Christy Turlington by Regan Cameron British Vogue July 2000-1

Supermodel Christy Turlington graced the pages of British Vogue’s July 2000 issue, lensed in ‘Being Christy’ by Regan Cameron [IG]. / Hair by Ken O’Rourke; makeup by Pati Dubroff

Turlington spoke to the many projects that interested her, some existing only as goals at the time. The supermdel returned to school at NYU in 1994, graduating cum laude in 1999 from the Gallatin School of Individualized Study. Her focus of study at NYU was Comparative Religion and Eastern Philosophy.

Christy is also an avid yogi and merged her love of the practice and extensive writing skills to author her first book, Living Yoga: Creating A Life Practice [Hyperion 2002].

Losing her father to lung cancer in 1997, prompted Christy’s activism in preventative healthcare, including smoking prevention and cessation. The super collaborated on several public health service campaigns and launched an award-winning, now-defunct website, SmokingIsUgly.com in 2002.

The Rise of the Supermodels

In 1991, Christy signed a contract with Maybelline that paid her $880,000 for working 12 days each year.

It was the financial earning capacity of a model group — The Big Six — that included Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer, Linda Evangelista, Kate Moss, and Naomi Campbell that put them in a league of their own.

Christy Turlington by Regan Cameron British Vogue July 2000-2

Others argue that the original supermodels were Campbell, Crawford, Evangelista, Turlington and Tatjana Patiz —known as The Big Five.

Whatever the supermodel list, Christy Turlington was on it.

Meeting Future Husband Ed Burns

Young Couple Christy Turlington and Ed Burns via Christy Turlington’s IG.

The super met her future husband — actor and director Ed Burns — although she has no memory of the event. Christy was world-famous at the time and Burns was a production assistant.

"I was [working] at a television show [Entertainment Tonight], and we interviewed Christy back when I was just a lowly PA," Burns told Huffington Post. "I had to get her a cup of coffee. Fortunately, she was very nice."

Turlington and Burns formally met in 2000 at a charity event, and the sparks flew. The couple became engaged six months later, but postponed their October 2001 scheduled wedding, after the devastating 9/11 attacks in New York City, Washington, DC and Shanksville, Pa.

A rescheduled wedding date took so long to identify that the couple actually brokeup for several months. Burns takes credit for the romantic derailment, admitting that it was "stupid on my part".

The couple finally got married in June 2003 in San Francisco, with Christy pregnant their first child, a daughter Grace born in October, 2003 and now 19. The Burns family expanded again when their second child Finn was born in February, 2006.

Christy Turlington by Regan Cameron British Vogue July 2000-3

Christy Turlington Burns Developed A Passion for Maternal Health

AOC fast forwards to 2008 and Christy’s fully-formed interest in global maternal health. Already a vocal ambassador for humanitarian organisation Christian Action Research and Education (CARE) since 2005, the super joined forces with Geri Halliwell to lobby Washington DC politicians for funding of global maternal health projects.

Turlington became involved with Bono’s RED Foundation in 2005, joining the high-profile, global fight against AIDS, TB and Malaria.

"I've had safe deliveries for both my children because I have had access to skilled medical care. Yet for too many women in the developing world, pregnancy and childbirth is a serious life-and-death issue,” Turlington told Vogue in 2008.

Turlington experienced severe postpartum hemorrhaging following the birth of her daughter Grace, born in October, 2003 and now 19. She recovered from her near-death experience and her second child Finn was born February, 2006 with her actor husband Ed Burns.

Christy Turlington pregnant with daughter Grace in 2003 via Gracie Burns Instagram.

Grace, known as Gracie is dabbling in modeling and shared a sweet photo of her pregnant mother on her IG in October, 2021 with the message: “Happy birthday to my mommy and me, for I am all that I am because of all that you are.”

Every Mother Counts

In 2010, Christy Turlington completed and debuted her documentary film, “No Woman, No Cry,” about the global state of maternal health, at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival in New York City. On Mother’s Day 2011, Christy showed the film on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN).

Concurrently, Turlington launched Every Mother Counts, an advocacy and mobilization campaign to increase education and support for maternal mortality reduction globally. In a sad state of affairs Every Mother Counts has been forced to maintain a focus on the deathly issue of maternal mortality in America. Christy’s focus has increasingly become local as well as global.

Christy Turlington by Regan Cameron British Vogue July 2000-4

Christy currently serves on the Harvard Medical School Global Health Council and as an advisor to the Harvard School of Public Health Board of Dean’s Advisors, Mother’s Day Every Day and the White Ribbon Alliance. Harvard maintains a recap of Christy’s resume — an inspiring read for the biggest activist among the original supers.

When Christy Turlington Burns completed the 2021 NYC Marathon, it marked the 10th anniversary of her first time running the five-borough race, but Turlington Burns was not running alone. The activist super finished in 4:01:20, while her daughter Grace came in at 5:31:14.

“Health is your greatest wealth,” she told Runner’s World in 2012. “So experiencing a marathon and seeing what you're capable of is really special.”

Turlington is currently pursuing a MPH [Masters in Public Health] at Columbia University’s Mailman School in New York City.

AOC has focused on Christy Turlington Burns since our founding in 2007 and we are moving her activism articles to She.