Emily Ratajkowski (Part 1)

Emily O'Hara Ratajkowski, born on June 7, 1991, is an American model and actress. Although born in London to American parents, she was raised in Encinitas, California. Ratajkowski began her modeling career at a young age, signing with Ford Models. Her breakout moment came with her appearance on the cover of the March 2012 issue of the erotic magazine treats!, which led to her featuring in several music videos, most notably Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines," propelling her to international fame.


In the realm of acting, Ratajkowski made her feature film debut in 2014, with a supporting role as the mistress of Ben Affleck's character in the film Gone Girl. She also gained attention for her appearances in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issues of 2014 and 2015. Additionally, she made her professional catwalk modeling debut for Marc Jacobs at New York Fashion Week in 2015, later gracing the runways of Paris Fashion Week and Milan Fashion Week. Recognized for her international Vogue covers and high-fashion campaigns, Models.com has ranked her as one of the new generation of supermodels.


Aside from her career in entertainment and fashion, Ratajkowski is an outspoken advocate for women's health issues, serving as a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood. Identifying as a feminist, she has faced both support and criticism for her views on sexual expression. In November 2021, she released her essay collection titled My Body, which became a New York Times Bestseller.


Emily O'Hara Ratajkowski was born on June 7, 1991, in Westminster, London, to American parents Kathleen Anne Balgley and John David "J.D." Ratajkowski, who were both school teachers. She is the only child of her parents. Raised in Encinitas near San Diego, California, Emily attended UCLA for a year before deciding to pursue a full-time career in modeling.
Her father was brought up in the Roman Catholic faith, while her mother is Jewish. Emily has described herself as "Polish-Israeli" ethnically, as her ancestors migrated to Israel from Eastern Europe. Additionally, she has Irish heritage.


Before venturing into modeling, Emily tried her hand at soccer, acting, and ballet. She took part in several local theater productions during her childhood and teenage years. Exposure to nude female figures in photography and art, including her father's work and the photographs of Helmut Newton and Herb Ritts, contributed to her comfort with nude modeling. Emily has expressed frustration at societal attitudes towards nudity, particularly the discrepancy between acceptance of pornography and criticism of classic nude portraiture. She has been influenced by third-wave feminism and works like The Beauty Myth and Promiscuities by Naomi Wolf.


Encouraged by an acting coach, Emily Ratajkowski connected with a talent agent who facilitated her signing with Ford Models at the age of 14. She immediately began teen print catalog modeling for major retailers like Kohl's and Nordstrom. Despite her young age, Ratajkowski was already making strides in her career.
At 15, Ratajkowski ventured into the acting world, auditioning for roles in Disney and iCarly productions. However, she found herself often typecast in roles such as bullies or cheerleaders, with more significant opportunities remaining elusive. Despite the setbacks, she continued her education at San Dieguito Academy while pursuing her modeling and acting ambitions in Los Angeles.


Although she briefly attended UCLA in 2009, Ratajkowski ultimately decided to focus on modeling full-time, finding the fine art education at UCLA incongruent with her artistic vision. After gaining traction with fashion editorials and campaigns, she caught the attention of photographer Tony Duran, leading to more high-profile opportunities.
Ratajkowski's breakthrough came with her appearance on the cover of treats! magazine in March 2012, which propelled her into the spotlight and led to unsolicited offers for music video roles. She subsequently appeared in Robin Thicke's controversial "Blurred Lines" video, which garnered significant attention and controversy for its portrayal of women.


Despite the criticism surrounding "Blurred Lines," Ratajkowski defended her involvement, citing the opportunity to express her views on feminism and sexuality. However, in her 2021 memoir, she revisited her experience on the set, revealing a previously undisclosed incident where Thicke inappropriately touched her without consent, highlighting the power dynamics at play in the industry.
"Blurred Lines" became a massive commercial success, topping charts worldwide and sparking discussions about its content and message. The song's popularity endured, further fueled by legal battles over copyright infringement.Overall, Ratajkowski's early career was marked by a blend of modeling success and contentious media attention, setting the stage for her continued rise to fame and advocacy for women's issues.


Emily Ratajkowski's appearance in the "Blurred Lines" music video propelled her to widespread recognition, particularly as a sex symbol. In October 2013, she was named "Woman of the Year" by Esquire magazine, winning over finalist Jennifer Lawrence through an online fan vote. Rolling Stone magazine also included her among its list of the twenty hottest sex symbols in December of the same year. Additionally, Sports Illustrated named her one of the twelve rookies for its 50th anniversary swimsuit issue in February 2014. She was ranked as the fourth sexiest woman in the world by FHM in April, and Maxim magazine listed her at number 62 on its 2014 Hot 100 list. AskMen ranked her as the third most desirable woman of 2014.


Ratajkowski graced the cover of CR Fashion Book in July 2013, featuring in erotic scenes alongside Karlie Kloss and male models. She appeared topless on the cover of the July 2014 American GQ, sparking controversy when some customers of the retailer Lands' End received the issue for free. Following the release of the film "Gone Girl" in September 2014, she was featured on the cover of Cosmopolitan's November 2014 issue.
In February 2015, Ratajkowski found herself on the cover of FHM magazine, though she expressed dissatisfaction, claiming her picture was used without her consent. She was cast in the film "Entourage" in 2015, playing a fictionalized version of herself, and later appeared in the miniseries "The Spoils Before Dying". She earned her first leading role opposite Zac Efron in the musical drama "We Are Your Friends", released in August 2015.


Her runway debut for Marc Jacobs at the spring/summer 2016 New York Fashion Week and subsequent appearances on the covers of various fashion magazines further solidified her status as a style icon. Ratajkowski also featured in a Buick Super Bowl ad in February 2016 and appeared in a campaign for jewelry designer Jacquie Aiche, showcasing body chains, rings, bracelets, pendants, and chokers. Additionally, she appeared in the Russian-language music video "Inseparable" with Russian entertainer Dima Bilan in May.

References

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10. a b Bowen, Will. "La Jolla artist shares odyssey into Jewish literature via art". SDNews.com. Archived from the original on March 9, 2014. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
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13. ^ Chu, Andrea Long (November 8, 2021). "The Emily Ratajkowski You'll Never See". The New York Times Magazine. Archived from the original on April 14, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
14. a b Balgley, Kathleen (August 2022). Letters to My Father. Bashert Press. ISBN 9798986232102