Alana Stewart

Alana Stewart – Life, Career, and Reflections


Explore the life of Alana Stewart (born May 18, 1945) — from modeling and acting to advocacy, writing, and personal resilience. Learn about her biography, career shifts, challenges, values, and memorable quotes.

Introduction

Alana Stewart (born Alana Kaye Collins on May 18, 1945) is an American actress, former model, author, producer, and advocate. Over her long career she has moved among entertainment, journalism, personal memoir, health advocacy, and philanthropy. Her journey is marked by reinvention, public vulnerability, relationships with prominent figures, and a willingness to speak out about health, identity, and friendship.

Early Life and Family

Alana Stewart was born on May 18, 1945, in San Diego, California. Alana Kaye Collins.

Though born in California, she grew up partly in Nacogdoches, Texas, and later Houston.

Her early exposure to modeling came through her move to New York City, where she signed with Ford Models.

Career & Achievements

Modeling & Early Acting

Alana’s modeling career gave her entry into the entertainment industry.

Her first film credit was in Evel Knievel (1971), in which she had a small role (as “Nurse #1”) opposite her then-husband George Hamilton. Night Call Nurses (1972), Funny Lady (1975), Medusa (1973), Where the Boys Are ’84, Swing Shift, and others.

On television, she made guest appearances on shows including The Bionic Woman, Fantasy Island, Hart to Hart, and The Love Boat. George & Alana.

Writing, Advocacy & Media Work

Later in her career, Alana shifted more into documentary work, writing, and advocacy.

From 2006 to 2009, she produced and filmed the documentary Farrah’s Story, documenting her friend and fellow model Farrah Fawcett’s battle with cancer. The film was Emmy-nominated. My Journey with Farrah: A Story of Life, Love, and Friendship, which became a New York Times bestseller.

Her memoir Rearview Mirror was released in 2012, offering reflections on her personal life, family, struggles, and relationships.

She has also appeared on reality TV, talk shows, news programs, and in the E! series Stewarts & Hamiltons, which focused on her blended family.

On her own site, she highlights her roles as actress, model, author, spokesperson, and President/CEO of the Farrah Fawcett Foundation.

Personal Life & Challenges

Marriages & Children

Alana Stewart has had high-profile marriages:

  • She married actor George Hamilton in 1972; they had a son, Ashley Hamilton. The marriage ended in divorce in 1975.

  • In 1979 she married rock singer Rod Stewart. They had two children: Kimberly Stewart and Sean Stewart. They divorced in 1984.

She kept the surname Stewart professionally even after their divorce.

Health, Advocacy & Transformation

During the early 1990s, Alana was diagnosed with the Epstein–Barr virus after years of unexplained symptoms.

She has also publicly disclosed traumatic experiences, including being raped at age 18, struggles with bulimia and alcohol, and difficulties in her relationships—topics she addresses in Rearview Mirror.

Her friendship with Farrah Fawcett was deep; she has served (or serves) as President/CEO of the Farrah Fawcett Foundation for cancer research.

In political arenas, she has identified as a Republican and endorsed candidates; she has also made public statements on gun ownership, press freedom, and media platforms.

Legacy, Influence & Public Perception

Alana Stewart’s life illustrates resilience, reinvention, and willingness to share vulnerability. She is often remembered for:

  • The shift from modeling and acting to memoir, documentary, and advocacy

  • Her close friendship with Farrah Fawcett and stewardship of Fawcett’s legacy

  • Her transparency about health struggles and personal trauma

  • Navigating life in the public eye with multiple public relationships and family dynamics

Her work has contributed to conversations around women’s health, celebrity wellness, memoir as expression, and blending creative work with advocacy.

Memorable Quotes

Alana Stewart is not widely cited for pithy “quote fame,” but some lines and statements capture her perspective:

  • She has written about “living the truth” in Rearview Mirror, urging openness and healing. (from her memoir)

  • She has said that removing her breast implants was part of reclaiming health and agency.

  • On her official site, her identity is framed as Actress | Author | Model | Advocate, suggesting she values multifaceted purpose.

Articles by the author

I used to think that divorce meant failure, but now I see it more as a step along the path of self-realization and growth.

Alana Stewart

I have a strong belief that there is a god or a higher power. I think that if you have a strong belief in that, then you won't feel alone in life and you will feel you can get through anything.

Alana Stewart

One hopes, of course, that a relationship grows and becomes a deep and wonderful marriage and friendship that lasts forever. But that's not always the case.

Alana Stewart

Through a long and painful process, I've learned that happiness is an inside job - not based on anything or anyone in the outer material world. I've become a different and better person - not perfect, but still a work in progress.

Alana Stewart

No matter what kind of challenges or difficulties or painful situations you go through in your life, we all have something deep within us that we can reach down and find the inner strength to get through them.

Alana Stewart

I first got sick after I had my daughter, Kimberly, 21 years ago. I'd always been energetic and never had any serious medical problems. Then I got very sick with a high fever. They told me I had mononucleosis. I became pregnant right away with Sean, and after he was born, I never seemed to recover.

Alana Stewart

Our thoughts really do create our lives. They've done a lot of research showing if you're an optimistic, positive person you will be a healthier person than if you're a sad, depressed, negative person.

Alana Stewart