She’s been celebrated the world over for her beauty and initiative, and now Christie Brinkley is about to be feted for the passing of a major personal milestone.
Happy Birthday, Christie Brinkley!
And that’s because she was born on February 2, 1954, in Monroe, Michigan, which means that this talented beauty is turning 67 years old today! After graduating high school, Brinkley relocated to Paris where she intended to study art. While standing in line at a post office, Brinkley was approached by American photographer Errol Sawyer who gaged her interest in becoming a model.
Brinkley posed for Sawyer, who in turn introduced her to John Casablancas of Elite Model Management in Paris. That meeting led to further introductions, first to fashion photographers Patrick Demarchelier and Mike Reinhardt, and then to Nina Blanchard, a representative of Ford Models.
Brinkley was soon booked for three national ad campaigns, which led to immense success in the fashion world. As an editorial model, Brinkley appeared on the cover of over 500 magazines, including Sports Illustrated – Swimsuit Edition (she still holds the record for appearing on the front of three consecutive issues), US, Glamour, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, Esquire, Vogue, Cosmopolitan, and the best-selling issue of Life.
As a spokesperson/endorser, Brinkley has advertised for Chanel No. 19, Prell, MasterCard, Breck, Diet Coke, Nissan, Revlon, Clairol, Nu Skin, and Halston, among others. Brinkley also served as the face of CoverGirl for 25 years.
In 1983, Brinkley branched out into professional acting with a role in National Lampoon’s Vacation, and it can well be argued that her indelible work as, “The Girl in the Red Ferrari,” transcended the film itself.
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The character has been parodied in many other pictures, animated series (Family Guy in particular), live-action comedies (such as The Goldbergs), and commercials, and Brinkley even reprised her in Vegas Vacation, a sequel to the original.
Brinkley’s other film and TV credits include Jack and Jill (2011), and episodes of Mad About You (1994), Ugly Betty (2009), and a recurring role on the workplace sitcom Parks and Recreation (2012-2015). Brinkley’s appearance on Mad About You was the peacock network’s highest-rated half-hour program since the finale of The Cosby Show two years prior.
Brinkley served as hostess of Celebrity Weddings InStyle, the highest-rated special in Lifetime’s history, and the infotainment series Living in the 90s – With Christie Brinkley. She is also a published author (Christie Brinkley’s Outdoor Beauty and Fitness Book), and the creator of a skincare line, a line of hair extensions, a wine label, and an assortment of eyeglass wear. In 2019, she appeared on Dancing With The Stars, but an injury in rehearsal ended her season practically before it began.
Brinkley has been married four times, most notably to musician Billy Joel, real estate developer Richard Taubman, and architect Peter Halsey Cook. During her marriage to Joel, Brinkley appeared in several of his music videos (including Uptown Girl, Keeping the Faith, and A Matter of Trust), and illustrated the cover art for his album River of Dreams. Prior to her marriage with Taubman, Brinkley and he survived a helicopter crash which ultimately resulted in Brinkley undergoing a full hip replacement.
With Joel, Brinkley shares a daughter, Alexa Ray (born December 29, 1985); with Taubman, a son: Jack Paris (born June 2, 1995); and with Cook, a daughter, Sailor Lee (born (July 2, 1998).
Entertainment Hub would like to wish Christie Brinkley a very happy birthday, and you can too by clicking on the Twitter link below.
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