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Meet Jonathan LaPaglia’s talented wife Ursula Brooks

The family live a quiet, Santa Monica-based life - by Erin Christie
  • 06 Jan 2022

Jonathan LaPaglia has long been the very dedicated host of Australian Survivor, a role that sees him flying to exotic locations (well, before COVID-19 anyway) for a few months each year. However, when he returns to his home in the US, he always has his family waiting.

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Jonathan has been working in television for quite some time now, and has had a number of small roles in both shows and films alongside his work hosting Survivor.

Adelaide-born, he is the brother of Anthony LaPaglia, who has found success acting in the likes of Frasier and Empire Records, and more locally, Holding the Man and Nitram.

Both brothers have moved from Australia to Santa Monica, California, where they’re raising their respective families.

Jonathan and his wife, Ursula Brooks, have kept their relationship out of the spotlight since tying the knot in 1998. Since then, they’ve also had their daughter, Tilly LaPaglia, who is now 17.

jonathan-lapaglia-ursula-brooks

Jonathan and Ursula at an event.

Getty

Ursula has also worked as an actor, starring in the likes of Happy Valley, Angels and Demons, and Daybreak.

She’s also a talented writer, having written two TV movies – Enough About You, and How Divine!

Jonathan revealed on Instagram that she had also won an award for a comedy pilot she had written.

“Big congrats to Ursula Brooks for winning 1st Prize TV Comedy Pilot at LA Comedy Festival. Now all we need to do is get it made #helpmefindaproducer,” Jonathan captioned an image of Ursula beside a young Tilly.

jonathan-lapaglia-tilly-lapaglia

A rare snap of Jonathan with his daughter, Tilly.

Instagram

Despite her obvious talent as a creator, Ursula seems these days to have turned to design instead, with the Instagram account Ursula Brooks Design showcasing her eye for interiors.

Rare snaps of Jonathan and Tilly can also be seen on the account.

Ursula shared a blurry throwback photo from her wedding to Jonathan in March last year, writing: “I really do love you … even in quarantine lockdown madness @jonathanlapaglia”.

She’s also posted pictures of Tilly baking – the pair made bread to celebrate Joe Biden’s election, and baked bagels on Valentine’s Day.

Jonathan is also partial to the occasional snap of Tilly, celebrating her the day she got her driver’s license.

tilly-lapaglia-baking-bread

Tilly baking bagels, as captured by Ursula.

Instagram

“Secretly I was hoping she wouldn’t pass her Driver’s Test today so we could do a couple more years of lessons. Nope… she #crushedit. One and done @tillylapaglia (The grey hairs are coming in already),” he penned.

Their little family was complete with the arrival of their dog, Rocky, whom they got in 2018.

“New puppy this week. Love at first sight,” Jonathan captured a snap of Tilly and Rocky.

Now, Rocky is much bigger, as seen in a snap Jonathan posted to Instagram last year, when he returned home from filming Australian Survivor: Brain V Brawn.

“I like to think Rocky was happy to see me return from shooting #SurvivorAU. Or was he just looking for a treat? #sucker.”

jonathan-lapaglia-dog-rocky

"I like to think Rocky was happy to see me return from shooting #SurvivorAU."

Instagram

Want your own fairytale romance? Sign up to eHarmony today!

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Erin Christie
Erin Christie
Erin Christie is a writer at WHO (digital), keeping across pop culture, reality TV (especially Survivor), and the occasional fashion trend.

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