Christie Lee Brinkley (née Hudson; born February 2, 1954) is an American model.[2] Brinkley appeared on an unprecedented three consecutive covers of Sports IllustratedSwimsuit Issues in 1979, 1980, and 1981. She spent 25 years as the face of
CoverGirl,[3] has appeared on over 500 magazine covers, and has signed contracts with major brands; both fashion and non-fashion.
Brinkley went on to work as an actress,
illustrator, television personality, photographer, writer, designer, and
activist for human and animal rights and the
environment. Brinkley has been married four times, including to musician
Billy Joel between 1985 and 1994, having appeared in several of his music videos. Her fourth marriage, to architect Peter Cook, ended in a much-publicized 2008 divorce. Magazines such as Allure and Men's Health have named Brinkley one of the most attractive women of all time.[4]
After graduation in 1972, she moved to
Paris to study art.[5][7]
Career
Career beginnings
Brinkley was discovered in 1973 by American photographer
Errol Sawyer in a post office in Paris.[6] He took her first modeling pictures and introduced her to
John Casablancas of
Elite Model Management agency in Paris.[8] Brinkley stated later: "I was basically a surfer girl from California. I never looked like a model."[7] After being introduced to
Elite, where Brinkley met the
fashion photographersPatrick Demarchelier and
Mike Reinhardt[9] who called
Eileen Ford and told her about Brinkley,[6] she returned to California, and by the end of a lunch meeting with Nina Blanchard (Eileen Ford affiliate in Los Angeles) she had been booked for three national ad campaigns.[7]
Breakthrough and continued success
Multiple appearances on the cover of Glamour soon followed, along with a record 25-year contract with cosmetics brand
CoverGirl,[3] one of the longest modeling contracts in history.[7][10] In 2005, CoverGirl again signed Brinkley, using her in ads in magazines and TV commercials for mature skin products.[11]
Brinkley appeared on three consecutive Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue covers (1979,[12] 1980,[13] and 1981[14]) – the first time that had happened – and appeared in the publication's annual swimsuit issues and television specials for years to follow.[15] Brinkley was featured exclusively in the first Sports Illustrated Calendar and also released two of her own calendars.[16] In 2005, Brinkley was featured in the special Sports Illustrated 40th Anniversary Issue's Hall of Fame, celebrating the most revered figures in the magazine's history and again in 2014, in the 50th Anniversary The Legends.[17]
In 1989, Brinkley was, along with
Cheryl Tiegs and
Beverly Johnson, one of the three models featured as dolls produced by
Matchbox Toys called The Real Model Collection.
Acting and television appearances
Brinkley played her first acting role in the 1983 film National Lampoon's Vacation as "The girl in the red Ferrari" opposite
Chevy Chase. She reprised that role in the 1997 sequel Vegas Vacation;[19] later spoofed it in a 2008
DirecTV commercial, using footage from Vacation;[20] again in a 2015
Infiniti commercial as the wife in the Infiniti (the blonde in the convertible for this spoof is model Scarlett Burke); and again in the ABC series The Goldbergs in 2019.[21] In 2011, she appeared as herself in the documentary King of the Hamptons, which was produced by filmmaker
Dennis Michael Lynch. The film premiered at the 2010
Hamptons International Film Festival.
Brinkley's appearance on
NBC's Mad About You was the broadcaster's highest-rated half-hour episode since the finale of The Cosby Show.[16] She hosted Celebrity Weddings InStyle, the highest-rated special in
Lifetime's history. Brinkley appeared on the Today Show in 1983 in a four-part segment featuring beauty tips and, in 1992, began her own television series Living in the 90s — With Christie Brinkley, a daily half-hour show on
CNN.[22]
On April 8, 2011, in New York, Brinkley made her stage debut as
Roxie Hart in the long-running musical Chicago. In August, she completed a one-month engagement in the London's production at
Cambridge Theatre and reprised the role on Broadway and continued with 182 total performances with the National Touring Company of Chicago in cities including Los Angeles, San Diego, Boston and Hartford.[25] In April 2019, Brinkley reprised the Roxie Hart role in Chicago at the Venetian Theatre at
The Venetian Las Vegas.
