Hubbry Logo
Rue DeBonaRue DeBonaMain
Open search
Rue DeBona
Community hub
Rue DeBona
logo
7 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Rue DeBona
Rue DeBona
Rue DeBona
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

Ruthann DeBona (born March 7, 1976) is an American singer, actress and broadcaster. She is better known by her various stage names Ruth Ann Roberts and Rue DeBona and is best known for her time as a member of the pop group Boy Krazy, and for her brief stint in the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).[1][2][3]

Key Information

Early career

[edit]

DeBona, started her career as an actress. Mainly starring in background roles as an extra. She has guest appearances in shows such as; Law & Order, Mickey Mouse Club House, The Sopranos and Spin City. DeBona continued her acting career starring in the independent film They're Just My Friends and the Steven Seagal film, Pistol Whipped.

DeBona was Miss Junior America.

Boy Krazy

[edit]

DeBona was a member of the pop group Boy Krazy, using the stage name Ruth Ann Roberts. The group was formed through auditions by a management company in New York in 1991.[2] In 1992 the bands 1991 single, That's What Love Can Do, began gaining success in nightclubs across America, beginning to play on multiple radio stations across the country. The song was remixed and re-released, becoming a hit in the U.S., peaking at number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100, in the months of February and March of 1993.[4]

The band released their first album titled Boy Krazy,[5] in 1993, which included follow-up single Good Times with Bad Boys, which also hit the Billboard Hot 100. The lead singer of the band, Johnna Lee Cummings, left the band in late 1993. The remaining band members attempted to develop a new album, unsuccessfully, the group disbanded shortly after.

Professional wrestling career

[edit]

World Wrestling Entertainment (2003-2004)

In 2003, DeBona signed with the WWE as the new co-host of their show, Afterburn, she became the main host shortly after her debut episode.[1][6][7]

In 2004 DeBona became the backstage interviewer for HEAT. On the February 5 2004 episode, of Smackdown! DeBona made her main roster debut, officially announcing the Playboy magazine cover featuring WWE Divas; Sable and Torrie Wilson.[8] She also featured on the February 12 2004 episode, of Smackdown! interviewing Sable and Torrie Wilson on their upcoming Playboy cover.[9] She appeared on the WrestleMania XX, pre-show as a backstage interviewer, interviewing the Big Show about his match against John Cena. In June 2004, DeBona asked for her release from the company, which she was granted.

In 2005, DeBona featured on John Cena's single; Summer Fling.[10]

Personal life

[edit]

DeBona was married to former WWE and TNA, commentator Josh Matthews, from November 2006, until their divorce in 2008.[11]

Filmography

[edit]
Film and television
Year Title Role Notes
1993 Friday Night Self; guest 1 episode
Mickey Mouse Club House Self; guest 1 episode
1998 Savant Ruthann
2001 Love the Hard Way Hooker #2
2003-2004 WWE Afterburn Host
2005 Damage Control Biker chick 1 episode
2006 Inside Man Bank employee hostage
They're Just My Friends Gina Independent film
2008 Pistol Whipped Emily

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Rue DeBona

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Rue DeBona, born Ruthann DeBona on March 7, 1976, in , is an American singer, actress, and former broadcaster known for her work in , television guest appearances, and . She began her career at the age of five and gained early prominence as a member of the group , which achieved a hit single with "That's What Love Can Do" in 1993 after signing with Next Plateau Records. DeBona transitioned into acting with guest roles on television series such as Law & Order, The Sopranos, Spin City, and The Mickey Mouse Club in 1993, followed by film appearances including Love the Hard Way (2001) as Hooker #2, They're Just My Friends (2006) as Gina, and Pistol Whipped (2008) as Emily. In 2003, she joined World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) as a backstage interviewer and host of the highlight show WWE Afterburn, where she conducted notable interviews, such as with Sable and Torrie Wilson regarding their Playboy covers on SmackDown, before requesting her release in June 2004. Later in her career, DeBona founded and serves as president of Ruege, Inc., a business focused on high-end makeup artistry and client services in the Greater Chicago area.

