Tessa Hayley Hellberg
Location
Johannesburg, South Africa
School
University Of The Witwatersrand
Expertise
British Royals, The "Real Housewives" Franchise, Old Hollywood Stars
- As a self-professed pop culture and royal news nerd, for Tessa, celebrity news has always gone far beyond recreation - it's her bread and butter, in every sense of the word.
- In her time as an entertainment reporter, she's interviewed countless reality stars, including among others Kyle Richards and Ashley Darby - and even the legend himself, Andy Cohen.
- She loves any opportunity to learn more about royals across the globe, and some of her happiest memories include wedding viewing parties for the British and Monegasque royal families, alike. Naturally, each party was preceded by flip files of prior research.
Experience
Tessa's love for pop culture stems back to her childhood, when she would craft school assignments as her very own entertainment reports. Her foray into professional reporting began in 2017, when she started writing the pop culture section for an edutainment app. She's since gone on to obtain her Master of Arts (with a dissertation on "The Real Housewives of Johannesburg," naturally), and has done over 100 interviews for TheThings. Tessa joined Static Media in early 2022, providing regular articles for Nicki Swift, and the occasional guest report on royal occasions for TheList.
Education
Tessa has a bachelor's degree in politics and media studies, and honors and master's degrees in media studies, all from the University of the Witwatersrand. She came away from both postgraduate degrees with distinction – and a love of seeing how pop culture, social factors, and politics intersect at every turn.
Nicki Swift covers celebrity and entertainment news by way of an expert group of editorial professionals. We drive the conversation on everything from trending Hollywood news to star transformations, always striving to deliver the most compelling commentary, bolstered by quality expert opinions.
As we cover a wide breadth of pop culture, we're constantly reviewing, fact-checking, and updating stories to ensure they're accurate and current. Additional information on our editorial process available here.
Stories By Tessa Hayley Hellberg
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The late Princess Diana had requested her jewelry go to her future daughters-in-law, and Meghan Markle received several classic pieces that Diana often wore.
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Macaulay Culkin would rewatch "Home Alone" -- if a lady friend was interested in watching it with him. See what the former child star thinks of the movie.
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Dolly Parton may have millions now - and an amusement park, to boot - but the famed singer-songwriter started out sleeping in a car while traveling to gigs.
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Diana Ross and Michael Jackson were famously very close, so, it's no surprise that the King of Pop made a heartfelt request of the diva in his will.
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Since Donald Trump's presidency, Melania Trump has seemingly put her modeling career on hold. Unlike other first ladies, she didn't make the cover of Vogue.
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Soap star Eileen Davidson is certainly one proud mother, and her rarely-seen son Jesse Van Patten is all grown up and taking after his famous parents.
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"Below Deck" isn't just about luxury yachts and pristine waters - it's the drama that keeps us anchored, and Captain Sandy and Fraser Olender have plenty of it.
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After Whitney Houston died in 2012, there was a lot of speculation about what happened. One of her older brothers later admitted that he felt he played a role.
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Could Kim Zolcak and Chet Hanks really be an item? The rumors are flying after their behavor on the set of "The Surreal Life," but they're not telling.
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Doja Cat's father, Dumisani Dlamini, is a notable South African artist, but shockingly, they've never actually met. Here's the sad reason why.
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Oprah Winfrey and Stedman Graham aren't just any Hollywood couple - they're an enigma. Here's why you almost never catch these two lovebirds out and about.
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Solange Knowles' son, Daniel Julez J. Smith Jr., aka Julez Smith, has lived a relatively private life. But he's all grown up now. Here's what we know about him.
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"American Horror Story" star Angelica Ross went public with allegations against Emma Roberts' behind-the-scenes behavior, including a transphobic comment.
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Dr. Phil's sister-in-law, Cindi Broaddus, passed away in 2018, but her legacy of making a positive impact in the world has certainly endured.
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Shortly before Lisa Marie Presley's death, her mother Priscilla's intuition told her that something was amiss. Thankfully, they spent her final days together.
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Rupert Murdoch certainly sent his then-wife, Jerry Hall, scrambling when he emailed her to saw he wanted a divorce. Here's what happened to her after that.
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Kim Zolciak and Kroy Biermann have been in the news for their divorce and financial issues, but daughter Brielle Biermann has her own fair share of money woes.
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Thomas Markle hasn't been quiet about Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's decision to keep him away from his grandkids. Here's how he really feels about it.
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Tisha Campbell has always had a close relationship with her two sons, and while parenting hasn't always been easy, it has been extremely rewarding.
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While they're both off the show today, Lisa Vanderpump and Eileen Davidson's feud lit up the middle seasons of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills."
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Carrie Underwood has performed the NBC Sunday Night Football theme song for over a decade, but not without a lawsuit from a fellow singer-songwriter.
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Oprah Winfrey is often hailed as one of America's richest self-made women, and she happily gives credit to her father for pointing her in the right direction.
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Tiger Woods and "RHOBH" star Paul "PK" Kemsley share an unexpected connection from their pasts -- they both had a fling with the same woman.
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Will Jada Pinkett Smith opened up a private school back in 2008. However, some of its methods proved controversial and the academy closed after five years.
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Bijou Phillips' relationship with her sister has been turbulent at best, and it all started when Mackenzie Phillips made disturbing claims about their father.
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Tom Cruise has forged some rather unexpected friendships in the glitzy world of Hollywood. Here's what we know about his relationship with Janet Jackson.
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Sharon Osbourne recently became the unsuspecting star of an impromptu roast, courtesy of her son, who hilariously called her out on plastic surgery journey.