On August 5, 2019, it was reported by
Deadline that Brinkley would have a guest role on the season 7 premiere of the ABC television series The Goldbergs playing a character named Aleah Welsh.[26][27]
In August 2019, Brinkley was announced as one of the celebrities to compete on the
28th season of Dancing with the Stars. However, sometime before the premiere, she suffered injuries to her wrist and arm that required emergency surgery. As a result, her daughter
Sailor, stepped in her place for the season.[28][29]
Brinkley promotes Christie Brinkley Authentic Skin Care, a line of beauty products,[33] Hair2Wear,[34] a line of hair extensions, Bellissima Prosecco, an organic
sparkling wine label[35] and Christie Brinkley Eyewear, an eyeglasses eyewear.[36]
Her financial holdings in 2019 were worth an estimated US$80 million,[4] primarily as the owner of real estate mainly in the Hamptons.[37]
Other work
In 1983, Brinkley wrote and illustrated a book on health and beauty, Christie Brinkley's Outdoor Beauty and Fitness Book, which topped
The New York Times Best Seller list.[18]
Brinkley has designed clothing patterns for Simplicity Pattern[22] and in March 1994 helped design, for brand Nouveau Eyewear, her line of prescription glasses and sunglasses called Christie Brinkley Perspectives with worldwide sales.[16][18] In Spring 1998 she released her own signature fragrance, Believe.[7] Her jewelry collection is manufactured by Swank.[16]
Public image
In 1991, Brinkley was considered to have an ideal, all-American look with her blonde hair, blue eyes, slim figure, and soft features, when Allure first conducted a survey taking the pulse of the average American (men and women) searching for their beauty perceptions and preferences.[38]
In 1998, Playboy readers voted Brinkley one of the 100 Sexiest Women of the 20th century.[39] Brinkley is ranked third in the
AskMen.comTop 10 Supermodels Of All Time.[40] In 2011, Men's Health named her one of the "100 Hottest Women of All-Time", ranking her at No. 16.[41] Pop-topia.com named her No. 1 on their list of "10 Hottest Hollywood Women In Their 50s" in 2013.[42]
Personal life
In 1973, Brinkley married French artist Jean-François Allaux; the marriage ended in 1981 without children.[43]
In 1982, Brinkley had a romantic relationship with
Olivier Chandon de Brailles, heir to the
Moët-Chandon Champagne fortune. The two met at
Studio 54 in New York City at a party promoting a calendar in which Brinkley appeared.[43] Chandon died a year later in a crash at a private pre-season practice session car race.[44][45]
Her second marriage was in 1985 to musician
Billy Joel. The two had met in 1983 on the Island of
St Barts, in the
Caribbean, and were married on March 23, 1985, on a yacht on the
Hudson River; it was also Joel's second marriage. Guests included singer
Paul Simon and members of the band
Stray Cats.[46] The marriage ended in August 1994;[47] they had one child,
Alexa Ray Joel, born December 29, 1985.[48] Brinkley and Billy Joel remain close friends.[43]
In 1994, Brinkley was introduced to
real estate developer Richard Taubman by a mutual friend. He proposed in May 1994 while she and
Billy Joel were still married. She married Taubman on December 22, 1994, in
Telluride, Colorado, near the area where they were both in a helicopter crash on April 1, 1994.[49][50] Brinkley was 40 years old and Taubman 46. She announced at their wedding that they were expecting a baby boy. The marriage ended in 1995 with one son,[43] Jack Paris Brinkley, born June 2, 1995.[51]
Brinkley's fourth marriage was in 1996, to architect Peter Halsey Cook. Cook and Brinkley met in 1979 when he was modeling.[52][citation needed] They were later reintroduced by a mutual friend,
NBC's Jill Rappaport,[citation needed] and announced their engagement in August 1996.[52][citation needed] They married on September 21, 1996.[53] They had one child, daughter
Sailor Lee Brinkley Cook, born July 2, 1998[54] (who has also became a model[55][56][57]). Brinkley's representative announced in July 2006 that Brinkley and Peter Cook planned to separate.[58] The couple reached a settlement in July 2008; accounts differ as to whether divorce was final on September 12, 2008,[59] or October 3, 2008.[53]
In September 2015, it was widely reported that
John Mellencamp was in a new relationship with Brinkley.[60] In August 2016, the couple announced their separation after almost a year of dating.[61]
Health
In 1994, Brinkley survived a helicopter crash that occurred during a ski trip in
Telluride, Colorado.[62] As a result, she suffered years of hip pain, culminating in a full hip replacement in 2021.[63]
Christie Brinkley Scholarship, at February 2007 by
The Ross School in
East Hampton,
Long Island, New York. This scholarship allows students interested in art or environment sciences get four free years at
Ross High School.
Heart Award, special honor from the
American Heart Association in the "12th Annual Heart of the Hamptons Gala" for her commitment to helping children live healthier lives. Brinkley said she was very honored to receive the award from the AHA being convinced that the research from the organization made it possible for her mother to be alive after suffering five strokes.[73]
Humanitarian Award, given by
March of Dimes. This organization is dedicated to improving the health of babies by preventing birth defects,
premature birth, and infant mortality through research, community services, education and advocacy.[74]
Merit Award, by the non-profit USA national organization Mothers Voices which mission is strengthens family communication about sex, sexual health and HIV/AIDS/STD prevention through education and awareness, mobilize parents and caregivers to become their child's frontline sexual health educator.[16][75]
Mother of the Year, given by The National Mothers Day committee at a ceremony held in New York City.[18]
Merit Award, given by
Make-A-Wish Foundation in New York. They work granting the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength, and joy.[16][74]
America's Mothers and Shakers, named by Redbook Magazine for her involvement in "STAR — Standing for Truth About Radiation".[18]
HBA's Positively Beautiful Award, named by HBA Global Expo on behalf of her work with the international charity
Smile Train.[76]
Mothers Who Make A Difference Award, given by Love Our Children USA on the 2011 Sixth Annual edition, recognizing and supporting four celebrity moms for balancing motherhood, work and causes.[77]
Broadway Beacon Award for her portrayal of
Roxie Hart in the hit musical Chicago (June 4, 2012).[78]
Honor by the South Fork Natural History Museum and Nature Center for her many years of work to raise awareness about nuclear radiation and the safety of the oceans.(June 16, 2012).[79]
2013 Pet Hero Award, Humanitarian of the Year, by the Pet Philanthropy Circle for her strong advocacy for animals, environment and wildlife.[80]
2018 FN Style Influencer of the Year along with daughters Alexa and Sailor.[81]
Filmography
This section needs expansion. You can help by
adding to it. (March 2022)
^
abc"Christie Brinkley — Model Profile". New York. Retrieved July 2, 2008. A guide to the career of Christie Brinkley including cover shots, party photos, runway images, backstage photos, quotes, and more.
^"Joel, Brinkley make splash with wedding". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. March 24, 1985. p. A2. Joel, 35, and Brinkley, 31, took their vows in a private ceremony attended by 175 family members and friends, including Paul Simon and the Stray Cats.