Brianna Keilar is an Australian-American journalist and political commentator currently working as a co-anchor for CNN News Central.
She was previously married to Dave French but the couple divorced. Brianna then married Army lieutenant Fernando Lujan, officially became a step-mom to his son, and then welcomed a baby together.
Brianna talks about her struggle as a military wife and tackling overwhelming situations during husband’s deployment.
Brianna Keilar Quick Facts
| Wiki and Bio | |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Brianna Keilar |
| Nick Name | Bri |
| Profession | Journalist, Political Commentator |
| Famous as | CNN News Central Co-anchor |
| Age | 43 years old |
| Date of Birth | September 21, 1980 |
| Birthplace/Hometown | Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia |
| Nationality | Australian-American |
| Sexuality | Heterosexual (Straight) |
| Gender | Female |
| Ethnicity | Caucasian |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Sun Sign (Zodiac Sign) | Virgo |
| Height (in feet) | 5’3″ |
| Height (in centimeters) | 160 cm |
| Weight (in pounds) | 121 lbs |
| Weight (in kilograms) | 55 kg |
| Body Measurements (in inches) | Update soon |
| Body Measurements (in centimeters) | Update soon |
| Biceps Size | Update soon |
| Shoe Size in US | 6.5 |
| Tattoo Details | None |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Hair Color | Blonde |
| Parents | Miriam (Mother, deceased), Father (name unknown) |
| Siblings | None |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Dating History | Dave French (Ex-husband) |
| Partner/Spouse | Fernando Lujan |
| Children | Antonio Allen Martinez Lujan and (step-son) Teddy Lujan |
| Highest Qualification | Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and Mass Communication |
| School | Mission Viejo High School |
| Alma Mater | University of California |
| Hobbies & Favorites | Update soon |
| Favorite Celebrities | Update soon |
| Dream Holiday | Update soon |
| Favorite Color | Update soon |
| Interests | Update soon |
| Net Worth | $9 Million |
| Salary & Earnings | Above $200,000 annually |
| @briannakeilar | |
| TikTok | Update soon |
Brianna Keilar Bio, Age, Early Life
Brianna Keilar was born on September 21, 1980, in Canberra, Australia. She is 43 years old.
Her parents come from different nationalities. Brianna’s mother, Miriam, is American, while her father is Australian.
Due to her parentage, she holds dual citizenship as both an American and an Australian.
Unfortunately, Brianna’s mother, Miriam, passed away in May 2016 after battling leukemia.
When Brianna was two years old, her family relocated to the United States. She spent most of her childhood in Southern California.
She attended Mission Viejo High School and graduated with honors in 1998.
Following high school, Brianna pursued higher education at the University of California.
In 2001, Brianna graduated with a bachelor’s degree, majoring in philosophy and mass communication.
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Brianna’s First Husband and Divorce
Brianna Keilar married Dave French on May 2, 2009, overlooking the Red Rocks of Sedona, Arizona. After their wedding, they enjoyed their honeymoon in Panama.
Although their marriage seemed normal to the public for seven years with no rumors of divorce, the couple eventually separated and quietly divorced in the mid-2010s.
Fans began to notice that Dave and Brianna stopped appearing together in pictures, which indicated their separation and led to speculation about the end of their marriage.
Dave and Brianna did not have any kids together.
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Brianna Keilar: Wedding, Husband
Brianna and Fernando tied the knot on December 30, 2016, just months after a family tragedy.
In May 2016, Brianna experienced the sudden loss of her mother, Miriam, to leukemia.
During the challenging times of grief, Brianna and her husband found comfort in each other’s support.
Fernando, who had also lost a father figure to cancer a few years prior, deeply understood Brianna’s tragedy.
In honor of her mother’s memory and to bring joy to their families, they organized a three-day celebration in Las Vegas, with 85 guests in attendance. Her co-worker, Wolf Blitzer also attended the ceremony.
The wedding ceremony was officiated by Reverend Linda Venniro, who shared personal stories and heartfelt vows.
These words held a special significance for Brianna and her husband, considering the difficulties they had faced throughout the year.
For the occasion, Brianna opted for a short, sculptural white dress.
On the other hand, her husband proudly donned his Army Special Forces uniform adorned with stars, badges, and earned medals of honor over the years.
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Brianna and Husband Fernando’s Children
Brianna Keilar and Fernando Lujan became parents to their firstborn son, Antonio Allen Martinez Lujan, on July 8, 2018.
However, at the time of Antonio’s birth, Lieutenant Colonel Fernando Lujan was in Japan.
Fortunately, he arrived just 40 minutes before the birth, ensuring he could be present for this special moment.
Brianna and Fernando are also joyfully raising Antonio alongside Fernando’s older son, Teddy Lujan, from a previous relationship.
The whole family are very close with each other, especially the two kids.
Brianna and Fernando make it a priority to spend quality time with their kids.
Brianna Keilar’s Life as a Military Spouse
Brianna never thought that she would be married to a military man.
But upon meeting him, she fell in love with him, with his military background being one of the qualities that attracted her.
She admired his devotion to serving his country and his deep love for the United States of America.
As someone from a military family, Brianna understood the challenges and sacrifices that come with the military lifestyle.
Despite the unexpected nature of their relationship, Brianna wholeheartedly supported her husband’s dedication to his country.
Coping with Husband’s Deployment and Loneliness
When Brianna met Fernando and fell in love with him, she was deeply infatuated with the idea of being married to him.
She even confessed that the idea of Fernando, leaving to fulfill his military duties never crossed her mind. Let alone dealing with the emotions she would feel when he did.
The first time Fernando was deployed was particularly overwhelming for Brianna.
