By Michele Smith
Lights. Camera. Action. When a model hits super model status they are clearly at the top of their game. However, some of these super models actually made Hollywood status and hit the red carpet in addition to their already career high. Here are a couple of super models who turned their already successful modeling careers into super stardom.
Christy Brinkley. This icon was featured in three consecutive Sports Illustrated covers, followed by a 25 year contract as the face of Cover Girl – the longest modeling cosmetics contract in history. Christy Brinkley played her first role in the 1983 comedy National Lampoon’s Vacation as the girl who played opposite Chevy Chase in the red Ferrari and in the sequel Vegas Vacation. She later appeared in multiple cable shows with Chuck Norris featuring the Total Gym, The Cosby Show, and Mad About You. Christy Brinkley is ranked one of the top 20 world’s richest models.
Gisele Bundchen. Bundchen is most known by being a Victoria’s Secret Angel from 2000 to 2007. She has modeled for Missoni, Chloé, Dolce & Gabbana, Valentino, Gianfranco Ferré, Ralph Lauren and Versace campaigns. Bundchen has graced the cover of several books and was the 4th model to be featured on the cover of Rolling Stone. In addition to gracing several magazine covers, Vogue and V magazine, along with multiple runway shows, this gorgeous model appeared in The Devil Wears Prada and Taxi.
Gemma Ward. Ward was the youngest model to ever appear in American Vogue and her career started at age 15 when she debuted in Australian Fashion Week. The Australian beauty was picked up by the elite IMG New York modeling agency and has appeared in countless runway shows for top designers such as Vera Wang, Oscar De La Renta and Klein. Ward was the youngest model ever to appear on the cover of Teen Vogue. Her movie appearances include The Great Gatsby and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.
Claudia Schiffer. Schiffer is a German model and creator of her own clothing line. She began her career when she appeared on French Elle and later became the face of Chanel. Schiffer was the first model to make the covers of Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, The New York Times and People, and appeared multiple times on covers of Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, Cosmopolitan and Time. This German model has appeared in Zoolander, Love Actually, The Blackout, Friends & Lovers, In Pursuit and Life Without Dick.
Lily Cole. Cole was booked for the cover of British Vogue at the age of 16 and afterwards modeled for Alexander McQueen, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Jean Paul Gaultier, Marc Jacobs, Prada, De Beers and Moschino. She has appeared in multiple advertising campaigns and in 2004 was named “Model of the Year’ at the British Fashion Awards. Cole’s first leading role was in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. She also has been featured in Passages, There Be Dragons and the very popular Snow White & The Huntsman.
