Kathy Ireland

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kathy Ireland became famous largely as a result of being a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model. Here, she appears on the 25th anniversary cover

Kathy Ireland (born Kathleen Marie Ireland in March 1963 in Santa Barbara, California) is an American supermodel, actress, author, and entrepreneur. Her modeling career took off as a result of being featured on the cover of the 1989 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue (pictured). She then parlayed her career in modeling into other fields. She once had a line of clothing sold by Kmart ^[1]. For a while, she hosted a segment on viewer mail and fitness tips on TV's BodyShaping^{[citation needed]}.

Ireland has a modest number of television and movie acting appearances to her credit, including roles in Side Out, Mr. Destiny, Loaded Weapon 1 and Necessary Roughness. Her first movie - 1988's Alien From L.A. - was mercilessly skewered (as were Ireland's acting abilities) when it appeared on the fifth season of Mystery Science Theater 3000. She is the author of Powerful Inspirations: Eight Lessons That Will Change Your Life.

Ireland is the chief designer and CEO of Kathy Ireland Worldwide, a billion dollar brand product marketing company^{[citation needed]}. She began this industry in a time (pre-2000) when other fashion models were refusing non-model contracts, which allowed her to begin building her industry before pop culture took the fashion industry into model-style fashion industry. Ireland remains an avid public speaker on women's issues.

Ireland has recently become outspoken about being pro-life. On Politically Incorrect, she said that she used to be pro-choice, and said that after reading her husband's biology books, she determined, "At the moment of conception, life starts."

On March 4th, 2007, she was named the Godmother of Carnival Cruise Lines 22nd ship, the M.S. Carnival Freedom

[edit] Family

Ireland is married to Dr. Greg Olsen and lives in Santa Barbara, California, with three children: son, Erik born May 1994, and daughters Lily born 27 October 1998, and Chloe born March 2003. Her parents are John and Barbara Ireland. She has two sisters: Mary Ireland and Cynthia Ireland.