Victoria's Secret

Background:

“In modeling, there is no point in trying to prove you have a brain, so why even bother? I'd sooner save the energy for something more meaningful.” Helena Christensen

Danish supermodel, actress and businesswoman Helena Christensen was well-known as one of the world's top fashion models in the 1980s and 1990s, primarily as a result of her work for Victoria's Secret and her appearance in a video music by Chris Isaak called “Wicked Game.” Her enchanting looks has received much praise from the leaders of the fashion world. The late designer Gianni Versace stated she has the most beautiful body, while Karl Lagerferld described her as having a figure type that is very scarce. John Galliano added that Christensen fills clothes with fire and life.

One of Channel 5's “World's Greatest Supermodels,” Christensen is a breast cancer activist. On occasion, she traveled to Ireland to launch the second Fashion Targets Breast Cancer campaign that includes the sale of exclusive designer t-shirts to raise funds for Action Breast Cancer and Europa Donna Ireland to support younger women with breast cancer.

As for her private life, the 5-foot-10-inch beauty is the former wife of ex-model Norman Reedus (together from 1998-2004), with whom she had a son, Mingus Luchien, in 1999. Before the marriage, she made headlines with her famed romances with such celebrities as the late INXS frontman Michael Hutchence, actor Leonardo DiCaprio and singer Billy Corgan. She also dated writer/photographer Peter Makebisch. Christensen is an avid fan of The Smiths and is left-handed. In addition to her home in Monaco, she also has apartments in New York and her native Copenhagen. She is good friends with fellow models Carla Bruni, Claudia Schiffer, Karen Mulder and Eva Herzigova, and actress Gwyneth Paltrow. When Paltrow was in the hospital after giving birth to her son Moses, Christensen was one of the first persons to visit her.

On many occasions, Christensen has stated to be a cheese addict. She admitted, “There've been times when I've bought a whole pound of cheese and walked down the street and eaten it in one go. I think it's incredibly sensual.”

She also added, “Whenever my head is like a maze, I turn to the easy things in life, the things that mean the most to me: sex and cheese. These things are connected. Truth be told, I love all cheese: French cheese, Italian cheese, even British cheese, but Danish cheese is the greatest. I get my best nightmares after I eat Danish cheese. Actually I've seriously thought about getting a cheese tattoo; a nice Edam on my shoulder, maybe.”

Copenhagen Girl

Childhood and Family:

Helena Christensen was born on December 25, 1968, in Copenhagen, Denmark. Her father is a Danish typographer and her mother is Peruvian. As a youngster, she became interested in music and photography, but it was modeling that later made her known throughout the world.

After several high-profile relationships, Helena decided to build a family by marrying former model Norman Reedus in 1998. The couple welcomed a baby boy named Mingus Luchien Reedus on October 22, 1999. They became estranged in 2003 and finally divorced in 2004.

Wicked Game

Career:

Helena Christensen got her first modeling gig at age 9. She won the title of Miss Denmark in 1986 when she was 18 and represented her country at the Miss Universe pageant. This exposure, however, failed to serve as a jumping-off point for the Denmark native beauty to enter the international modeling world. She then left her home and headed to Paris to chase a modeling career.

In Paris, Christensen first worked for Elle Magazine and soon became a standout model. Following a cover shoot by Peter Lindbergh for Vogue, she was booked by many major designers from both America and Europe. Since then, her face has decorated numerous top publications and she has done a number of fashion campaigns. Christensen further received media attention through her relationships with such celebrities as rocker Michael Hutchence and Leonardo DiCaprio.

In the early 1990s, Christensen became famous after starring in the 1991 video music for Chris Isaak's song “Wicked Game,” as the love interest of Isaak. She appeared topless for much of the video, although her nakedness is comparatively hidden with clever camera angles. The memorable video was later named MTV's “Sexiest Video of All-Time.”

However, Christensen did not reach the peak of her fame until she landed the coveted gig of being the Victoria's Secret lady. As one of the lingerie company's signature angels, she made some commercials with fellow models Tyra Banks, Karen Mulder, Daniela Pestova, and Stephanie Seymour. Christensen also appeared in their catalog.

One of the most sought-after models, Christensen also has branched out to acting. She made her acting debut opposite fellow supermodels Kate Moss, Eva Herzigova and Tyra Banks in a British TV film, Inferno (1992), about an English author who has trouble in finishing his latest work. She then appeared as herself in the Robert Altman-helmed Prêt-à-Porter (1994), starring Sophia Loren, and teamed up with the director-writer-performer Matthew Barney for the 1998 short March of the Anal Sadistic Warrior. Recently, she portrayed Andrea in the Danish film Allegro (2005), co-starring with Ulrich Thomsen. The drama was nominated for a Grand Jury Prize for World Cinema - Dramatic at the Sundance Film Festival.

In addition to modeling and acting, Christensen is known as a businesswoman. She owns an antique shop in Manhattan, New York, and sells some of her clothes in her mother's Yo-Yo Second Hand Shop in Christianshavn. She is also the co-founder of Nylon magazine, along with American entrepreneur Mic Neumann, where she also serves as a creative director.

Awards:
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