was pregnant. After a report by the ''National Enquirer'' on December 19, 2007, Hunter announced she was pregnant with the child of [[Andrew Young (political operative)|Andrew Young]], a married man who is a former staffer for John Edwards' presidential campaign. Young, his wife Cheri, and their young children were living outside of [[Chapel Hill, North Carolina]], at the time in the same "Governor's Club" complex where Hunter was renting.<ref name="NEWSOB-C"/> Soon afterward, the Youngs and Hunter moved to California.<ref name="LARRY">[http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0808/08/lkl.01.html Transcript: John Edwards Admits Extra-Marital Affair], August 8, 2008, guest host Wolf Blitzer interviewing ''National Enquirer'' reporter on [[CNN]] ''Larry King Live.''</ref>

Hunter became pregnant with Edwards' child in May 2007; she later said she found out she was pregnant only in July.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Oprahs-Conversation-with-Rielle-Hunter/12 |title=Rielle Hunter's Unplanned Pregnancy |publisher=Oprah.com |date=April 29, 2010 |access-date=December 17, 2012}}</ref> She gave birth to her daughter on February 27, 2008, in [[Santa Barbara, California]], but did not list the child's father's name on the birth certificate.<ref name="NEWSOB-C"/><ref>{{cite news | url=http://articles.cnn.com/2010-02-05/justice/edwards.sex.tape_1_andrew-young-edwards-former-mistress-senator-edwards?_s=PM:CRIME | work=CNN | title=Alleged John Edwards sex tape survives courthouse fire | date=March 26, 2010 | access-date=May 13, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120615175651/http://articles.cnn.com/2010-02-05/justice/edwards.sex.tape_1_andrew-young-edwards-former-mistress-senator-edwards?_s=PM:CRIME | archive-date=June 15, 2012 | url-status=dead | df=mdy-all }}</ref> She gave her own name as "Rielle Jaya James Druck" on her daughter's birth certificate, but gave the child the surname "Hunter".<ref name="MERCURY"/>

In July 2008, ''The National Enquirer'' said Edwards was the father of Hunter's child.<ref name="NYT">{{cite news | title = Edwards Admits to Extramarital Affair | work = [[New York Times]] | date = August 8, 2008 | access-date = August 8, 2008 | url = http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/08/08/abc-news-edwards-admits-to-extramarital-affair/index.html?hp | first1=Katharine Q. | last1=Seelye | first2=Kate | last2=Phillips}}</ref>
On August 8, Edwards admitted the affair, but denied that he was the father of Hunter's child and stated that he was willing to take a paternity test.<ref name=CO>{{cite news|url=http://www.charlotteobserver.com/100/story/100081.html|title=Birth certificate for Rielle Hunter's child lists no father|date=July 31, 2008|author1=Zagaroli, Lisa|work=[[Charlotte Observer]]|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130119004347/http://www.charlotteobserver.com/100/story/100081.html|archive-date=January 19, 2013|access-date=August 9, 2008|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=5441195&page=1 | title=Edwards Admits Sexual Affair; Lied as Presidential Candidate |author1=Rhonda Swartz |author2=Brian Ross | publisher=ABC News | date=August 8, 2008 | access-date=August 8, 2008}}</ref> ''[[The Washington Post]]'' reported that Robert Gordon (Hunter's attorney) stated that she had refused to allow a [[DNA profiling|DNA test]] to establish paternity "now or in the future."<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/09/AR2008080901298_pf.html | title=Edwards's Ex-Lover Rejects Idea of DNA Test: Hunter Requests Privacy For Herself, Her Child | author=Lois Romano and Howard Kurtz | newspaper=The Washington Post | date=August 10, 2008 | access-date=August 10, 2008}}</ref> However, Hunter's sister publicly asked Edwards to take a paternity test to determine whether the child was his.<ref>{{cite news |first1=Rhonda |last1=Schwartz |author2=Brian Ross |title=Mistress' Family Challenges Edwards to Take DNA Test |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=5546813&page=1 |work=ABC News |date=August 9, 2008 |access-date=August 9, 2008}}</ref>

On August 12, 2008, Hunter's friend Pigeon O'Brien told [[CBS News]] that Edwards had lied about the timeline of the affair. She said the affair began in February 2006, six months before Edwards hired Hunter, and said the affair was not a brief liaison, but rather was allegedly characterized by Edwards to Hunter as a committed relationship.<ref>{{cite video | title = Edwards Account Challenged | medium = internet video | publisher = CBS News | date = 2008 | url = http://www.webcastr.com/videos/news/Edwards-Account-Challanged-Webcastr.html | access-date = August 12, 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080815013744/http://www.webcastr.com/videos/news/Edwards-Account-Challanged-Webcastr.html | archive-date = August 15, 2008 | url-status = dead | df = mdy-all }}</ref> On August 13, 2008, Hunter's sister, Roxanne Druck Marshall, personally apologized to John Edwards's wife [[Elizabeth Edwards|Elizabeth]] for her sister's behavior. She said Edwards had lied in his confession because, she said, the affair had been ongoing.<ref>{{cite video | title = Edwards' Ex-Mistress' Sister Pans Both: Says Her Family Is "Very Upset," And She Feels Most For Edwards' Cancer-Stricken Wife | medium = internet video | publisher = CBS News |date = 2008 | url = http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/08/13/earlyshow/main4347468.shtml}}</ref>

On January 21, 2010, Edwards admitted publicly that he is the father of Hunter's daughter Quinn.<ref>{{cite news | author=Lisa Myers and Michael Austin | title=Edwards admits fathering child with mistress | url=https://www.today.com/news/edwards-admits-fathering-child-mistress-1C9016137 | work=NBC News | date=January 21, 2010 | access-date=January 21, 2010}}</ref>

On June 26, 2012, Hunter's book, ''What Really Happened: John Edwards, Our Daughter and Me'', was released through a Dallas-based boutique publisher, BenBella Books. The same day, Hunter stated that her relationship with Edwards had ended.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/356563/20120626/rielle-hunter-john-edwards-book-breakup.htm |title=Rielle Hunter, John Edwards Breakup Announced Same Day As Book Release |date=June 26, 2012 |publisher=Ibtimes.com |access-date=December 17, 2012}}</ref>

On February 9, 2016, Hunter spoke on ''[[Steve Harvey (TV series)|Steve Harvey]]'' in her first televised interview in almost five years, and stated that she and Edwards had dated until February of 2015.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Good |first1=Dan |title=Rielle Hunter says she was dating shamed politician John Edwards as recently as last year: 'We still love each other' |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/rielle-hunter-john-edwards-dating-year-article-1.2525412 |website=nydailynews.com |access-date=8 September 2021 |date=9 February 2016}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}} <!-- 2-column mode unusable -->

==External links==
*{{iMDb name|2377467}}

{{John Edwards}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hunter, Rielle}}
[[Category:1964 births]]
[[Category:20th-century American actresses]]
[[Category:Actresses from Fort Lauderdale, Florida]]
[[Category:American film producers]]
[[Category:Florida Democrats]]
[[Category:John Edwards]]
[[Category:Mistresses]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:University of Florida alumni]]
[[Category:University of Tampa alumni]]
[[Category:American women film producers]]

Latest revision as of 20:43, 14 March 2024

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