6 things you need to know about Lauren Sanchez, the former TV anchor and pilot reportedly dating Jeff Bezos
- Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos announced on Wednesday that he and his wife MacKenzie are divorcing.
- Hours later, reports surfaced in the tabloid press that Bezos has been dating former TV anchor Lauren Sanchez.
- Sanchez has a pretty cool life.
- As well as a TV career, she is a licensed helicopter pilot, founded her own aerial filming company, and has starred in movies including "Fight Club."
Hours after Jeff Bezos announced he and his wife MacKenzie are divorcing, the tabloid press was buzzing with stories about the Amazon CEO's new romance.
According to New York's Post's Page Six, TMZ, and the National Enquirer among others, Bezos is dating former TV news anchor Lauren Sanchez.
The Enquirer said it had trailed Bezos and Sanchez for some time, and on Thursday published images of the pair together. In one photo on the Enquirer's front page, the duo appear to be holding hands.
Sanchez has been in the public eye for much of her career, and seems to lead a pretty cool life. Here are six fast facts about the TV star-turned-pilot:
1. She's had a long career as a reporter and news anchor
Sanchez started her journalistic career as an intern on LA Channel 13 while on a scholarship at the University of Southern California, according to an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
She went on to be a host at various news channels, becoming a longtime co-anchor on Fox 11's "Good Day LA," as well as appearing as a host and correspondent on "Extra."
2. She's a licensed plane and helicopter pilot
Sanchez learned how to fly while working as a news anchor, and she started flying planes in 2011 before going on to get her helicopter pilot's license in 2016.
Her interest in aviation seems to have been sparked at an early age, as her father was a flight instructor and mechanic who rebuilt planes.
"I was always in the hangar growing up but knew nothing about flying," she told the Hollywood Reporter.
3. She founded her own female-led aerial filming company
Sanchez founded Black Ops Aviation in 2016, a "female owned and operated" aerial filming company, which has shot footage for Amazon, Netflix, and Fox among others.
You can watch the company's demo reel here:
Sanchez also leant her aerial filming knowledge to Christopher Nolan as a consultant on "Dunkirk."
4. She's played a news anchor in a bunch of movies and TV shows
As well as being an anchor in real life, Sanchez has starred as a news anchor in movies including "Fight Club," "The Day After Tomorrow," and "The Fantastic Four," according to IMDB.
5. She used to host a dancing reality show "So You Think You Can Dance"
Sanchez was an original host on the first series of Fox's "So You Think You Can Dance," but reportedly left the show after the first season to have her second child.
6. While she is still married to Hollywood agent Patrick Whitesell, the pair are reportedly separated
Whitesell is co-CEO of Hollywood agency WME, and his clients include Matt Damon, Christian Bale, and Hugh Jackman. Whitesell and Sanchez married in 2005, and sources told the New York Post that they separated in the fall.