Some would say she won the genetic lottery. Carol Alt, with her striking beauty, rose to fame in the 1980s as a supermodel, becoming one of the most recognizable faces in her field. Captivating millions, this native of Queens also ventured into acting, entrepreneurship, and even writing. Read more about the American celebrity’s success story on queenski.com.
Modeling
Carol was born on December 1, 1960, in Queens to a family with a flight attendant mother, who was also a part-time model, and a New York City Fire Department battalion chief father. Her maternal grandparents were German immigrants, and her paternal grandmother was Irish, giving her unique and beautiful facial features.
Carol began her modeling career in her first year of college after scouts spotted her in a restaurant. Determined, she left school and moved to Manhattan, where she quickly became a top model. Her first big break came in 1979 when she appeared on the cover of the American women’s fashion magazine Harper’s Bazaar. However, it was in 1982 that she gained widespread attention, appearing on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, which features models, celebrities, and athletes in swimwear.
Throughout the 1980s, Carol graced the covers of more than 500 magazines, including Vogue, Vogue Paris, Vogue Italia, Vogue UK, Mademoiselle, Elle, and Cosmopolitan. Life magazine dubbed her “The Face,” as she was at the forefront of campaigns for Diet Pepsi, General Motors, Cover Girl Cosmetics, Noxzema, Hanes, Givenchy, Versace, Armani, and more. Carol Alt was also one of the first models to produce her own posters and calendars.
Acting
After eight years as a model, Carol Alt turned her focus to acting. She starred in dozens of films and television series, with her most notable roles including:
- Karen Oldham in the Canadian-German drama series Amazon (1999). The series follows six survivors of a plane crash stranded in the Amazon rainforest, where they encounter a hostile indigenous tribe.
- Monica McBride in the American action film The Protector (1997). The story centers on Ken Conway, who investigates the disappearance of a virologist working for a pharmaceutical researcher. Undercover, Ken discovers that the researcher profits by creating diseases and then selling the cure. While trying to report the findings, Ken learns he has been infected with the latest virus and has just 48 hours to find an antidote.
- Lori Dale in the American sci-fi horror film Snakehead Terror (2004). The movie depicts a small town trying to recover from an economic crisis, only to face attacks by mutated snakehead fish due to chemical contamination. The fish are capable of moving on land, preying on plants, animals, and even people. The local sheriff and a biologist work together to save the sheriff’s teenage daughter, her friends, and the entire town from this deadly threat.
Other Ventures
In an interview, Alt revealed that she had undereaten throughout her modeling career, which affected her health. This experience led her to study nutrition and publish several best-selling books on raw food. To maintain a youthful appearance, she adopted a diet of raw foods, which are not subjected to heat treatments like frying, boiling, or baking. She consumes plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, cold-pressed oils, whole grains, and dried fruits. Raw food enthusiasts believe that heat destroys beneficial vitamins and minerals while creating harmful chemical compounds.
According to Alt, switching to a raw diet alleviated her heartburn, headaches, and various infections. She credits her slim figure to a morning protein shake, which keeps her feeling full all day. For exercise, she enjoys trampoline jumping, weight lifting, lunges, and squats, among other activities. She also practices “yogalates,” a blend of yoga and Pilates, and does cardio workouts.
Carol also hosted her own show, A Healthy You & Carol Alt, on Fox News, where she shared her experiences and insights on maintaining long-term health. Each episode concluded with a segment where she answered viewer questions.
In 2008, Carol appeared on NBC’s The Celebrity Apprentice alongside Donald Trump, competing to raise funds for her charity, which provided scholarships for young people. That same year, she launched Raw Essentials by Carol Alt, a line of skincare products.
Among Carol’s hobbies are horseback riding, golf, basketball, singing, and race car driving. She was married to Canadian hockey player Ron Greschner from 1983 to 1996.