Carol Alt

A comprehensive profile of Carol Alt (born December 1, 1960) — American model, actress, wellness advocate, and entrepreneur. Discover her rise to fame, transitions, philosophy, and memorable quotes.

Introduction

Carol Ann Alt (born December 1, 1960) is an American supermodel, actress, and wellness advocate whose career has spanned modeling, film, television, and health entrepreneurship.

She gained international recognition during the 1980s, appearing on hundreds of magazine covers and becoming a household name in fashion and advertising. In later years, Alt has embraced roles in film and television and become a vocal promoter of raw food diets, longevity, and natural beauty.

Early Life and Family

Carol Alt was born in Flushing, Queens, New York.

She is the third of four children.

While in college, Alt worked as a waitress in East Williston, Long Island. She was discovered while waiting tables and offered a modeling opportunity, which she initially intended as a summer job to help pay for school.

Modeling Career & Rise to Fame

Alt’s modeling career took off in the early 1980s:

• Her first major cover was Harper’s Bazaar in 1980.

• In 1982, she appeared on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, which catapulted her to greater international fame.

• Over the course of the 1980s, she appeared on over 500 magazine covers, including Vogue (various international editions), Elle, Cosmopolitan, and Mademoiselle.

• She was known as “The Face,” a designation given by Life magazine.

• During her peak, she was the face of advertising campaigns for major brands: Diet Pepsi, General Motors, Cover Girl Cosmetics, Noxzema, Hanes, Givenchy, Versace, Armani, and more.

• She was one of the first models to produce and sell her own posters and calendars, broadening her brand beyond modeling alone.

Alt’s success in modeling established her as part of the era’s elite supermodels.

Transition to Acting, Media & Health Advocacy

Acting & Media

Beginning in the mid-1980s, Alt moved into acting, especially in Italian film and television. Via Montenapoleone and I miei primi 40 anni. Private Parts and more modest productions.

In 2008, Alt appeared on the reality show Celebrity Apprentice (U.S.), raising funds for the Tony Alt Memorial Foundation (in honor of her father). She finished in third place but was later brought back for the final task to assist another contestant.

In 2013, she launched a half-hour wellness show on Fox News, A Healthy You & Carol Alt, in which she shares nutrition, longevity, and health advice.

Health, Diet & Advocacy

In her later career, Alt has become known for her advocacy of raw food diets, healthy living, and anti-aging methods.

She has authored books such as Eating in the Raw and The Raw 50, promoting raw food and wellness.

Alt’s health philosophy emphasizes natural oils, skin care with minimal chemicals, diet quality over restriction, and maintaining vitality into older age.

Personal Life

• In 1983, Carol Alt married Ron Greschner, a defenseman for the New York Rangers. They divorced in 1996.

• She later had a long-term relationship with hockey player Alexei Yashin.

• Earlier in her life, she had a relationship with Brazilian racing icon Ayrton Senna, which she has affirmed in interviews.

• Her brother, Anthony Jr., died in 2005 at age 50.

Personality, Style & Strengths

Carol Alt is often described as ambitious, entrepreneurial, disciplined, and adaptive. She transformed from a modeling star into an actress and wellness brand, showing versatility beyond her original domain.

She has spoken openly about the challenges of the modeling world: controlling image, lack of personal life, diet extremes, and the pressure to maintain appearance.

Her resilience in reinventing her career, investing in health advocacy, and leveraging her public profile to promote wellness stand out as hallmarks of her later-stage career.

Selected Quotes

Below are some of Carol Alt’s memorable quotes that reflect her views on beauty, aging, body, and the modeling world.

“It doesn’t matter what age you are. You can look sexy and feel great, and that doesn’t have to be a gift only for the young.” “There was really no friendship in modeling, though a certain amount of warmth comes from running into models you know on shoots, because you end up in so many unfamiliar places, from Alaska to Africa.” “It’s not about failure; it’s about trying something and risking something for attaining your goal.” “Because I was the first super-elite, the press caught on and started calling me a supermodel. So in that sense, I guess I’m the first.” “I was diagnosed with hypoglycemia, an abnormal decrease of sugar in the blood. … Eventually I learned to eat five small meals a day.” “Just because you're beautiful, they think you can't act.… I've got a lot more to prove.” “I don’t think there was life after modelling, believe me. It’s a hit to the ego when you are not the diva on the set any more. But I think what keeps me going are challenges. I love when people tell me I can’t do something.”

These quotes communicate her philosophy: aging does not have to mean decline, resilience is found in growth, and identity can be renewed beyond one’s peak fame.

Lessons & Legacy

From Carol Alt’s life and career, several lessons emerge:

1. Reinvention is possible — She successfully transitioned from modeling to acting, media, and wellness advocacy.

2. Aging gracefully — She emphasizes that beauty and vitality need not fade with age, but can be nurtured.

3. Authentic advocacy — Her health and diet advocacy stems from personal experience (e.g. health struggles) rather than just branding.

4. Image management with integrity — She acknowledges pressures in modeling but seeks to control her narrative on her terms.

5. Courage in risk — She embraced risks (in business, health, and career pivots) instead of clinging to one domain.

As a modeling icon, Alt shaped the standards and possibilities of her era. As a wellness figure, she continues to influence conversations around food, aging, and health.

Conclusion

Carol Alt’s journey—from being discovered as a waitress to reigning as a supermodel, then branching into acting and health entrepreneurship—is a story of ambition, adaptation, and advocacy. Her message is that beauty, health, and purpose can evolve across decades.