Cheryl Tiegs, the world’s first supermodel, made waves 45 years ago with her iconic pink bikini billboard image, which drew the attention of millions of men worldwide.
Since then, she has graced the covers of several magazines, including Sports Illustrated, Vogue, Glamour, and Time. Tiegs, in addition to her successful modeling career, has used her popularity to advocate for environmental issues while prioritizing her own health and happiness.
Despite her humanitarian efforts, Tiegs has been chastised for a number of comments, including her accusation that Sports Illustrated was “glamorizing” a “full-figured model.” Tiegs, 75, comments on her journey from Alhambra, near Pasadena, to becoming a model.
She first thought of models as aliens from another planet, but she gradually explored modeling while still in school. She started off performing free parking lot fashion demonstrations for department shops, eventually earning $5 an hour, which was a good wage for her at the time.
Tiegs got her big break when the magazine spotted her in a swimsuit edition and immediately hired her for a shoot in St. Thomas, despite never having seen her before. This led to regular employment with Glamour and international acclaim.
She later appeared on three Time magazine covers, including the All-American Model issue in 1978, as well as three Sports Illustrated swimsuit editions in 1970, 1975, and 1983. In 2012, Men’s Health named her one of the 100 sexiest women ever.
Tiegs reflects on her early modeling days and acknowledges the huge changes in the industry. She notices that the modeling profession today is much more centered on the models, with more attention and recognition.
Tiegs made her television debut in an episode of Moonlighting in the 1980s, co-starring with Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willis. She also appeared in the movies Just Shoot Me and Family Guy.
In 2011, she competed on RuPaul’s Drag Race, then the following year on Celebrity Apprentice, representing the Farrah Fawcett Foundation. Tiegs has also experimented in cinema, co-starring in The Brown Bunny alongside Chlöe Sevigny in 2003 and Sharknado 4: The Fourth Awakens in 2016.
While many models of the period pursued acting careers, Tiegs did not. Instead, she focused on her roles as a mother and a wife.
She married photographer and artist Peter Beard in 1981 and lived on his farm in Kenya for several years, where she had incredible experiences and developed a better love for nature.
Tiegs expressed her love for Beard and his influence on her life following his death in 2020. She later married Anthony Peck, the son of the famed Gregory Peck, and they shared parental responsibilities for their son Zachary, who is now an actor.
She divorced Peck in 1995 and married yoga instructor Rod Stryker from 1998 to 2001, at which time their twin children, Jaden and Theo, were born via surrogacy.
Tiegs’ concern for the future of children drives her environmental activism. Her humanitarian work has included the following:
Raising awareness about global warming.
Women’s reproductive rights are being advocated for.
In Washington, D.C., she served on the board of the Earth Conservation Corps.
She believes in the need for global collaboration, emphasizing the importance of reaching out to and creating alliances with friends all over the world.
Tiegs has been to various locations in her quest for environmental awareness, including Mexico’s Copper Canyon, where she met the Tarahumara indigenous people, who live in natural shelters such as caves and rock overhangs.
She has also visited the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and seen the melting of the Barnes Ice Cap. Tiegs made national headlines in 2013 when she listed her 4,770-square-foot Balinese-style Bel-Air property for $12 million; it finally sold for $14,075,000 in 2020.
In 2016, Tiegs provoked anger by accusing Sports Illustrated of encouraging an unhealthy lifestyle by placing plus-sized model Ashley Graham on their cover. She expressed her concerns about the model’s waist size, saying it was not a long-term healthy option.
Her words were sensationalized in the media, but Tiegs stated that she pushed for health regardless of whether someone was overweight or obese. She emphasized the importance of following a healthy lifestyle while acknowledging that she was unfamiliar with Graham or her specific health situation.
Tiegs maintains a strict lifestyle that includes yoga and a well-balanced diet, which helps her effortlessly stay fit and appealing. She highlights the value of hard work, physical exercise, and finding joy in everyday things. Tiegs has rediscovered her love of reading and loves genuine connections that enrich her life.
Despite a four-decade career, Cheryl Tiegs, 75, exudes beauty and elegance.
Opinions on Tiegs’ claims concerning thinness and healthfulness vary. It is crucial to recognize that health is a complex and nuanced concept that is impacted by a variety of factors, such as genetics, lifestyle choices, and general well-being.
While it is true that maintaining a healthy weight is associated with a decreased risk of some health issues, it is vital not to generalize or impose arbitrary criteria on individuals.
Health should be approached holistically, taking into account physical, mental, and emotional elements. For achieving and sustaining a healthy lifestyle, it is essential to get personalized counseling from healthcare specialists.