Christie Brinkley, 65, has been a household name in the modeling industry for YEARS, and now, she’s looking to learn a brand new talent on season 28 of Dancing With the Stars! Christie is one of the 12 stars competing for the mirror ball trophy this year, and she plans to push herself HARD while training. “I think that a lot of women reach 65 and they kind of go…well, my hip hurts, my knee hurts or whatever. So do mine!” she told HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY. “But I’m not going to let that stop me! I realize that moving, keeping moving, and greasing the joints — that’s the key to everything continuing to work.” Here’s more to know about Christie ahead of the premiere:
1. She’s widely known as one of the most famous ‘Sports Illustrated’ models of all-time. Christie began modeling in 1973 when she was discovered by a photographer. She was just 19 years old. She landed a Glamour cover and a deal with CoverGirl fairly quickly, but her real rise to superstardom was when she appeared on her first Sports Illustrated cover in 1979. She went onto appear on the cover in 1980 and 1981, making her the first person to score three consecutive covers. Over the years, she has modeled for hundreds of other magazines, as well.
2. She’s been married several times. Christie’s first marriage was to Jean-Francois Allaux, a French artist, in 1973, but they ended the relationship in 1983. Then, Christie married famous musician, Billy Joel, in 1985, less than two years after they met in St. Barts. Their marriage ended in 1994, but the two have remained amicable. In 1994, Christie married Richard Taubman, a real estate developer, who she met through a mutual friend. She was still legally married to Billy when Richard proposed. That marriage ended in 1995. Then, Christie wed Peter Cook in 1996, just one month after they got engaged. The two had known each other for years at that point, but reconciled shortly before their engagement. Sadly, that marriage ended in 2008. She also dated John Mellencamp from Sept. 2015 until Aug. 2016.
3. She has three kids. Christie shares her first daughter, Alexa, with Billy Joel. She was born in 1985. With Richard, she has a son named Jack, who was born in June 1995. Finally, she welcomed a daughter, Sailor, with Peter in July 1998.
4. She’s a vegetarian. Christie has been vegetarian since she was just 13 years old. She is very publicly supportive of animal rights and has worked with PETA in the past.
5. She’s done some acting! In addition to modeling, Christie has also done some acting. She had a recurring role on Parks and Recreation from 2012 until 2015. She also appeared in National Lampoon’s Vacation and starred as herself on Mad About You and Jack and Jill. She also starred on Broadway’s Chicago in 2011, then went onto star in the National Touring Company’s version of the show, which took her to places like Los Angeles, San Diego and more.