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Who is Lauren Sánchez? What to know about award-winning journalist, Jeff Bezos' fiancée
Lauren Sánchez will soon be Mrs. Bezos, but don't get it twisted: She has a growing legacy all her own.
In recent years, Sánchez has made headlines for her A-list romance with billionaire and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. The couple is set to marry soon in an extravagant three-day ceremony in Venice, Italy, which could take place between June 26 and 28, according to Reuters and The New York Times.
But Sánchez is also keeping busy with several business ventures. The former TV journalist, 55, released her first children's book in September and is the owner of an aviation company.
Here's everything you need to know about Sánchez before she and Bezos head down the aisle.
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What does Lauren Sánchez do?
Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in December 1969, Sánchez studied acting and speech at the University of New Mexico after graduating high school in 1987. She later moved to California, where she studied communications at the University of Southern California following a stint at El Camino College.
Sánchez is best known for her broadcast journalism career, which began with a desk assistant role at KCOP-TV in Los Angeles. The news personality has also worked as a reporter for the entertainment program "Extra" and held several positions at Fox Sports Net.
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During her tenure with Fox, Sánchez earned an Emmy nomination for her anchor and correspondent work on the newsmagazine series "Goin' Deep" (she won an Emmy Award in 1999 with her KCOP-TV team after returning to host "UPN News 13.")
In February 2000, Sánchez flirted with talk-show fame after she became the runner-up in a nationwide hosting competition for "The View" (future CBS News contributor Lisa Ling won the position). In 2005, Sánchez hosted the first season of the dance competition series "So You Think You Can Dance."
Is Lauren Sánchez a pilot?
Sánchez, whose father was an aviation businessman, learned to fly at age 40 and later obtained her pilot's license. In 2016, she founded Black Ops Aviation, which is the first female-owned aerial film and production company.
"I just think that growing up, women don't see a lot of female aviators," Sánchez told People magazine in an August 2024 interview. "And so, I hope women might see me as a pilot and say, 'Hey, I want to do that!' It's really an incredible experience, and I love it."
What books has Lauren Sánchez written?
Sánchez released her debut children's book, "The Fly Who Flew to Space," on Sept. 10, 2024. The glow-in-the-dark picture book, which follows the astronaut aspirations of a fly named Flynn, is a charming read with playful illustrations.
"If you look at people with an open heart and really believe that people are multifaceted and can be anything they want, I think it changes the world," Sánchez told USA TODAY in a September interview. "Because we really are more than one thing or what the world wants to define us as."
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez timeline: A look back at the A-list couple's romance
How did Lauren Sánchez meet Jeff Bezos?
Bezos and Sánchez were first reportedly linked in 2019, around the same time both parties announced splits from their previous partners. Bezos and his ex-wife, MacKenzie Scott, finalized their divorce that same year, while Sánchez was already in the process of divorcing her husband, Patrick Whitesell.
In the following years, the pair was spotted traveling together around the world and attending various public engagements, including a 2020 trip to India and the 2022 world premiere of "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power."
The couple became engaged in May 2023 after Bezos popped the question to Sánchez on his yacht during a trip to the Cannes Film Festival.
Who is Lauren Sánchez's ex Tony Gonzalez?
Sánchez previously dated former NFL tight end Tony Gonzalez. The two share a son, 24-year-old Nikko Gonzalez. Sánchez opened up about her coparenting relationship with Gonzalez in a January 2023 interview with The Wall Street Journal.
"Tony and his wife (October "Tobie" Gonzalez) are my best friends," Sánchez told the outlet. "It wasn't always that way. There was friction (at the beginning). But Tony and Tobie were at Thanksgiving with us (this year), and we're really good friends."
Gonzalez and October are reportedly set to attend Sánchez's nuptials with Bezos, according to People magazine and TMZ.
Does Lauren Sánchez have children?
Sánchez has three children, who include son Nikko Gonzalez, 24; son Evan Whitesell, 19; and daughter Ella Whitesell, 17.
Sánchez shares Evan and Ella with ex-husband and entertainment executive Patrick Whitesell, whom she was married to from 2005-2019.
Contributing: Anna Kaufman, Laura Trujillo and Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY
