Christie Brinkley (born Christie Lee Hudson February 2, 1954) is an American model and actress best known for her three consecutive appearances on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in the late 1970s and early 1980s, for her long-running contract with CoverGirl, one of the longest modeling contracts in history, and for her marriage to musician Billy Joel.
Brinkley has also worked as an illustrator, photographer, writer, and designer, and as an activist for human and animal rights and the environment.
Her financial holdings were worth in 2008 an estimated USD $80 million, primarily as the owner of real estate, much of it in the Hamptons. Brinkley is ranked third in the Daily Mail list "World's 20 richest models", released on February 2012.