Early life and education

Childhood in New Jersey

Ruthann DeBona, known professionally as Rue DeBona, was born on March 7, 1976, in Glen Rock, New Jersey. She spent her formative years in Glen Rock, a small suburban borough in Bergen County located about 20 miles northwest of New York City, known for its family-oriented community, tree-lined streets, and strong public school system. This close-knit environment provided a stable backdrop for her early life in a region characterized by its commuter-friendly access to urban opportunities while maintaining a peaceful, residential atmosphere. DeBona's interest in performance emerged early.

Initial entry into entertainment

As a teenager, DeBona participated in beauty and talent pageants, winning the Miss Junior America title. She secured her first documented television appearance as a guest on The Mickey Mouse Club, featuring as herself in a 1993 episode of the Disney Channel variety show. These initial forays into performance laid the groundwork for her professional pursuits, marking her transition from amateur endeavors to credited on-screen work during the early 1990s.

Music career

Time with Boy Krazy

Rue DeBona (born Ruthann DeBona in 1976), who performed under the stage name Ruth Ann Roberts, joined the all-girl pop group in 1991 at the age of 15 following auditions organized by a New York-based management company. The group, consisting of DeBona alongside Kimberly Blake, Johnna Lee Cummings, and Josselyne Jones, specialized in music produced by the British team Stock Aitken Waterman. In 1993, released their self-titled debut album on Next Plateau Records, which featured upbeat tracks blending and elements. The lead single, "That's What Love Can Do," became their signature hit, peaking at number 18 on the and spending 20 weeks on the chart. This success marked the group's brief moment of national prominence, driven by radio airplay and a promotional . The group supported the album through promotional appearances and performances, including live shows and media spots to capitalize on the single's momentum. Follow-up single "Good Times with Bad Boys" entered the , reaching number 59, but failed to match the debut's performance. disbanded later that year amid declining chart success and limited ongoing support from their independent label, Next Plateau Records, which constrained broader promotion and touring opportunities.

Post-group musical pursuits

Following the disbandment of in 1993, DeBona signed a solo recording contract with in pursuit of an individual career. However, this deal did not result in any released solo albums, singles, or collaborations during the mid-1990s. With no commercial output from these efforts, DeBona's solo musical activities remained limited, and by the late 1990s, she shifted her focus away from toward other opportunities.

Acting career

Early television and film roles

DeBona's earliest documented television appearance came in 1993, when she featured as herself on an episode of The All New Mickey Mouse Club, coinciding with the release of her group's debut album. Transitioning from music, she secured a lead role in the independent drama Savant (1998), where she portrayed a central figure in a narrative exploring parental discovery of their child's exceptional abilities, co-starring with . In the early , DeBona expanded her film work with a supporting part as Hooker #2 in (2001), a crime drama directed by Peter Sehr that follows a young man's entanglement in a heist and romance, alongside and . These roles, primarily in independent productions and minor television spots, helped DeBona build a foundational resume while she navigated opportunities parallel to her post-Boy Krazy musical endeavors.

Notable later appearances

Following her departure from WWE in 2004, Rue DeBona continued to pursue acting opportunities in . In 2006, she appeared as Gina in the independent drama They're Just My Friends, a story centered on a boxer's life and relationships. In 2008, she appeared in the action thriller , directed by , where she portrayed the character Emily alongside in the lead role as a down-on-his-luck ex-cop. DeBona's on-screen presence in Pistol Whipped marked one of her final credited film roles, contributing to the in a story involving and vigilante justice. The release highlighted her transition to more mature dramatic parts beyond her earlier work. Public records indicate limited acting appearances for DeBona after 2008, with no major TV guest spots or films documented through 2025, suggesting a shift away from on-camera pursuits toward other professional endeavors.

Broadcasting and wrestling involvement

WWE hosting and interviewing roles

In 2003, Rue DeBona signed with to serve as the host of the highlight recap program Afterburn, initially co-hosting alongside Josh Matthews before assuming the primary hosting duties. She also took on the role of backstage interviewer for Sunday Night Heat, appearing in multiple episodes throughout 2003 and 2004. These positions leveraged her prior experience in entertainment, allowing her to engage directly with WWE's roster in a professional capacity. DeBona's on-air contributions included several high-profile interviews that showcased WWE's top talent. She spoke with and about their experiences posing for magazine covers, providing fans with behind-the-curtain insights into the wrestlers' extracurricular endeavors. Another key segment featured her interviewing (Paul Wight) prior to his match, where she appeared uncredited on the event's pre-show broadcast in March 2004. These interactions helped bridge storylines from Raw and SmackDown for viewers tuning into supplementary programming. DeBona's WWE tenure concluded after less than a year when she requested and received her release from the company in late June 2004. The brevity of her involvement, spanning from August 2003 to June 2004, reflected the fast-paced nature of 's on-air talent rotations during that era, though specific behind-the-scenes factors influencing her short stay remain undocumented in .

