Meet Emily Fernandez: Facts about the Little Women star's career and net worth
Emily Fernandez gained notoriety for starring in Lifetime's Little Women: LA franchise. Best known as Rightcheek, she was the other half of the now-defunct rap duo The Cheek. In a 2019 appearance on the No Jumper podcast, Emily shared that she always wanted a career in the entertainment industry, saying:
I like being the centre of attention, so it made sense to become an artist and a reality TV star.
Source: Instagram
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Emily was born with achondroplasia, a genetic disorder whose primary feature is dwarfism.
- She and her former best friend Bri Barlup (Leftcheek) released several tracks, including Run That Check.
- In 2016, Fernandez's second child, Lontel Johnson Jr., succumbed to health complications at three months after being born with achondroplasia.
Emily Fernandez's profile summary
Full name | Emily Fernandez |
Nickname | Rightcheek |
Date of birth | 30 June 1991 |
Age | 34 years old (As of February 2026) |
Birthplace | United States of America |
Nationality | American |
Marital status | Single (Reportedly) |
Children | 3 |
Baby daddy | Lontel Johnson |
Profession | Reality TV star, musician |
Social media |
Emily Fernandez is a Pennsylvania native: A look at her roots
Emily (34 as of January 2026) was born on 30 June 1991 in Pennsylvania, USA. Her biological parents put her up for adoption when she was a baby. Speaking with Adam22 on the No Jumper podcast, shared a glimpse of her childhood, revealing:
My biological parents put me up for adoption because of my dwarfism. My adoptive parents, also little people, took me in specifically because I was little. They paid about $300,000 to facilitate the adoption.
Sadly, Fernandez's adoptive mother passed away on her 16th birthday due to surgery complications. She describes this as a significant turning point in her life.
Source: Original
She met her former "bestie" and music partner at 17 years old
Fernandez met Bri Barlup at a little person convention, and they soon developed a close friendship. They appeared in several music videos before Lil Chuckee gave them the stage names Rightcheek and Leftcheek. In 2017, the pair released their debut single Poppin Bottles.
In two months, the track had amassed over 12 million YouTube views. Some of their other songs include HD, SYS and Gettin' Rich. However, Bri and Emily reportedly fell out in late 2019, ending their nearly decade-long friendship. They had unfollowed each other on social media by Winter 2020.
Transition from club dancer to reality TV star
Emily worked at a club before she joined Little Women: Atlanta as a main cast member in 2016. After the show's Season 2, she relocated to Texas and starred in both seasons of its spin-off, Little Women: Dallas.
Fernandez returned to the Atlanta series for Season 5, but she did not appear in Season 6. On the show, Emily was known for her longstanding rivalry with the Tiny Twins, Amanda and Andrea Salinas, and her physical altercation with Tiffani Chance.
Source: Instagram
Emily described her late son as an "answered prayer"
On 27 April 2016, Emily and her then-boyfriend, Lontel Johnson, welcomed a son, Lontel Johnson Jr. However, the newborn faced several complications after birth, including multiple seizures and blood accumulation in his brain.
After undergoing numerous surgeries, JJ was taken off the ventilator in August. In an interview with People the same month, Fernandez revealed that she "fought for his life".
My did not receive enough oxygen while still in the womb. After his birth, doctors realised he could not see or hear. Although I fought hard to keep my baby alive, I had to think of how much pain he was enduring and eventually decided to let him rest. He taught me the true meaning of love and sacrifice.
In October 2018, Emily's second son (Zayne Odell), conceived through IVF with Lontel Johnson, was born. Like his mother, he has achondroplasia. Fernandez has an average-sized daughter, Eva, from a previous relationship.
Source: Instagram
Fernandez reportedly has a trust fund
Although Emily Fernanndez's net worth remains unverified, various sources estimated it between $500,000 and $2 million. She has amassed this wealth from several income streams, including:
- Television appearance: Earnings from starring in the Little Women: LA franchise
- Music: Streaming royalties and live performances as a solo artist and member of The Cheek
- Media and business: Sales from her Overcoming Limits book and income from her OnlyFans account
- Personal assets: She reportedly has a trust fund established by her wealthy adoptive parents
FAQs
Emily Fernandez was featured in rapper Lil Chuckee's music video for Da Wopp. Below are some frequently asked questions about her:
Who is Emily Fernandez dating?
Fernandez dated Lontel on and off for about four years. In 2017, she began dating rapper Dreadz 448, with whom she recorded the song Lifetime. As of early 2022, Emily was in a relationship with rapper Scotty Cain. Her current relationship status remains unknown.
Source: Instagram
Who are the Little Women: Dallas cast members?
Little Women: Dallas aired on Lifetime from 2 November 2016 to 17 May 2017. The series chronicles the lives of a group of women with dwarfism living in Texas. Some of its cast members include Amanda Joy, Brichelle Humprey, Caylea Woodbury, Tiffani Chance, and Asta Young.
Wrapping up
Emily Fernandez is widely recognised for appearing in Little Women: Atlanta and Little Women: Dallas. Besides reality television, she is a rapper who has released singles such as Young Dog, Love Me, Fragalistic and Back It Up.
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Briefly highlighted lesser-known facts about reality TV star Jojo Robinson. She appeared on Season 2 of the reality TV show, Real Housewives of Durban and is widely recognised for her heavily tattooed body and taste for the good things in life.
Jojo's husband is a Durban tycoon called Calven Robinson. He runs a business empire and is also a former kickboxing champion, famously known as The Butcher.
Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.
Source: Briefly News
