Emily O’Hara Ratajkowski Bio
Emily O’Hara Ratajkowski (born June 7, 1991) is an American model and actress who rose to international prominence in the early 2010s. Born in London, England, to American parents and raised in Encinitas, California, she signed with Ford Models as a teenager and went on to become one of the most recognizable faces in fashion and entertainment.
Known for her confident public image and outspoken feminist views, Ratajkowski has appeared on numerous international magazine covers, walked major fashion week runways, and acted in several feature films. Beyond modeling and acting, she is the author of a bestselling essay collection and the founder of her own swimwear brand, Inamorata.
Early Life and Background
Emily O’Hara Ratajkowski was born on June 7, 1991, in Westminster, London, the only child of American school teachers Kathleen Anne Balgley and John David “J.D.” Ratajkowski. Shortly after her birth, the family relocated to the United States, and she was raised in the San Diego suburb of Encinitas, California. She has described her ethnic background as Polish-Israeli, with Irish ancestry on her mother’s side, and she spent childhood summers traveling between Bantry, County Cork, Ireland, and Sant Joan, Mallorca, Spain.
Her parents were both educators, and her father was raised Roman Catholic while her mother is Jewish. Growing up, Ratajkowski tried several activities, including soccer, acting, and ballet, before modeling became her focus. She participated in a handful of local theater productions as a child and young teenager, and exposure to the nude female figure in classic art and photography, including the work of Helmut Newton and Herb Ritts, shaped her comfort with her own image. She attended San Dieguito Academy in Encinitas and later enrolled at UCLA, where she spent one year studying at the School of the Arts and Architecture before deciding to drop out and pursue modeling full-time.
Path to Celebrity
With encouragement from an acting coach, Ratajkowski signed with a talent agent who, on the same day, helped her land a contract with Ford Models at age 14. She immediately began working on teen print catalogs for retailers such as Kohl’s and Nordstrom. By 15, she was auditioning for Disney and Nickelodeon productions, and she eventually appeared as Gibby’s girlfriend, Tasha, in two episodes of the third season of the Nickelodeon series iCarly (2009–2010). Her early manager encouraged her to be selective about acting roles so she could focus on her education and modeling career.
After her brief stint at UCLA in 2009, Ratajkowski decided to commit to modeling full-time. She posed for several early issues of the artistic erotica magazine treats!, and her appearance on the cover of the magazine’s third issue in March 2012 brought her two unsolicited offers for high-profile music video roles. She also filmed commercials for brands such as Nikon and Carl’s Jr., and she worked with photographer Tony Duran on editorial campaigns that helped establish her presence in fashion.
Emily O’Hara Ratajkowski Career
Early Career (2004–2012)
Ratajkowski began her professional modeling career in 2004, working in print catalogs and small editorial shoots. Her early acting credits included two minor film roles and guest spots on television, including her two-episode appearance on iCarly. She also appeared in music videos for Taio Cruz’s “Fast Car” and Maroon 5’s “Love Somebody” before the viral success of her next major music video project.
By 2012, Ratajkowski had built a steady foundation in print modeling, working with photographers such as Tony Kelly and appearing in campaigns for Frederick’s of Hollywood. Her March 2012 cover of treats! was a turning point, as it introduced her work to a wider audience and caught the attention of major directors and musicians, setting the stage for her breakthrough year.
Breakthrough (2013–2015)
Ratajkowski’s global breakthrough came with her appearance in the 2013 music video for Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines,” directed by Diane Martel. The video, which also featured T.I. and Pharrell Williams, became one of the most-watched and most-debated music videos of the decade. Although the video sparked widespread discussion about sexism and female representation, it also made Ratajkowski a household name and a frequently photographed style figure.
Following this exposure, Ratajkowski landed her first major film role, a supporting part as the mistress of Ben Affleck’s character in David Fincher’s 2014 adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s novel Gone Girl. The role was widely described as critical to the film’s plot, and critics offered a range of responses, from calling her performance nuanced to describing her as a “duplicitous and manipulative former student.” She was also named “Woman of the Year” by Esquire in October 2013 and appeared in the 2014 and 2015 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issues.
In 2015, Ratajkowski earned her first leading film role, starring opposite Zac Efron in the musical drama We Are Your Friends. She also appeared as a fictionalized version of herself in the film Entourage and made her professional runway debut for Marc Jacobs at New York Fashion Week. These appearances cemented her reputation as a global fashion presence.
Notable Works and Milestones
Among Ratajkowski’s most defining projects are her appearance in the “Blurred Lines” video, her role in Gone Girl, her leading turn in We Are Your Friends, and her runway debut for Marc Jacobs. She has also been featured on covers for Vogue, GQ, Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, and Marie Claire, and she received the Model of the Year award from the Daily Front Row in April 2018.
Emily O’Hara Ratajkowski Award Nominations
Ratajkowski has been recognized by several publications and organizations throughout her career, though verified acting award nominations are limited. She has frequently appeared on popular lists ranking beauty, fashion, and desirability, including Maxim’s Hot 100, AskMen’s Most Desirable Women, and FHM’s 100 Sexiest Women, earning spots on multiple year-end lists in 2014, 2015, and 2016.
Emily O’Hara Ratajkowski Awards Won
Ratajkowski’s most prominent verified award is the Model of the Year honor from the Daily Front Row in April 2018. She was also named “Woman of the Year” by Esquire magazine in October 2013 and received the University of Southern California Inspire Award at the institution’s inaugural ceremony in March 2018.
Emily O’Hara Ratajkowski Family
Emily O’Hara Ratajkowski is the only child of John David “J.D.” Ratajkowski, her father, and Kathleen Anne Balgley, her mother. Both of her parents worked as school teachers in the United States, and the family moved from London to Encinitas, California, during her early childhood. Her father was raised Roman Catholic, while her mother is Jewish, and Ratajkowski has described her ethnic background as Polish-Israeli with additional Irish ancestry.
Personal Life
From 2014 to 2018, Ratajkowski dated musician Jeff Magid. On February 23, 2018, she announced on Instagram that she had married actor and producer Sebastian Bear-McClard in a New York City courthouse wedding after dating for only a few weeks. The couple lived in the NoHo neighborhood of Manhattan and in Los Angeles.
Ratajkowski gave birth to a son on March 8, 2021. In July 2022, she and Bear-McClard separated, and she filed for divorce that September. In late 2022, Ratajkowski publicly identified as bisexual, stating that she believes sexuality exists on a sliding scale. In 2024, she joined the cast of Too Much, a series created by Lena Dunham, marking her return to acting after previously stepping away from Hollywood.
