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Call it Upper East Side cardio — with a carry-on.
More than a decade after playing Serena’s mom, Lily van der Woodsen, on “Gossip Girl,” Kelly Rutherford is now trading Pilates for passport stamps.
The actress told Fox News Digital she prefers a fitness routine that keeps her looking and feeling her best, effortlessly, of course.
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Kelly Rutherford at the Elie Saab Fall RTW 2025 fashion show as part of Paris Fashion Week held at Palais de Tokyo on March 8, 2025, in Paris, France. (River Callaway/WWD via Getty Images)
“I think just pushing luggage through the airport lately has been [my] workout,” she laughed. “Seriously, it’s been a lot of that. But I love to swim. I was on the swim team in school. I find it so peaceful, and it’s good for your whole body. And I find it’s really good mentally, too. So, I love that.”
“I love to play tennis in the summer with my kids, and [do] a lot of things outdoors,” she shared. “I love to go for a hike or a walk. I have little dogs. I have two little dachshunds, so they keep me very busy running after them.”
That jet-set pace is no accident.
WATCH: KELLY RUTHERFORD SHARES WELLNESS ROUTINE AND LIFE IN MONACO
The star, 57, recently teamed up with her longtime friend Véronique Gabai to launch a perfume, “Rose Première.” It’s a luxurious blend of mandarin, musk and the iconic romantic flower.
Kelly Rutherford’s new luxurious fragrance, “Rose Première,” is available now. (Véronique Gabai)
Last year, the women traveled to Grasse in the south of France, where the Rose de Mai of Grasse, a rare and highly fragrant rose, is hand-harvested in the early May mornings when its scent is at its peak. The women spent many sunrises bonding over picking flowers.
The passion project brought Rutherford back to her childhood, watching her grandfather tend to his rose garden — while keeping her active.
For Rutherford, though, it’s also about something deeper.
Kelly Rutherford and her son, Hermés Gustaf Daniel Giersch, attend the Summer Gala by Gala One in Saint-Tropez, France, on July 24, 2025. Rutherford also has a daughter, Helena Grace Rutherford Giersch. (Stephane Cardinale-Corbis/Corbis)
“I think you always want to stay healthy for your kids and be a good example for your children,” she explained. “As much as we want to give advice and say so many things to do, they really follow mostly what we do more than what we say. And I think about that a lot because I tend to want to do too many things. And so, I have to say, ‘OK, I don’t want to set that example of being too stressed and trying to do too many things and worry.’”
Ed Westwick and Kelly Rutherford are seen on the set of “Gossip Girl” in New York City on Aug. 10, 2012. (Anderson/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
“I’ve learned to say, ‘How do I create a balanced life?'” she said. “But they’re giving me advice at this point. I think the greatest thing I’ve learned is to ask your kids for advice because they know. They’re so smart. Every generation comes in with more knowledge and more information, certainly about the time they’re living in. So, I think it’s important to listen and be open.”
Kelly Rutherford is seen doing yoga at The Standard Hotel in New York City on Oct. 9, 2014. (Chance Yeh/Getty Images)
The star is in familiar territory. While she calls the U.S. home, she’s also built a life in Monaco, where her children are based.
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Kelly Rutherford has built a life for herself in Monaco over the years. (Jean-Patrick Deya/Gamma-Rapho)
“I love it there,” she gushed. “It’s so beautiful. Look, anytime I think you’re close to your kids, it’s the most beautiful thing. And it’s a beautiful place. It’s very quiet. Obviously, in the summer with the Grand Prix and all the people coming to enjoy the south of France, it’s super busy. But most of the year, it’s super quiet and a beautiful place to live.”
“If you go to Paris, you’re inspired by people walking down the street,” she pointed out. “In Monaco, it’s the same thing. I’m always inspired by Monaco. You can get really dressy in Monaco, but you can also, like in New York, be casual and relaxed. Maybe it’s a bit conservative in certain ways, but you find that everywhere.”
“Everything meaningful starts with love,” said Kelly Rutherford ahead of her fragrance launch. (Véronique Gabai)
“And Grace Kelly — I think we’ve got to give her a lot of credit for Monaco and for what it is today, and for her style and what she brought there,” Rutherford continued, referring to the American Oscar winner who became Princess of Monaco.
American actress Grace Kelly is shown in a portrait, circa 1955. (Archive Photos/Getty Images)
“I think of her often in Monaco — what she brought, how she raised her children and what an amazing woman she was.”
“It’s funny, I remember taking my daughter for a mani-pedi in Monaco,” Rutherford reflected. “There was a perfume on the counter. It was a fragrance for Grace Kelly. I thought, ‘I’m going to have my own perfume like Grace Kelly!’”
Kelly Rutherford told Fox News Digital that love makes her feel at her most confident. (Véronique Gabai)
The late actress has also inspired Rutherford’s approach to makeup. These days, she prefers simple “clean beauty,” sticking to products made without harsh or unnecessary ingredients.
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Kelly Rutherford is seen here with her longtime pal Véronique Gabai as they pick flowers in Grasse for their new fragrance. (Véronique Gabai)
But her glow isn’t just skin-deep.
“What makes me feel confident? My goodness, I think love,” she said. “I think loving my children and feeling loved by my children and my doggies. Having work I love and friends I love, like Véronique Gabai, whom I’ve known for 15 years. To work with people that I love and admire. I think it’s [about] having a really good foundation of love, and that foundation in my life helps everything else. I think it gives me a lot of confidence in what I’m doing.”
Kelly Rutherford’s “Rose Première” perfume highlights the Rose de Mai of Grasse, a rare and highly fragrant rose, hand-harvested in the early May mornings when its scent is at its peak. (Véronique Gabai)
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“It will always be love,” she added.