Christie Brinkley

Christie Brinkley is an American model who has also worked as an actor, presenter, illustrator and author. She was the first model to feature on three consecutive Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue covers, in 1979, 1980 and 1981. She went on to become the face of CoverGirl and appeared on more than 500 magazine covers, including Vogue, Rolling Stone, Esquire and Cosmopolitan.

As an actor she appeared in the film National Lampoon’s Vacation with Chevy Chase, and in the television shows Mad About You and Parks and Recreation.

Why Christie Brinkley is vegan

Christie Brinkley is vegan for the animals.

Christie Brinkley became a vegetarian when she was 14 years old because she “didn’t want to be a part of the violent slaughterhouse system.”¹New You Media. 2023. Christie Brinkley NEW YOU Cover on her Dedication to Vegetarianism to Maintain her Youthfulness. Youtube. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Nqm1LCaaE4 [Accessed 8 September 2026]. She has supported animal rights organisations and used her voice to speak out against animal cruelty on circuses.²circuses.com. 2005. Christie Brinkley: Ringling’s Abuse of Animals ‘Absolutely Appalling’. Available: https://web.archive.org/web/20051124112035/http://www.circuses.com/cbrinkley.asp [Accessed 8 September 2026].

Although she stopped eating animals because she loves them, she also credits the diet for keeping her youthful as she has gotten older.

In 2026, Christie announced on her social media that she is no longer vegetarian but that she has been fully plant-based for two years. She said that she now follows a vegan “organic garden rainbow diet.” She acknowledged that people seem to think becoming vegan is difficult but she has actually found it very easy – one of her “biggest secrets to making everything taste delicious and gourmet is fresh herbs on everything.”³christiebrinkley. 2026. Instagram post. Available: https://www.instagram.com/p/DbvkoIkjrae/?hl=en&img_index=1 [Accessed 8 September 2026].

“I didn’t want to be a part of the violent slaughterhouse system. I love animals and I find that I have been literally reaping the good karma from that. I found out that I have avoided all the antibiotics and growth hormones that they pump into those animals to get them to the marketplace faster.”⁴New You Media. 2023. Christie Brinkley NEW YOU Cover on her Dedication to Vegetarianism to Maintain her Youthfulness. Youtube. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Nqm1LCaaE4 [Accessed 8 September 2026].