Celebrity Heights: Elle MacPherson

Profile: Elle MacPherson

Elle was born March 29, 1964, in Cronulla Sydney, Australia. Nicknamed 'The Body', Elle MacPherson is a tall, shy supermodel actress. Her real name was Eleanor Gow. Her parents were divorced when she was 14 years old, and her mother later married Neil MacPherson. Elle then changed her last name for her stepfather's. Elle is the oldest of four siblings. She studied one year of Law in the University of Sidney. At 18 years old, she was discovered by an agent in Aspen, Colorado. Elle started her professional modeling career in 1981. At 21, she married Gilles Bensimon, a french photographer and creative manager of the American magazine ELLE. She acquired her supermodel status when she was photographed for the famous special of swimsuit magazine Sports Illustrated in 1986, and she made the cover three consecutive years. Confirming her as one of the most recognizable supermodels of the world, Time Magazine ran a cover story on her career entitled "The Big Elle" in 1986. She was considered one of the 50 most beautiful persons of the world according to People Magazine (1995). She owns the Fashion Cafe with Claudia Schiffer, Christy Turlington and Naomi Campbell. Elle also owns one lingerie trademark, "Elle MacPherson Intimates", where she is president and model, and starred in the gymnastics video called "YOUR PERSONAL BEST WORKOUT".

Elle has also been making a name for herself as an actress. In 1993, Elle made her feature film debut in "Sirens" starring opposite Hugh Grant and Sam Neil. Establishing herself as a talented actress, she was offered a two year multi media deal with Miramax Films. Elle's film credits include a solid roster of roles in Franco Zeffirelli's "Jane Eyre", "If Lucy Fell" opposite Sarah Jessica Parker, Barbara Streisand's "The Mirror Has Two Faces", "Batman & Robin"; and Lee Tamahori's "The Edge", in which she played the love interest of both Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin. She is also playing Lauren Travis in a television mini-series called 'A Girl Thing', set to be aired in 2001.

On February 14, 1998, son, Arpad Flynn Busson was born in New York, New York. Father is Arpad "Arkie" Busson, a Swiss financier. Their home was robbed with money and photographs stolen. Ransom was held for the photographs. Elle and her husband worked with the FBI and they caught the thieves. One of the thieves claimed that he was the father of Elle's baby.

Personal quotes:

On modeling: "I'm too old for that." (in 1999)

"I am at a really good place in my life right now. A really, really good place." (in 1999)