Other broadcasting work

Following her WWE tenure, DeBona expanded her broadcasting career into general entertainment and cultural programming. In 2008, she hosted Firebrand on , a unique show that repurposed television commercials into segments to blend with . The program, which premiered in late 2007 and ran briefly into 2008, received mixed reviews for its innovative format but was ultimately short-lived due to low viewership and production challenges. DeBona also contributed to the launch of the Italian American Network (IA Net) around the same time, serving as an on-air personality to promote Italian and Italian-American through video clips, webisodes, and linear TV content. In a promotional segment, she highlighted the network's mission to celebrate heritage via entertainment, marking her shift toward niche ethnic media platforms. The initiative expanded to video-on-demand and mobile formats, though specific details on her ongoing role remain limited. In the 2010s and beyond, DeBona's broadcasting involvement leaned toward guest appearances rather than regular hosting. She featured on podcasts, including a 2023 episode of A Journey Through Stock Aitken Waterman where she reflected on her early music experiences, demonstrating a more conversational style suited to digital audio formats. This evolution from structured WWE interviews to independent, topic-driven discussions underscored her adaptability in smaller-scale media landscapes.

Personal life

Marriage to Josh Mathews

Rue DeBona met Josh Mathews through their shared professional circles at World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) around 2003–2004, during her tenure as a backstage interviewer and host. The two frequently collaborated on WWE programming, including appearances together on Heat and co-hosting the highlight recap show Afterburn, which helped foster their personal relationship. Their romance progressed quickly within the WWE environment, leading to an engagement in 2005. DeBona and Mathews married in November 2006 in a private ceremony. Throughout their union, the couple maintained connections to the wrestling industry, with Mathews continuing his role as a WWE announcer, providing ongoing professional overlap in broadcasting settings.

Life after divorce

DeBona's to Josh ended in in 2008, after approximately two years of . No public records detail the specific reasons for the or its legal proceedings, as the matter was handled privately. Following the , DeBona remarried and relocated to the area. She has maintained a low public profile regarding further personal developments or family updates. As of 2025, no additional public disclosures have emerged about her current personal status.

References

  1. https://www.wrestlingdata.com/index.php?befehl=bios&wrestler=9652
  2. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1560239/
  3. https://www.discogs.com/artist/111323-Boy-Krazy
  4. https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/rue-debona
  5. https://prowrestling.fandom.com/wiki/Rue_DeBona
  6. https://www.linkedin.com/in/rue-debona-dufkis-5127157
  7. https://www.corcoran.com/neighborhoods/guide/bergen-county-nj/glen-rock
  8. https://www.homes.com/local-guide/glen-rock-nj/
  9. https://www.stockaitkenwaterman.co.uk/artists-boy-krazy
  10. https://www.discogs.com/release/10890656-Boy-Krazy-Boy-Krazy
  11. https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1993-05-15/
  12. https://pophits.org/charts/hot-100/1993-06-12
  13. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1560239/bio/
  14. https://www.discogs.com/artist/10406992-Rue-DeBona
  15. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096641/fullcredits
  16. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0145455/
  17. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0263671/
  18. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1014801/
  19. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21785852/
  20. https://archive.nytimes.com/mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/04/firebrand-burns-out/
  21. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maUxRGqkPUE
  22. http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?area=89&article=41270
  23. https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/ep-70-thats-what-love-can-do/id1565879477?i=1000653161122
  24. https://www.tpww.net/archive/2004/1088220273.php
  25. https://www.wrestlezone.com/news/235377-rvd-out-six-months-wwe-couple-engaged-jericho-more
  26. https://www.wrestlezone.com/news/223363-what-ever-happened-to-backstage-announcer-josh-mathews
  27. https://www.thesportster.com/wrestling/15-lesser-known-women-of-wwe-where-are-they-now/
  28. https://ringthedamnbell.org/whatever-happened-to-wwes-rue-debona/
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.