Early Naomi life
Campbell was born in Streatham, London, England. Her mother, Valerie Campbell (née Morris), is a former ballet dancer of Afro-Jamaican descent. In accordance with her mother's wishes, Campbell has never met her father, who left then-18-year-old Valerie two months after the birth of their daughter. He was unnamed on birth certificate and neither Campbell nor her mother have ever publicly revealed his identity. However, sources say he was of Chinese Jamaican descent.
As a young child, Campbell was left in the care of a nanny while her mother travelled across Europe with the dance troupe Fantastica. At age 10, she was accepted into the Italia Conti Academy stage school, where she studied ballet. She attended Dunraven School, a comprehensive school run by Inner London Education Authority in Streatham.
Career
Modelling
Campbell's enormously successful modelling career, in some respects unprecedented for a black model, made her one of the most recognizable and in-demand models of her generation. During the so-called supermodel era of the early 1990s, she was part of the "Big Six",[6] alongside Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer, Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista and Kate Moss, and "The Trinity",[citation needed] alongside Turlington and Evangelista. Campbell has appeared on more than 100 magazine covers and has enjoyed a runway career longevity matched by very few. On an episode of her reality show America's Next Top Model, friend and former alleged rival Tyra Banks once described Campbell's body as one of the "best in the business."
Campbell's first public appearance came at age 7 in February 1978 when she was cast as a pupil to appear in a music video for Bob Marley's song "Is This Love?". In 1982, she appeared in another music video, this time as a tap dancer for Culture Club's "I'll Tumble 4 Ya".
At age 15 and while still a student at the Italia Conti Academy, Campbell was spotted by Beth Boldt, a former Ford model and head of the Synchro model agency, while window-shopping in Covent Garden. Campbell soon opted to become a fulltime model, signing with Elite Model Management. Campbell started her career as a catwalk model and was quickly hired for various high-profile advertising campaigns, including Lee Jeans and Olympus Corporation, which introduced her to the American market. Campbell also completed campaigns for Ralph Lauren and François Nars. At age 15 in April 1986, Campbell appeared on the cover of Elle, replacing a model who had cancelled out of the appearance.
In August 1988, she appeared on the cover of Vogue Paris as that publication's first black cover girl, after friend and mentor, Yves St. Laurent, threatened to withdraw all of his advertising from the publication after it refused to place Campbell, or any black model, on its cover. In addition to Vogue Paris, Campbell also became the second black model after Donyale Luna to appear on the cover of Vogue UK (replacing fellow black model Veronica Webb who apparently declined to work with the magazine), Vogue Nippon, Time magazine and later Vogue China. She has also posed nude for Playboy and appeared in Madonna's 1992 book Sex, in a set of photos with Madonna and rapper Big Daddy Kane.
She famously starred in George Michael's music video "Freedom! '90", where she lip-synched to his song along with fellow supermodels Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford and Tatjana Patitz. In 1992, Campbell appeared in Madonna's music video for "Erotica", which featured filmed footage from photoshoots for the book Sex. In addition to the previously mentioned music videos, Campbell has appeared in videos for artists such as Michael Jackson, Nelly, Jagged Edge, Jay-Z, P.Diddy, The Notorious B.I.G., Macy Gray, Prince and Usher.
In 2008, when talking about the term "supermodel", she said: "Models need to earn their stripes - I just think the term is used a little too loosely. Kate Moss is obviously a supermodel but, after Gisele [Bündchen], I don’t think there’s been one."
In 2009, Campbell gained a lot of attention when she spoke of the "racist" fashion industry. In an interview with Glamour magazine, Campbell was quoted as saying "You know, the American president may be black, but as black woman, I am still an exception in this business. I always have to work harder to be treated equally." Campbell has often cited model Iman as one of her primary inspirations.
Campbell is signed to IMG Models (New York City), Storm Model Management (London), Marilyn Agency (Paris), and D'management Group (Milan).
