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Biography
Elle Macpherson was born March 29, 1964,
in Sydney, Australia. As a teen, she took on her step-father's surname
and prepared to follow him into the legal profession. However, after
a year in pre-law at Sydney University, while on a ski-ing vacation
in Aspen Colorado the statuesque 18-year-old Australian was “discovered”
and signed to a Click Modelling Agency contract.
Elle Macpherson was busy posing immediately. She
appeared in every issue of ELLE magazine for six years, as the young
model was chosen again and again for photo layouts. She eventually
wed the publication’s creative director, Gilles Bensimon a
French photographer.
This six foot international icon of beauty and
health, is perhaps best known for her record of four covers of Sport's
Illustrated's highly anticipated Annual Swimsuit issue. Confirming
her as one of the most recognizable super models of the world, Time
magazine ran a cover story on her career entitled ''The Big Elle''
in 1986.
Transcending the traditional career path of the
super model, in 1989 Elle established her own company, Elle Macpherson
Intimates in Australia. As Chairperson, she has piloted the company
to become the country's most recognized lingerie brand name.
The series of Sports Illustrated exercise videos
she went on to film may qualify as her first break into acting,
but her real movie career launch came with a certain degree of prestige.
In 1990 Elle Macpherson was handpicked by director Woody Allen for
a party scene walk-on in Alice. It was what she did for her next
part, though in 1994, that won her critical attention -- the model
gained 20 pounds for her role in Sirens, starring opposite Hugh
Grant and Sam Neil. Hollywood decided that this gal was serious,
and she was subsequently cast in Jane Eyre (1996), If Lucy Fell
(1996), The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996), Batman and Robin (1997),
The Edge (1997), Beautopia (1998), and With Friends Like These (1998).
Since her marriage to Gilles Bensimon, Elle has
dated Sean Penn and Tim Jeffries, but on February 14, 1998, her
son, Arpad Flynn Busson was born in New York. The father is Arpad
Busson the model/actor and Swiss financier.
That same year their home was robbed and valuable
photographs were stolen. An undisclosed ransom was demanded for
the photographs, and Elle and her husband worked with the FBI to
catch the thieves. One of the thieves claimed that he was the father
of Elle's baby.
In 2000 Elle's estimated worth was $40.3 million.
She remains hugely popular, one of People Magazine’s 50 Most
Beautiful People, she also heads a $10 million lingere label enterprise
and line of sportswear. Miramax has announced a multi-tier (film,
television and publishing) contract with Elle Macpherson that should
allow a furthering of her promising acting career. The model/actor/businesswoman
may have quickly trimmed those extra Siren pounds, but she’s
a heavyweight in the entertainment industry.
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