This article will answer every question you have about Christie Brinkley. Below are some of the frequently asked questions about her.
- What does Christie Brinkley do for a living?
- Who are Christie Brinkley’s parents and siblings?
- What are Christie Brinkley’s interests and hobbies?
- Is Christie Brinkley married or does she have a girlfriend?
- Does Christie Brinkley have any children?
- Where is Christie Brinkley now?
- How tall is Christie Brinkley?
- How much money does Christie Brinkley earn?
- What is Christie Brinkley’s net worth?
N/B: Please read the entire post to have all your questions answered.
Who is Christie Brinkley?
Christie Brinkley is an American model, actress, and entrepreneur. Brinkley gained worldwide fame with her appearances in the late 1970s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues, ultimately appearing on an unprecedented three consecutive covers starting in 1979. She spent 25 years as the face of CoverGirl, 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, most notably between 1985 and 1994 to musician Billy Joel, several of whose music videos she appeared in. Her fourth marriage, to architect Peter Cook, ended in a much-publicized 2008 divorce. With a career spanning more than three decades, magazines such as Allure and Men’s Health have named Brinkley one of the most attractive women of all time.
Christie Brinkley’s Career
Career beginnings
Brinkley was discovered in 1973 by American photographer Errol Sawyer in a post office in Paris. He took her first modelling pictures and introduced her to John Casablancas of Elite Model Management agency in Paris. Brinkley stated later: “I was basically a surfer girl from California. I never looked like a model.” After being introduced to Elite, where Brinkley met the fashion photographers Patrick Demarchelier and Mike Reinhardt who called Eileen Ford and told her about Brinkley, 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.
A quick rise to a long career
Multiple appearances on the cover of Glamour soon followed, along with a record 25-year contract with cosmetics brand CoverGirl, one of the longest modelling contracts in history. In 2005, CoverGirl again signed Brinkley, using her in ads in magazines and TV commercials for mature skin products. Brinkley appeared on three consecutive Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue covers (1979, 1980 and 1981) – the first time that had happened – and appeared in the publication’s annual swimsuit issues and television specials for years to follow. Brinkley was featured exclusively in the first Sports Illustrated Calendar and also released two of her own calendars.
Acting
Brinkley played her first actress 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; later spoofed it in a 2008 DirecTV commercial, using footage from Vacation; 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. 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. 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.
Businesses
Brinkley appears with Chuck Norris in a long-running series of cable TV infomercials promoting Total Gym home fitness equipment. In 2008, Brinkley and Dr Carlon Colker promoted National Family Fitness Day with Xbox 360 at the Boy’s and Girl’s Club.
Brinkley promotes Christie Brinkley Authentic Skin Care, a line of beauty products, Hair2Wear, a line of hair extensions, Bellissima Prosecco, an organic sparkling wine label and Christie Brinkley Eyewear, an eyeglasses eyewear. Her financial holdings in 2019 were worth an estimated US$80 million, primarily as the owner of real estate mainly in the Hamptons.
Additional pursuits
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 bestseller list. 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. Brinkley illustrated the cover art for Billy Joel’s 1993 triple platinum album River of Dreams. For this, Rolling Stone awarded her the honour of “Best album cover of the year”.
Brinkley has designed clothing patterns for Simplicity Pattern and in March 1994 helped design, for brand Nouveau Eyewear, her line of prescription glasses and sunglasses called Christie Brinkley Perspectives with worldwide sales. In Spring 1998 she released her own signature fragrance, Belief. Her jewellery collection is manufactured by Swank.
In 1991, Brinkley was considered to have an idea, 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. In 1997, Brinkley has appeared with Chuck Norris in a long-running series of cable TV infomercials promoting Total Gym home fitness equipment.
How Old is Christie Brinkley?
Brinkley was born on February 2, 1954,Monroe, Michigan, U.S. She is currently 63 years.
Christie Brinkley‘s Family
Who are Christie Brinkley’s parents?
Brinkley’s parents are Marjorie and Herbert Hudson.
Does Christie Brinkley have siblings?
Brinkley has a brother named Greg Brinkley.
Christie Brinkley‘s Education
Brinkley was educated at Paul Revere Junior High School and attended Le Lycée Français de Los Angeles from 9th to 12th grade. After graduation in 1972, she moved to Paris to study art.
Christie Brinkley‘s Marriages
- In 1973, to French artist Jean-François Allaux; the marriage ended in 1981 without children.
- In 1985, to musician Billy Joel (born May 9, 1949). 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, the second marriage for both. Guests included singer Paul Simon and members of the band Stray Cats.The marriage ended in August 1994 and produced one child, Alexa Ray Joel, born December 29, 1985. Brinkley and Billy Joel remain close friends.
- In 1994, to real estate developer Richard Taubman. Brinkley and Taubman met in 1994 when a mutual friend introduced them. He proposed to her in May 1994, although 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. Brinkley was 40 years old and Taubman 46 and she announced at their wedding that they were expecting a baby boy. The marriage ended in 1995 with one son, Jack Paris Brinkley, born June 2, 1995.
- In 1996, to architect Peter Halsey Cook. Cook and Brinkley met in 1979 when he was modelling. Later, they were later reintroduced by a mutual friend, NBC’s Jill Rappaport, and announced their engagement in August 1996. They married on September 21, 1996. They had one child, daughter Sailor Lee Brinkley, born July 2, 1998 (who has also become a model). Brinkley’s representative announced in July 2006 that Brinkley and Peter Cook planned to separate. The couple reached a settlement in July 2008, with the divorce finalized either on September 12, 2008, or October 3, 2008, per differing accounts.
Christie Brinkley‘s Children – Kids
Brinkley has three kids are Sailor Lee Brinkley, Jack Paris Cook and Alexa Ray Joel.
Christie Brinkley’s Net Worth
Brinkley has an estimated net worth of $80 million.
Height/Measurements
Brinkley stands at a height of 5 ft 9 1⁄2 in.
