Christie Brinkley Critics Told Her She'd Be 'Chewed Up And Spit Out' By Modeling Industry
Christie Brinkley was once warned she wouldn’t make it in the fashion world for long.
In a new interview with People, the veteran supermodel revealed how she was told her time on catwalks and magazine covers would soon be over ― and how she proved them wrong.
“They told me by the time you’re 30, you’ll be chewed up and spit out of this business,” Brinkley, who celebrated her 70th birthday earlier this year, said. “But 50 isn’t 50 anymore. Thirty isn’t 30 anymore.”
As the Sports Illustrated cover girl’s career has continued to thrive, she said embracing her age has been a gift.
“It’s the start of a great decade,” she told People. “I’m hearing from women on my Instagram, like, ‘Now I’m looking forward to my 7-0. I was kind of dreading it, but you’re making it look so fun.’ And it is really important to make it fun and so far, so great.”
Brinkley also gave a shout out to Sports Illustrated for recruiting her and Martha Stewart, 82, for last year’s swimsuit edition.
“I think it’s really, really fantastic that Sports Illustrated not only has me, but Martha, who looks so great,” she said of the lifestyle mogul. “She has the distinction of being the oldest cover model on Sports Illustrated. I sat right behind Martha and I can vouch that her skin is perfection!”
While Brinkley has welcomed everything that comes with growing older and wiser, last summer the star had to clap back at trolls wondering why her face hasn’t been frozen in time.
Responding to criticism she got for posting a natural-looking Instagram selfie, the “Dancing With the Stars” alum edited her original caption to say, “Update: Whoa Nelly! The Wrinkle Brigade is out in full force in the comment thread!”
Wishing her haters all the best, Brinkley added, “They are the people that scan celebrities pages, hoping to find some cellulite, wrinkles, or anything that they can point to to critique. It must be some form of compensation for some thing they are lacking.”
