Paulina Porizkova

Paulina Porizkova (Template:IPA; born 9 April 1965) is a fashion model, author and actress. Born in Czechoslovakia, she moved to Sweden in 1973 and began modelling in France at the age of 15.<ref name="The Guardian">Template:Cite news</ref> In 1984, Porizkova became the first Central European woman to appear on the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.<ref name=huff>Template:Cite news</ref>

As an actress, she made her film debut in Anna (1987).

Early life

Porizkova was born on 9 April 1965 in Prostějov,<ref name=denikcz/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> then in Czechoslovakia, to anti-Soviet dissident parents, Anna Pořízková and Jiří Pořízka.<ref name="rosman">Template:Cite news</ref> She was left in the care of her maternal grandmother after her parents fled to Sweden to escape the Warsaw Pact invasion.<ref name="rosman" /><ref name="interview">Template:Cite AV mediaTemplate:Cbignore</ref><ref name=denikcz>Template:Cite news</ref> Czechoslovak authorities would not allow her parents to reclaim her, and the ensuing battle was widely publicized in the Swedish press, making her a cause célèbre.<ref name="rosman" /><ref name="interview" />

When Porizkova was seven, her pregnant mother returned to Czechoslovakia with a fake passport in an attempt to rescue her.<ref name="rosman" /><ref name="interview" /> After the attempt failed, her mother was briefly detained by the national police and then placed under house arrest with her family.<ref name="rosman" /><ref name="interview" /> In 1973, international political pressure led by Olof Palme caused the communist government to allow the Pořízka family to be reunited.<ref name="rosman" /> Porizkova's parents divorced after her father had an affair.<ref name="rosman" /><ref name="interview" /> She and her father, who refused to pay child support for his children, have been estranged since her youth.<ref name="interview" /> Her mother, a midwife, remarried at least twice and, as of 2010, was reported to be serving in the Peace Corps in Uganda.<ref name="interview" />

Career

Modeling

Porizkova shared the photo that got the attention of modeling scout John Casablancas. She was 13. One of her friends, who wanted to be a makeup artist, painted Porizkova's face, along with other friends, and sent the photographs to modeling agencies in Paris in the hopes of getting hired. "Soon after, a modeling agent called inviting me to Copenhagen to meet the famed model scout John Casablancas. ... He took one look at me and asked: ‘Want to go to Paris?’ As if I'd say no! The rest, as they say, is history."<ref name="rosman" /><ref>Template:Cite InstagramTemplate:Cbignore</ref>

Porizkova rose to become a top model in Paris during the early 1980s. She appeared as a model in Sports Illustrated in 1983,<ref name="rosman" /> and in 1984, at 18 years old, she became the first woman from Central Europe to be on the cover of the swimsuit issue.<ref name=huff/> She appeared again on the cover in 1985.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She was the second woman (after Christie Brinkley) to be featured on the swimsuit issue's front cover in consecutive years (1984 and 1985).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She appeared on the cover of New York magazine in July 1985.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Harper's Bazaar named her one of its ten most beautiful women in 1992 and American Photo magazine in its first issue declared her to be the model of the 1980s.<ref name=":2">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Porizkova appeared on the covers of numerous magazines around the world during the 1980s and 1990s, including Vogue, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, Self, Cosmopolitan, and Glamour.<ref name="rosman"/><ref name=":2"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

She has been featured in advertising campaigns for Chanel, Versace, Hermes, Christian Dior, Oscar De La Renta, Mikimoto, Perry Ellis, Laura Biagiotti, Anne Klein, Ellen Tracy, Barneys New York, Ann Taylor, Guerlain, and Revlon and appeared on the runway for Calvin Klein.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>Template:Citation needed

In 1988, Porizkova won what was then the highest-paying modeling contract: a $6,000,000 contract with Estée Lauder, replacing Willow Bay.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Buck">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The black-and-white television and print advertising campaign won praise from critics. The Estée Lauder makeover transformed Porizkova's public image from a swimsuit model to that of European sophisticate and she remained the company's face until 1995.<ref name="Buck" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She soon landed another multimillion-dollar contract, with Escada.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>Template:Citation needed

Television work

Porizkova was part of the panel of judges on America's Next Top Model (ANTM), starting on Cycle 10, replacing fashion icon Twiggy.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Porizkova continued to conduct regular weekly evaluations of ANTM participants on the show until she announced during a 12 May 2009, appearance on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson that she had been fired from the show.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Although Porizkova maintained she was told by producers that she had an "ego problem," especially when she "consistently complained" about Tyra Banks' reported lateness to the set, ANTM executive producer Ken Mok and Banks released a statement claiming Porizkova's firing was due to "the current state of the economy," forcing ANTM to "make major budget cuts…unfortunately, Paulina was a casualty of these cuts." When questioned by ABC News journalist Cynthia McFadden about the firing of Porizkova as well as former ANTM colleague, Janice Dickinson, both of whom had complained Banks was "difficult," Banks refused to address the issue.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

She appeared on Andy Warhol's Fifteen Minutes.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Porizkova was a participant on the fourth season of Dancing with the Stars in spring 2007,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> but was voted off on the first results show which aired on 27 March 2007.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2009 and 2010, she played Clarissa on about five episodes of the CBS Daytime soap opera As the World Turns.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Porizkova appeared in the fourth episode of Celebrity Ghost Stories' second season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Acting

