Christie Lee Brinkley (born February 2, 1954) is a model, actress, and entrepreneur from the United States of America Brinkley rose to international prominence as a result of her appearances in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues, and she went on to feature on a historic three consecutive Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue covers in 1979, 1980, and 1981. In addition to spending 25 years as the face of CoverGirl, she has been on more than 500 magazine covers and has signed contracts with big businesses, both in the fashion industry and outside of it.
Brinkley went on to work as an actor, illustrator, television presenter, photographer, writer, and designer, as well as an activist for human and animal rights, as well as for the environment, in the following decades. Brinkley has been married four times, the most recent of which was between 1985 and 1994 to artist Billy Joel, with whom she starred in numerous of his music videos. Brinkley has four children.
Her fourth marriage, to architect Peter Cook, ended in a highly publicized divorce in 2008. She is currently single. Brinkley has been called one of the most gorgeous women of all time by magazines such as Allure and Men's Health, despite having a career that has lasted more than three decades.
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Early Life and Career Beginnings
Christie Brinkley was given the name Christie Lee Hudson when she was born in Monroe, Michigan, in 1954. Later, her family relocated to Los Angeles, where her mother Marjorie met and married television writer and producer Donald Brinkley, whom she had met previously. The family resided in Malibu for a while before settling in Brentwood for a while. Brinkley attended Paul Revere Junior High School and then Le Lycée Français de Los Angeles from 9th to 12th grade, where she graduated with honors. After graduating in 1972, she relocated to Paris to pursue a career in the arts.
It was in a post office in Paris, in 1973 when American photographer Errol Sawyer came upon Brinkley and began photographing her. Once Brinkley had taken her very first modeling photographs, Sawyer connected her to the Elite Model Management agency, where she met famous fashion photographers such as Mike Reinhardt and Patrick Demarchelier. When Brinkley returned to California, she had already been booked for three national ad campaigns.
Career
Soon after, Brinkley began appearing on the covers of Glamour magazine on a regular basis, and she was signed to a deal with CoverGirl that would last for a record 25 years. For the first time in magazine history, she was featured on three consecutive covers of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue from 1979 to 1981, marking the first time this had ever happened.
Brinkley continued to appear in successive editions and on television specials for several years after that. Vogue, Newsweek, Cosmopolitan, Esquire, Harper's Bazaar, Rolling Stone, and the US are just a few of the hundreds of other magazines that have featured her on their covers. During this time, she has worked with a variety of companies, including Max Factor, Nissan, Revlon, Prell, Diet Coke, and Chanel No. 19. Brinkley has been shot in more than 30 countries on six continents over her career.
Film, TV, and Theater
Soon after, Brinkley began appearing on the covers of Glamour magazine on a regular basis, and she was signed to a deal with CoverGirl that would last for a record 25 years. For the first time in magazine history, she was featured on three consecutive covers of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue from 1979 to 1981, marking the first time this had ever happened. Brinkley continued to appear in successive editions and on television specials for several years after that.
Vogue, Newsweek, Cosmopolitan, Esquire, Harper's Bazaar, Rolling Stone, and the US are just a few of the hundreds of other magazines that have featured her on their covers. During this time, she has worked with a variety of companies, including Max Factor, Nissan, Revlon, Prell, Diet Coke, and Chanel No. 19. Brinkley has been shot in more than 30 countries on six continents over her career.
Christie Brinkley's Net Worth
Christie Brinkley's net worth: Christy Brinkley is an American model, entrepreneur, and actress who has a net worth of $100 million. Christie first became internationally famous in the 1970s as a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model.
She eventually went on to become one of the most successful and highest-paid models in the world. She rose to fame in the 1970s thanks to her appearances in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues, and for 25 years served as the face of CoverGirl. With a career spanning over three decades, Brinkley has been featured on more than 500 magazine covers and has worked with a plethora of major brands.
Personal Life
Brinkley has had a lengthy and illustrious love life, having been married four times as of 2021, according to the wiki. She originally married French artist Jean-François Allaux in 1973, and they separated in 1981 after a decade of marriage. The next year, in 1985, she married musician Billy Joel, with whom she had one child, a daughter called Alexa Ray Joel, who is also a singer and actress.
In 1994, the couple decided to separate. Later that year, Brinkley tied the knot with real estate entrepreneur Richard Taubman in Telluride, Colorado, which was close to the location where they had both been involved in a helicopter accident the previous year. A son was born to them before they separated and divorced in 1995.
The next year, Brinkley married architect Peter Halsey Cook in a lavish ceremony. They divorced in 2008, after having only one child, a daughter. Other ties that have developed over the years include those with Olivier Chandon de Brailles, a descendant of the Mot-Chandon family who died in a traffic accident, and artist John Mellencamp.
Brinkley has also had a long history of participation in politics and philanthropy, as well. Approximately $1 million has been donated to different Democratic organizations and politicians, including Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and the Democratic National Committee, since the late 1990s. Her contributions total approximately $1 million.
Furthermore, she has taken part in anti-nuclear demonstrations and is an advocate for animal rights through the PETA organization.
Real Estate
Surprisingly, the majority of Christie's net worth does not come from her modeling career. Brinkley has made a number of extremely wise real estate investments over the years. She has primarily invested in property in the ultra-exclusive New York beach town of The Hamptons. Her portfolio of real estate is easily worth $60 million or more. For example, in the mid-1990s, Christie spent $2.7 million over several transactions on a 21-acre Hamptons home. She listed this property for sale in 2007 for $30 million, ultimately selling for $17 million.
Her current residence, Tower Hill, is a 20-acre estate dating back to 1891. A gated compound comprised of three separate lots and a 50-foot-tall observation tower, it features a four-bedroom, five-bath main house, as well as a four-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath guest house with a greenhouse conservatory.
Also in the Hamptons, Brinkley has a five-bedroom estate spanning about four-and-a-half acres; it boasts a pool, chef's kitchen, a master suite, and a private terrace that overlooks the harbor. Built-in 1843, the home retains original details including an oak banister and grand columns.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was Christie Brinkley a Runway Model?
In the fashion industry for decades, Christie Brinkley has been a popular model because of her radiant smile and vivacious sartorial flair. Longtime model and media personality Linda Evangelista has demonstrated that strutting your stuff is simple and gorgeous at any age, from magazine covers to runway events and important campaigns in between.