Other projects
Music
In 1991, Campbell was featured on Vanilla Ice's single "Cool as Ice". Three years later, she sang on the track "Heaven's Girl" on Quincy Jones's album Q's Jook Joint. Also in 1991, she appeared as Michael Jackson's love interest in his music video for "In the Closet". In 1995, Campbell released her debut album, Baby Woman, which produced the unsuccessful single "Love and Tears". Although panned by critics and a commercial flop in the UK, where it failed to chart higher than 75,[10] Baby Woman was a success in Japan and sold over 1 million copies worldwide. Campbell's collaboration with Toshinobu Kubota, "La La La Love Song", the second single from Baby Woman and the theme song to Long Vacation, became a No. 1 hit in Japan, with the single selling approximately 1,856,000 copies.
[edit]Literature
Campbell's 1994 novel Swan told the tale of a supermodel being blackmailed over dark secrets in her past. The novel was actually ghostwritten by author Caroline Upcher,[with Campbell later explaining, "I just did not have time to sit down and write a book."In 1996, Campbell released a photo collection titled Naomi, featuring pictures of Campbell taken by Richard Avedon and other leading fashion photographers.
[edit]Fashion
In 1999, Campbell developed a spin-off company, the Design House of Naomi Campbell. So far, Campbell has created seven fragrances for women, most of which were released in Europe. In 2000, Campbell introduced her first perfumes, Naomi Campbell and Naomagic. In 2001, Campbell introduced her third perfume, Cat Deluxe, and in 2003 released Mystery. A year later a fifth fragrance was made, Sunset, and in 2005 another fragrance was released, Paradise Passion. Campbell's latest fragrance is a new version of her Cat Deluxe perfume called Cat Deluxe at Night.
[edit]Film
Campbell has been in films since childhood, debuting in a Children's Film Foundation serial The Chiffy Kids in 1976, playing a character named "Snow White". Her other film appearances include Girl 6 (1996), Prisoner of Love (1999), and Fat Slags (2004). She has also made cameo appearances as herself in such films as Pret a Porter (1994) and Ali G Indahouse (2001).
[edit]Charity
Since 1997, Campbell has been involved in charity work mainly focused on the people of Sub-Saharan Africa. She has worked with Nelson Mandela, and has said that one of her greatest joys in life is knowing Mandela, stating that his kindness, passion and intelligence make him a modern world leader. In 2005, she helped create and participated in Fashion for Relief, raising over a million dollars for Hurricane Katrina victims.[citation needed] On 7 July 2007 she hosted the South African leg of Live Earth in Johannesburg. Campbell organzied a fashion show with 140 fashion designer stars called "Fashion for Relief Haiti" in New York on February 12, 2010.
Personal life
This section requires expansion.
Despite never having met her biological father, Campbell regards Quincy Jones and Chris Blackwell as adopted father figures and Nelson Mandela as an adopted grandfather.
Campbell has never married. In summer 2008 a number of news reports said that Campbell was going to marry Russian real estate entrepreneur Vladimir Doronin and therefore accept the Russian Orthodox faith.
Campbell is a staunch supporter of the Labour Party.
Legal issues
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2000
2004
In March 2004, the House of Lords overturned a Court of Appeal judgement and awarded Campbell damages in the amount of £3,500, upholding an earlier judgement that her right to privacy had been infringed by the Daily Mirror following publication of photographs of her leaving a Narcotics Anonymous clinic.[19]
2005
In March 2005, Campbell allegedly slapped assistant Amanda Brack and beat her around the head with a BlackBerry personal organiser. Campbell's spokesman Rob Shuter denied the incident ever took place. In July 2006, Brack began legal proceedings against Campbell, claiming Campbell abused her verbally and physically on three continents. Brack accused Campbell of assault, battery, and infliction of emotional distress in incidents that started a month after she began working for her in February 2005. Campbell countersued for an unknown amount. Italian actress Yvonne Sciò has claimed Campbell left her "covered in blood" after an altercation at a Rome hotel, allegedly due to the fact that Sciò had worn the same dress as Campbell. Sciò's claim: "She punched me in the face. She was like Mike Tyson."
