Christie Brinkley embodied the vibrant and daring 1980s style that everyone coveted.
Christie’s life has been filled with drama despite the stunning exterior and all the glitz. The supermodel has endured horrific losses, and once a helicopter mishap came dangerously close to taking her life.
What is the famous model now doing?
She looks just as stunning at 68 years old, which is hard to comprehend.
On February 2, 1954, Christie Lee Brinkley was born in Monroe, Michigan. She eventually relocated to California with her family, and Christie spent her formative years there.
Christie developed relationships with people in Hollywood and the entertainment business early in life. Marjorie, her mother, wed writer Donald Brinkley, a well-known name in the television business. Donald wrote nearly 400 teleplays, but he is most known for creating hit programs like Trapper John M.D. and Medical Center.
Later, Donald would formally adopt Christie and Greg. Instead of calling him their stepfather, they called him their father.
Christie relocated to Europe in 1972 after earning her diploma from the French School of Los Angeles in order to pursue art in Paris and “be so bohemian.” After a few years of working as an apprentice illustrator, she appeared to have found her footing.
However, when American photographer Errol Sawyer found the blonde beauty in 1973, the relocation to Paris would change her life irrevocably. Sawyer saw Christie holding her puppy in a basket as she walked down the street to call a vet. Her lengthy and prosperous career as a model began when the photographer requested if he may take some modeling photos of her.
Christie, however, could never have imagined that thousands of magazine covers throughout the world would feature her face.
I was essentially a Californian surfer chick. In 2008, she said to New York Magazine, “I never looked like a model.
Errol Sawyer put Christie in touch with various modeling agencies. Later, she met for lunch with Eileen Ford, who was in charge of one of the biggest modeling agencies in the world. Following that, Christie agreed to carry out three significant national advertising campaigns all around the United States.
Numerous positions followed. The teenage model broke records when she inked a contract with the cosmetic company CoverGirl and featured on the cover of Glamour.
One of the longest model contracts ever established, the agreement covered a period of 25 years. It was the first time the same model graced the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue for three years in a row when Christie featured on the cover from 1979 to 1981.
“You will be burned up and tossed away by the time you’re 30,” a bunch of successful models told me when I first started out, Christie recalled to People in 2011.
Christie, who personifies the ideal of American beauty, also received two of her own calendars from Sports Illustrated. She basically had her face on display everywhere in the early 1980s, so we scarcely need to mention it.
She actually came to represent the whole decade. According to New York Magazine, Brinkley was “a type of fiercely naïve American sunniness” and her appearance symbolized the Cold War era under Reagan.
Christie wanted to try acting and set for Hollywood after her debut in modeling. She starred opposite Chevy Chase as “The girl in the red Ferrari” in the 1983 film National Lampoon’s Vacation, which served as her acting debut. In 1997, she reprised her role as the blonde beauty with the red Ferrari in another Vacation film.
Christie has made numerous television appearances and has been in numerous music videos, the most well-known of which was perhaps Billy Joel’s iconic “Uptown Girl” clip.
Many people also recognize her as Gayle Gergich from the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation, where she plays the wife of Garry Gergich, a worker for the parks department.
Christie made another risky move in 2010 when she appeared on Broadway in the classic musical Chicago as Roxie Hart. The renowned model most recently participated as a contestant on the hit program The Masked Singer.
You might not want to consult Christie for dating advice given her four divorces.
There are, however, undoubtedly a lot of intriguing information that would be worth mentioning when considering her ex-husbands and what she has gone through.
Christie planned to move to Paris in the 1970s to live a bohemian lifestyle, as she has previously claimed. The strongest illustration of this, perhaps? her union with Jean-François Allaux, a French artist. The pair married in 1973 and remained together until 1981, however they never had children.
Following the divorce, Christie began dating Oliver Chandon de Brailles, a fellow Frenchman. Oliver was the heir to the Mot-Chandon Champagne fortune, therefore he hailed from a very different world than Christie’s ex-husband.
In 1982, at an event when Christie was promoting her Sports Illustrated calendar, the couple met at New York’s famed Studio 54.
When asked about the relationship at the time, Olivier told the media that while he appreciated his girlfriend’s beauty, “her simplicity is very essential to me.” Christie felt compelled to respond, “He doesn’t mean simpleminded,” in order to clarify.
