Lori Loughlin's entertainment career began at a remarkably young age, with her first foray into modeling at just 11 years old24. Her entry into the industry was somewhat serendipitous, as she accompanied her mother's friend to a meeting with a modeling agency in Manhattan4. Despite her mother's initial reluctance, the agency immediately offered Loughlin a contract4. This early start in modeling laid the foundation for her future in the entertainment industry, leading to appearances in various advertisements3. By the age of 15, Loughlin had transitioned into acting, securing her first television role on ABC's popular soap opera "The Edge of Night" in 19804. This early exposure to both modeling and acting set the stage for Loughlin's long and diverse career in the entertainment industry.

Lori Loughlin's breakout role came at the age of 15 when she was cast as Jody Travis in the American daytime soap opera "The Edge of Night." She portrayed the character, an aspiring dancer, from June 16, 1980, to December 30, 1983.15 This role was significant for Loughlin, as it marked her transition from modeling to acting and established her as one of the youngest cast members on the show.2 The experience on "The Edge of Night" proved to be a crucial stepping stone in Loughlin's career, providing her with valuable exposure and acting experience that would pave the way for her future success in television, including her iconic role in "Full House" five years later.4

Lori Loughlin's most iconic role came in 1988 when she joined the cast of ABC's sitcom "Full House" as Rebecca Donaldson, later known as Aunt Becky. Initially introduced as Danny Tanner's co-host on the fictional "Wake Up, San Francisco" morning show, Loughlin's character quickly became a fan favorite and a series regular14. Her on-screen romance and eventual marriage to John Stamos' character, Jesse Katsopolis, was a central storyline that endeared her to audiences. Loughlin portrayed Aunt Becky for seven seasons until the show's conclusion in 1995, and later reprised the role in the Netflix sequel series "Fuller House" from 2016 to 20184. The character's popularity and Loughlin's performance contributed significantly to her status as a beloved figure in '90s pop culture.

In March 2019, Lori Loughlin and her husband Mossimo Giannulli were implicated in the nationwide college admissions bribery scandal, known as Operation Varsity Blues. The couple allegedly paid $500,000 to secure their daughters' admission to the University of Southern California as crew recruits, despite neither participating in the sport.1 After initially pleading not guilty, Loughlin and Giannulli eventually agreed to a plea deal in May 2020.1 Loughlin pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and was sentenced on August 21, 2020, to two months in prison.2 In addition to her prison term, Loughlin was ordered to pay a $150,000 fine and complete 100 hours of community service.2 The scandal significantly impacted Loughlin's career, leading to her immediate dismissal from Hallmark projects and being written off "Fuller House."5