Emily Ratajkowski, the multifaceted American model, actress, and author, has captivated global audiences with her striking presence and bold advocacy. Born in London and raised in California, she rose to fame through modeling, music videos, and film roles. This article delves into her early life, career milestones, and her influential work in feminism and women’s rights, exploring how she has evolved from a teen model to a cultural icon.
Early Life and Formative Influences
Born on June 7, 1991, in Westminster, London, to American parents Kathleen Anne Balgley and John David Ratajkowski, both school teachers, Emily O’Hara Ratajkowski spent her childhood in the sunny suburb of Encinitas, California. Her heritage is a rich blend: her father of Polish and Irish descent, raised Roman Catholic, and her mother Jewish, leading Emily to identify as “Polish-Israeli” with roots tracing back to Eastern European ancestors who made aliyah. This diverse background shaped her worldview, as did her family’s summer vacations in Bantry, Ireland, and Sant Joan, Mallorca, Spain.
From a young age, Emily explored various interests, including soccer, ballet, and acting. She participated in local theater productions, honing her performance skills. However, it was her exposure to art and photography that profoundly influenced her. Growing up surrounded by her father’s paintings and iconic works by photographers like Helmut Newton and Herb Ritts, she developed a comfort with the nude form. This early immersion challenged societal norms around nudity, as she later reflected: “We have this culture of men, especially, watching pornography, but then offended by a classic nude portrait or photograph, and I’ve never felt that way.” Influenced by third-wave feminism and books like Naomi Wolf’s The Beauty Myth and Promiscuities, Emily’s perspectives on body positivity and sexual expression began to form, setting the stage for her future advocacy.
At 14, encouraged by an acting coach, she signed with Ford Models, starting with teen catalog work for brands like Kohl’s and Nordstrom. Balancing school at San Dieguito Academy with auditions in Los Angeles, she faced typecasting in roles like bullies or cheerleaders. Brief stints in Disney auditions and small parts, including as Tasha in Nickelodeon’s iCarly (2009–2010), marked her initial foray into acting. After a year at UCLA studying fine arts, she dropped out, finding the program at odds with her creative vision, and committed fully to modeling.
Rise to Stardom in Modeling and Film
Emily’s modeling career ignited with her cover appearance on the March 2012 issue of the erotic magazine treats!, a bold move that showcased her unapologetic embrace of sensuality. This exposure led to high-profile opportunities, most notably her role in Robin Thicke’s controversial music video “Blurred Lines” in 2013, which propelled her to international fame. The video, while criticized for its objectification of women, highlighted Emily’s ability to command attention and sparked discussions on consent and female agency—themes she would later address in her writings.
Transitioning to acting, Emily made her feature film debut in David Fincher’s Gone Girl (2014), playing Andie, the mistress to Ben Affleck’s character. This supporting role demonstrated her acting chops and opened doors to more projects. She appeared in films like Entourage (2015) and We Are Your Friends (2015), blending her modeling allure with on-screen charisma. In the fashion world, she debuted on the catwalk for Marc Jacobs at New York Fashion Week in 2015, later walking for prestigious shows in Paris and Milan. Her features in the 2014 and 2015 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issues, along with international Vogue covers, solidified her status as a supermodel, as ranked by Models.com.
Beyond visuals, Emily’s career depth lies in her strategic choices. She has collaborated with top photographers and brands, using her platform to challenge beauty standards. Her high-fashion campaigns emphasize empowerment, drawing from her early artistic influences to create work that is both provocative and thoughtful.
Advocacy, Authorship, and Cultural Impact
Emily Ratajkowski has emerged as a vocal feminist, advocating for women’s health through her role as a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood. Her self-identified feminism focuses on sexual expression, body autonomy, and critiquing the male gaze—views that have drawn both acclaim and controversy. In her 2021 essay collection My Body, published by Metropolitan Books and a New York Times Bestseller, she explores personal experiences with exploitation in the modeling industry, consent, and the commodification of women’s bodies. Essays like those detailing her “Blurred Lines” experience provide a nuanced look at fame’s double-edged sword, encouraging readers to question societal norms.
Her activism extends to social media, where she shares unfiltered thoughts on topics like reproductive rights and gender equality. Emily’s approach integrates her Polish-Israeli heritage and feminist influences, creating a unique voice that resonates globally. By blending her public persona with intellectual pursuits, she challenges the stereotype of models as mere visuals, instead positioning herself as a thinker and influencer in cultural dialogues.
In summary, Emily Ratajkowski’s journey from a California teen to a global supermodel, actress, and author exemplifies resilience and reinvention. Through her early artistic exposures, breakout roles, and bold advocacy, she has redefined empowerment in the public eye. Readers are encouraged to explore her work, like My Body, to appreciate her contributions to feminism and self-expression, inspiring a more inclusive conversation on women’s rights and identity.
About the Author
