Christie Brinkley is quite popular for her work as a model, with appearances on over 500 magazine covers and acting in several notable television and movie roles. However, the celebrated actress did not have it easy while growing up, as she was subjected to abuse and torture as a child.
In her upcoming memoir, Uptown Girl, which is scheduled to hit the shelves on April 29, 2025, the 71-year-old shared insights into her childhood, detailing the trauma she faced from her biological father, who made it a point of duty to find reasons to hit her at the slightest provocation.
Christie Brinkley details her childhood ordeals at the hands of her father
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In the highly emotionally revealing new book, the supermodel opened up about the traumatic abuse she endured as a child at the hands of her biological father, Herb Hudson, whom her mother was married to for over a decade before their divorce when she was eight years old.
Birkley explained that almost every evening, when Herb returned from his job as a milkman, he would remove his belt and violently whip her. On other occasions, he would drag her into the bathroom and forcefully wash her mouth out with soap, scrubbing until she could taste the harsh chemicals. She further noted that despite her attempts to be well-behaved, her dad consistently found reasons to punish her, thus leaving her with a feeling of helplessness and terror.
Christie Brinkley says her mom’s marriage to Don Brinkley made her believe in true love
In a recent interview with People, the former Sports Illustrated Cover girl opened up about the emotional difficulty of revisiting the painful memories of her childhood while writing her upcoming book. Brinkley explained that over the years, her mother, obviously also struggling with some traumas, had tried to bury the memories by simply presenting her stepdad, Don Brinkley, as her biological father, without any reference to her first marriage at all.
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The 71-year-old stated that her mother’s marriage to Don Brinkley disabused her mind about love, as their lives reflected a healthy and enduring love. Brinkley noted that observing their connection and devotion to each other made her believe that true love exists.