Adding to that overwhelming situation doubled when just two weeks after Fernando left for deployment, Brianna found that was pregnant.
She describes it as one of those surprising life moments and one that caught her off guard.
Brianna compared that moment to having a child, getting married, or dealing with the loss of a loved one.
Despite trying to prepare herself, Brianna found that the reality of a military deployment can only be fully understood when you are in the midst of it.
Brianna admitted to feeling deep loneliness and a sense of being lost.
However, she eventually came to terms about the challenges and uncertainties that come with marrying a military man.
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Connecting with Other Military Families
During her time as a military wife, Brianna sought support from an organization called Blue Star Families.
Blue Star Families is a national nonprofit network that brings together military families from different ranks and services.
Through Blue Star Families, Brianna found comfort and friendship by connecting with other military spouses who had similar experiences.
Inspired by her interactions with other military spouses, Brianna proposed a column called Homefront to CNN.
The column aims to bridge the gap between civilians and service members and shed light on the complexities of military life.
Through Homefront, Brianna dives into topics like building a strong family despite the challenges faced, navigating the difficulties of the pandemic as a military spouse, and paying tribute to military heroes who have tragically taken their own lives.
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Balancing Career and Family
Brianna has been married to her second husband, Fernando Lujan, since December 2016.
Fernando actively serves as a director on the Pakistan and Afghanistan subcommittee of the White House National Security Council.
On June 8, 2018, they joyfully welcomed their son, Antonio Allen Martinez Lujan.
Additionally, Brianna fulfills the role of stepmother to Teddy, a 8-year-old from her husband’s previous relationship.
While excelling in her profession, Brianna also prioritizes her role as a dedicated mother, valuing her family above all else.
Her Instagram photos shows her commitment to spending quality time with her family while effectively managing both her personal and professional responsibilities.
Even during her husband’s frequent absence due to his work as an active-duty soldier, Brianna takes sole responsibility for caring for their children.
As a busy journalist, Brianna Keilar undoubtedly faces various challenges in maintaining a work-life balance.
Her demanding schedule, high-pressure environment, and frequent work-related travel necessitate effective time management and prioritization skills.
However, she admirably fulfills her professional and personal responsibilities.
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Brianna’s Fitness Regimen
Brianna actively maintains a strict fitness routine, dedicating herself to two-hour-long home gym training sessions led by her husband, whom she affectionately refers to as “Green Beret Bootcamp.”
Recognizing the importance of prioritizing her well-being, Brianna’s husband took the initiative to build a home gym.
He wanted to assist Brianna in reestablishing her fitness routine, which she had previously neglected due to her busy schedule.
Brianna openly shared her experience, acknowledging that achieving her fitness goals required a collective effort from her family.
She expressed concerns about feeling depleted and lacking energy. She talked about it with her husband and the couple made all the necessary changes.
Brianna slowly noticed the positive impact of fitness on her overall well-being.
Engaging in regular exercise helped her discover a sense of calmness and significantly boosted her energy levels, both while at home and at work.
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Brianna Keilar’s Journalism Career and CNN Roles
Brianna started her career as a reporter for KIMA-TV in Washington, where she also anchored for radio.
She then joined KTVU Channel 2, serving as a production and operations assistant.
In 2003, Brianna made a bold decision and relocated to New York to pursue her passion for producing, reporting, and anchoring.
She joined CBS News on MTV-U and later worked as a freelance reporter for CBS’s Sunday evening news program.
In 2006, Brianna became a correspondent for CNN, reporting breaking news from the nation’s capital to CNN Newsource partner stations. During the Obama administration, she took on the role of CNN’s Senior White House Correspondent.
From 2013 to 2018, Brianna co-anchored the “New Day” morning show on CNN, and did interviews with notable guests and handled breaking news as well.
Similarly, in 2018, she transitioned into an anchor position at CNN. Two years later, in 2020, Keilar launched her own CNN program titled “CNN Right Now with Brianna Keilar.”
Throughout her tenure at CNN, Brianna has extensively covered international news stories, including the Haiti disaster, the Arab Spring uprisings, and the NATO campaign in Afghanistan.
Furthermore, she reported on significant events such as the $700 billion bank bailout in 2008 and closely followed the legislative activities of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Career Highlights
Brianna extensively covered the Obama administration, the Democratic National Convention, and other significant events.
She believes in the importance of engaging with her audience and establishing meaningful connections with them, emphasizing the need for transparency in journalism.
Brianna values the opportunity to report and deliver news to the public, driven by her commitment to truth and her ability to effectively communicate crucial information to a diverse audience.
Building trust with viewers through transparency is a priority for her, as she recognizes the significance of providing accurate and understandable information, particularly during times such as the pandemic.
During the 2016 election campaign, Brianna focused on covering Hillary Clinton and the Democratic field as a correspondent.
She also substituted as main stand-in anchor for CNN’s “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer.”
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Where Is Brianna Keilar Today?
In September 2021, CNN announced that Brianna Keilar would halt co-anchoring the show. They replaced the program with a new show called “CNN This Morning.”
Initially, the network mentioned that Keilar would continue co-anchoring the program until the new show debuted.
However, Keilar remained the co-anchor of the program until November 1 when CNN made changes to its morning show lineup.
During this time, there were rumors and speculations about Keilar leaving the network.
Especially after the announcement that the show New Day was coming to an end and the possibility of the co-anchor being reassigned to a different program. Fortunately, Keilar did not leave the show.
In late 2022, Keilar joined Boris Sanchez and Jim Sciutto as a co-anchor for a new show called CNN News Central.
She also co-anchors the afternoon edition of the show, which airs from 1 p.m. to 4pm.