However, their love tale would end in great tragedy. Skydiver and race car driver Oliver Chandon de Brailles passed away in 1983 following a terrible vehicle accident on a racetrack in West Palm Beach, Florida.
On the day Oliver died, Christie and Oliver, who were frequently seen together and being trailed by photographers, were going to meet. Just an hour prior to the fatal collision, she had called to set up their rendezvous in Palm Beach. But she decided to remain in California after learning about the horrible incident.
Billy Joel and supermodel Christie first connected in 1983 in the Caribbean island of St. Barts. She was his senior by five years.
The Grammy-winning musician reportedly created the popular song “Uptown Girl” for Christie after they fell head over heels in love. The celebrity couple wed aboard a yacht on the Hudson River in front of 200 guests two years later.
Christie’s immediate family attended the wedding, along with several other notable guests including the musician Paul Simon and the Stray Cats.
Alexa Ray Joel was born on December 29, 1985, and the two superstars remained together until 1994. One of Billy Joel’s musical heroes, Ray Charles, is referenced in Alexa’s middle name.
Christie and Billy Joel’s marriage, which starred an uptown girl and a piano player, is still famous, and the two are still close friends.
Christie remarked on The Wendy Williams Show: “We had Alexa together and we knew it was going to bond us together for life so we wanted to make our divorce work.” She continued:
“Of course, as everything happens, you know, you can get a little bit raw, but no matter what happens, you will never find him or me talking a harsh word about the other.”
Christie was introduced to developer Richard Taubman in 1994 while she was still wed to Billy Joel. Even though Christie was already married at the time, he nonetheless made the proposal to her.
The pair tied the knot in Telluride, Colorado, in December 1994. In ski boots and at a height of 12,000 feet, the couple exchanged vows in front of 100 guests.
The newlyweds then skied off into the distance while the sun was setting.
For the supermodel, it was a magical spot. She survived a helicopter crash five miles to the north of the wedding venue just a few months before to her nuptials to Taubman. The unsettling episode happened in April 1994 while the group was out heli-skiing. After their helicopter crashed, Christie, Taubman, and two other people were left for several hours stranded on the mountaintop.
Christie remarked on The Wendy Williams Show: “We had Alexa together and we knew it was going to bond us together for life so we wanted to make our divorce work.” She continued:
“Of course, as everything happens, you know, you can get a little bit raw, but no matter what happens, you will never find him or me talking a harsh word about the other.”
“I have no idea what transpired. In 1994, Christie told Entertainment Tonight that it appeared as though the mountain was squeezing us within.
Christie was said to have sustained minor wounds at the scene of the collision. Shattered ribs, a broken collarbone, and a punctured lung were among Taubman’s injuries.
Christe spent a long time coping with the wounds and anguish. After experiencing hip pain as a result of the incident for years, she underwent a full hip replacement in 2021. Fortunately, the procedure went well.
She posted on Instagram, “I had my surgery at Thanksgiving, and by New Years Eve, I was dancing in my kitchen. Today, I put on my long fins and toured the coral reefs powered by my new hip.”
The union between Christie and Taubman lasted just one year. Shortly after the birth of their son, Jack Paris Brinkley, on June 2, 1995, they got divorced.
Christie and Peter Halsey Cook, an architect she first met in 1979 while modeling, reconnected in 1996. They reconnected and later exchanged vows at a ranch in Bridgehampton, New York. Billy Joel, Christie’s ex-husband, was among the attendees.
Christe and Peter Cook were parents to one kid. Their 1998-born daughter, Sailor Lee Brinkley Cook, has carried on her mother’s legacy.
In her current capacity as a model, Sailor has appeared in Teen Vogue and the 2018 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
Christie stated that she had finally found the man of her dreams after three disastrous marriages.
Christie said, “I now have what I’ve always wanted—a spouse who is so interested in the family, who cares about it with every fiber of his being, who is there for us.
However, her marriage to Peter Cook resulted in a contentious divorce and custody dispute. The couple announced their intention to separate in 2006.
The breakup culminated in a contentious courtroom battle that was closely followed by TV news and every New York tabloid.