2006
On 30 March 2006 in New York City, Campbell was arrested for allegedly assaulting her housekeeper with a jewel-encrusted mobile phone, resulting in a bloody head that required several stitches.She was charged with second degree assault, a felony that carries a minimum sentence of one year and a maximum of seven years in prison.On 28 September 2006, Campbell did not attend a required court appearance in New York City, and the judge ruled that he would order her arrest if she failed to turn up in court the following week, on charges of a second-degree assault on her housekeeper, and could be jailed for up to seven years if convicted. On 25 October 2006, Campbell was arrested in London on suspicion of assault;[26] she was released on police bail. On 14 November 2006, another former Campbell housekeeper, Gaby Gibson, began a new court case against Campbell seeking unspecified damages, and accused her ex-employer of being a "violent super-bigot". On 15 November 2006, Campbell appeared in criminal court in New York City regarding her March 2006 assault charges. Her defence lawyer and the prosecutor told the judge that they were "still in the process of working out a possible plea deal in the case". The Boston-based law firm Sullivan & Worcester, which had assigned a top litigator to defend Campbell throughout her many escapades, severed their relationship with Campbell in 2006, allegedly stating publicly that Campbell was a danger to everyone around her.
2007
On 16 January 2007, Campbell pleaded guilty to a charge of reckless assault against her housekeeper Ana Scolavino. She was sentenced to five days community service and ordered to attend two days of an anger management course. In addition, she was ordered to pay medical bills of $363 (£185) to Scolavino who required four stitches after the incident. According to a report on CNN, Campbell blames "her temper on lingering resentment toward her father for abandoning her as a child".On 19 March 2007, Campbell began mopping floors at New York's Sanitation Department for her service.On 20 August 2007, New York Supreme Court Judge Michael Stallman issued a decision and order denying Campbell's legal attempt to exclude Gaby Gibson's references from her history of well-publicised, allegedly "chronic abusive and repeatedly violent conduct toward her employees." Judge Stallman reasoned that "if proven, the reports of Campbell's conduct" might result in proving that it was so "wanton or outrageous" to justify the punitive damages sought by Campbell's ex-housekeeper.
2008
On 3 April 2008, Campbell was arrested inside Heathrow's Terminal 5 on suspicion of assaulting a police officer after one of her bags had been lost.[34][35] Campbell was subsequently banned from flying globally with British Airways by the airline. She was charged with three counts of assaulting a constable, which carries a maximum sentence of six months in prison and a fine of up to £5,000, one count of disorderly conduct likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress, which is punishable by a fine of up to £2,500, and one count of using threatening, abusive words or behaviour towards cabin crew, which comes with a maximum penalty of £1,000. On 20 June 2008, Campbell pleaded guilty to four of the six charges against her, while the Crown Prosecution Service decided to drop the other two charges. The remaining charges include two counts of assaulting a police constable; one of using threatening, abusive words or behaviour to cabin crew; and one of using insulting, abusive, threatening behaviour or disorderly conduct likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress. Campbell cited racist slurs and other verbal abuse directed at her by members of the British Airways crew as the reason for her outburst. Campbell was sentenced to 200 hours of community service. Campbell also alleged that British Airways staff called her a "golliwog supermodel" in the incident.
2010
On 2 March 2010, Campbell's limousine driver filed a report with the New York City Police Department claiming that Campbell had slapped and punched him. She then allegedly fled the scene. A spokesman for Campbell said "there shouldn't be a rush to judgement" and said she would co-operate voluntarily. Investigators initially sought to question Campbell, but police decided to drop the matter after the driver chose not to pursue criminal charges.
In 2010, Mia Farrow stated that Campbell told her she was given a large, uncut "Blood Diamond" by Liberian warlord Charles Taylor while the three were overnight guests of Nelson Mandela in South Africa, in 1997. Campbell denies receiving the gift and refuses to testify on the issue. The model stormed out of an interview with ABC news after refusing to respond to questions about the incident and slugged the camera.
Filmography
The Cosby Show (3 episodes, 1988)
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990)
Cool as Ice (1991)
"In the Closet" (video)
"Erotica" (video)
The Night We Never Met (1993)
Ready to Wear (1994) (cameo)
Unzipped (1995) (documentary)
Miami Rhapsody (1995)
Absolutely Fabulous (1995) (cameo)
New York Undercover (1995, five episodes)
To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995) (cameo)
Catwalk (1996) (documentary)
Girl 6 (1996)
Invasion of Privacy (1996)
Beautopia (1998) (documentary)
An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn (1998)
Trippin' (1999)
Prisoner of Love (1999)
Ali G Indahouse (2002)
Fat Slags (2004)
The Call (2006) (short subject)
Karma, Confessions and Holi (2006)
Ugly Betty (2008, one episode)
Source:wikipedia
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