Porizkova's film debut was in the 1983 modeling mockumentary, Portfolio.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She appeared in the 1987 film Anna. In 1989, she co-starred with Tom Selleck in the film Her Alibi;<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> she was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress for her appearance.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Porizkova appeared in Emir Kusturica's 1993 film Arizona Dream, with Johnny Depp and Jerry Lewis, in a minor role as Lewis's young Polish fiancée. She had the main female role in the 1998 film Thursday. Porizkova wrote and directed the 2001 film, Roommates.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She also starred in the 2001 thriller film Dark Asylum, alongside Judd Nelson.<ref>Template:Cite web mis-credited as "Paulina Porzikova"</ref> In 2004, she starred in the romantic comedy Knots. She appeared in an episode of the Starz comedy series Head Case which aired on 24 April 2009. She appeared in a 6th-season episode of Desperate Housewives, "Chromolume No. 7", alongside model Heidi Klum. She appeared on the ABC Family drama-comedy series Jane by Design in an episode which aired on 6 March 2012, and made a guest appearance on The Mysteries of Laura in February 2015.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Writing

Porizkova co-authored a children's book, The Adventures of Ralphie the Roach (Template:ISBN) with British model Joanne Russell and illustrated by her stepson Adam Ocasek, that was published in September 1992. She published her first novel, A Model Summer (Template:ISBN; Modellsommar in Swedish), in 2007, which is about a 15-year-old Swedish girl (Jirina) chosen by a modeling agent to spend a summer working in Paris in 1980. Porizkova is a blogger for Modelinia and The Huffington Post.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In popular culture

Porizkova is the subject of three songs: "Friends of P" by The Rentals,<ref name="page 163">Luerssen, John D. Rivers' Edge: The Weezer Story. ECW Press, 2004, p. 163; Template:ISBN</ref> "Paulina" by No Doubt, and "Dear Paulina" (written for the film Thursday in which she appeared) by Luna. She is one of several women referenced in Sonic Youth's song "Swimsuit Issue", from the 1992 album Dirty.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She was the inspiration of the late transgender model and ballroom performer Octavia St. Laurent who spoke glowingly about her in the documentary film Paris is Burning.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She has said that St. Laurent's praise and idolization in the documentary was the favorite moment of her modeling career.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Personal life

Porizkova holds dual Swedish and U.S. citizenship.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 1984, she met Ric Ocasek, lead singer of the rock band the Cars, during the filming of their music video "Drive".<ref name=NewYorkTimes>Template:Cite news</ref> The two married on 23 August 1989.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="rosman"/> They had two sons, Jonathan Raven Ocasek (born 4 November 1993)<ref name=NewYorkTimes/> and Oliver Ocasek (born 1999).<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> In May 2018, Porizkova announced she and Ocasek had separated a year earlier.<ref>Template:Cite InstagramTemplate:Cbignore</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In September 2019, while caring for Ocasek following an unspecified surgery, Porizkova found him dead in his home.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> At the time of his death, they were still in the process of their divorce. In a new will, he had disinherited her and his two eldest sons,<ref name="vfsettle"/> claiming that before his recent surgery she had abandoned him (a legally significant claim).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2021, her dispute with Ocasek's estate was settled. Porizkova commented, "They gave me what is mine under New York state law, and we’re done."<ref name="vfsettle">Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2021, Porizkova briefly dated screenwriter Aaron Sorkin.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Since February 2023, she has been in a relationship with screenwriter Jeff Greenstein.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In July 2025, she announced that the two were engaged.<ref name="Engaged" />

In "America Made Me a Feminist", an article she wrote for The New York Times in 2017, Porizkova stated that she considered herself a feminist.<ref name=Feminist>Template:Cite news</ref>

Filmography

Film
Year	Film	Role	Notes
1987	Anna	Krystyna
1989	Her Alibi	Nina Ionescu
1993	Arizona Dream	Millie
1996	Female Perversions	Langley Flynn
1996	Wedding Bell Blues	Tanya Touchev
1998	Long Time Since	Diane Thwaite
1998	Thursday	Dallas
2000	The Intern	Chi Chi Chemise
2001	Dark Asylum	Dr. Maggie Bellum
2004	Knots	Lily Kildear
2012	About Face: The Supermodels, Then and Now	Herself	Documentary
2017	Kevyn Aucoin Beauty & The Beast in Me	Herself	Documentary
Television
Year	Title	Role	Notes
1987	Saturday Night Live	Herself	"Bronson Pinchot" (season 12: episode 11)
2008–2010	America's Next Top Model	Judge	Judge for cycles 10–12
2009–2010	As the World Turns	Clarissa
2010	Desperate Housewives	Herself
2013	Rupaul's Drag Race	Herself	"Draggle Rock" (season 5: episode 3)
2015	The Mysteries of Laura	Charlotte Bernice
2016	Nightcap	Ana
2017	Bull	Nella Wester	Episode: "Dressed to Kill"
2022	Beyond the Edge	Herself
Music Videos
Year	Title	Role	Notes
1984	"Drive"	Herself
1984	"Cold Blood"	Herself

Bibliography

• "America Made Me a Feminist". The New York Times, 10 June 2017<ref name="Feminist" />
• A Model Summer. Hyperion, 8 April 2008<ref>A Model Summer Template:Webarchive Amazon. Retrieved 1 March 2020.</ref>
• “No filter: The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful”, 15 November 2022<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

See also

• List of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover models

External links

• Template:IMDb name