Many specifics were apparent. For instance, Cook’s affair with a young person became public. When Cook was purchasing toys for his children in a nearby toy shop in 2004, he first met Diana Bianchi. Cook made an impromptu move on Diana, who had just graduated from high school.
He took her on as an assistant at his business, and they started dating for several months. Christie’s husband gave his 18-year-old assistant $300,000 in exchange for her silence and lavishly showered her with pricey presents.
Christie was informed when Bianchi’s police officer stepfather approached her. According to the Los Angeles Times, Cook “begged for forgiveness,” but the fashion model and mother of three was “in retribution mode.”
Christie and Cook came to a divorce agreement in 2008. Cook gave a Barbara Walters interview few months before it became well known, outlining his thoughts on the union.
His main point of blame was Christie.
For his efforts, the time he spent taking care of her and his family, and the fortune he was amassing, he added, “I wanted a little recognition, a little attention, a little thank-you every now and again.”
Christie received full custody of the kids as well as the couple’s assets, under the divorce settlement. Cook received a $2.1 million money payout in addition to “parenting time.”
I was against this trial. We are all embarrassed,” Christie stated.
His main point of blame was Christie.
For his efforts, the time he spent taking care of her and his family, and the fortune he was amassing, he added, “I wanted a little recognition, a little attention, a little thank-you every now and again.”
Christie received full custody of the kids as well as the couple’s assets, under the divorce settlement. Cook received a $2.1 million money payout in addition to “parenting time.”
I was against this trial. We are all embarrassed,” Christie stated.
Christie Brinkley, 68, has had a career spanning more than three decades and is still quite busy. However, the once blond bombshell model is now a businesswoman.
She sells her own brand of cosmetics and eyewear. In addition, she also offers wine under the Bellissima Prosecco label, a sparkling wine made from organic ingredients.
Christie is a vocal supporter of environmental protection and animal welfare. At the UN, she has spoken out against nuclear weapons and power plants, and she has been actively involved in campaigns to stop the poaching of rhinos and elephants.
Christie is a vocal advocate for the environment, animal rights, and human rights. At the UN, she has spoken out against nuclear weapons and power plants, and she has been actively involved in campaigns to stop the poaching of rhinos and elephants.
The Los Angeles native has been a vegetarian since she was 13 years old, and she claims to have been successful in getting all of her kids to give up meat. Christie claims that she has a close relationship with both of her boys and her two daughters.
Her go-to formula for preserving a positive relationship with the children?
“I believe that good real estate is the key; own a home by the coast and you will see your children! But in all seriousness, it’s just time spent with one other, and there is nothing that can replace it. It’s being there for them through all of their life’s ups and downs,” she explains.
On the South Shore of Long Island, New York, in Suffolk County, Christie calls Bridgehampton home. She spent $3.2 million on her home 23 years ago. The opulent, 20-acre gated estate contains numerous living spaces, a classic kitchen, four bedrooms, and five bathrooms.
“I lived like a gypsy my entire life, and this wasn’t supposed to be my residence for this long — it was a holding station,” she adds. “But then it developed into this great place to raise a family.”
The National Lampoon’s Vacation actress frequently posts images of her house, the lovely surroundings, and occasions when her children visit.
She is a 68-year-old who, as you might imagine, is highly active.
In an interview with Hello Magazine, she remarked, “I want to exercise so that I am always able to move and go with the flow, and I like to eat foods that are good so that I am fuelling my body. I must say, I must say, generally I am the one still going while people younger than me are fading.”
Christie once more astounded us by uploading a photo of herself, looking amazingly athletic with her abs and toned legs, only days before her 67th birthday in 2021.
She made fun of turning 50 for the 17th time in her caption.
It was once again time for her 68th birthday on February 2, 2022.
She quipped, “About to turn 50 for the 18th time,” and shared a selfie in which she appeared very fit for a 68-year-old.
Her youthful appearance isn’t entirely natural, though. Christie has admitted that she has tried non-surgical anti-aging techniques and received some assistance over the years. Her cosmetic procedures include the injectable Xeomin, which is frequently referred to as a Botox substitute.
“I questioned whether others would view me as insincere and phony.” However, it’s preferable to be truthful and state that this is what you do, she stated.
