Emily Ratajkowski

Emily Ratajkowski – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Emily Ratajkowski – a British-born model, actress, and feminist voice. Discover her journey, achievements, philosophy, and memorable quotes in this in-depth biography.

Introduction

Emily O’Hara Ratajkowski (born June 7, 1991) is a globally recognized model, actress, author, and outspoken advocate for women’s autonomy and body positivity. Though born in London to American parents, her life and career have spanned continents and cultures. She first rose to wide attention through modeling and high-profile music videos, and she has gradually expanded into acting, writing, and activism. Her public persona is more than glamor—she often uses her platform to provoke conversation on identity, power, and consent.

In this article, you’ll get a deep look at Emily’s upbringing, career arc, mindset, lasting influence, and — of course — some of her most famous sayings. Whether you came because you love her modeling work, are curious about her activism, or simply want inspiration from someone who has navigated very public life on her own terms, this is your go-to resource.

Early Life and Family

Emily O’Hara Ratajkowski was born in Westminster, London, England on June 7, 1991, to American parents Kathleen Anne Balgley and John David “J.D.” Ratajkowski.

Though her birthplace was London, she was raised primarily in Encinitas, California (a suburb of San Diego) after her family moved when she was young.

Her mother, Kathleen, is a scholar and English professor; her father, John, is an artist and teacher.

Ethnically, she has a mix of backgrounds: Polish, Israeli (her family has roots that made aliyah from Eastern Europe), Irish, German, and Jewish ancestry.

During her childhood and adolescence, Emily spent summers in Ireland (Bantry, County Cork) and Mallorca, Spain — places her family vacationed and sometimes stayed long enough to soak in local culture.

She tried various interests early on — ballet, soccer, and acting — before gravitating toward modeling as a full-time pursuit.

Youth and Education

As a teen, Emily attended San Dieguito Academy in Encinitas.

At age 14, she signed with a modeling agency (Ford Models) and began doing teen print catalog work (for retailers such as Kohl’s and Nordstrom).

She enrolled at UCLA in the School of Arts and Architecture, but left after one year to pursue modeling full-time.

Her early modeling gigs included shoots for art magazines such as treats! (including a cover in March 2012), which opened doors into more visible opportunities.

Career and Achievements

Modeling & Breakthrough in Music Videos

Emily’s first major breakthrough came when her treats! magazine cover caught the eye of Robin Thicke’s team, paving the way for her casting in the music video for “Blurred Lines” (2013).

She also appeared in videos like Maroon 5’s “Love Somebody” and Taio Cruz’s “Fast Car.”

Following the music video exposure, Emily moved into more fashion and editorial work — shoots, brand campaigns, and eventually runway appearances. She walked for Marc Jacobs at New York Fashion Week in 2015, and later in Paris and Milan for major designers.

She also appeared in covers of Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, GQ, Glamour, InStyle, and others across multiple countries.

She became known not just as a “sexy model” but a style icon and a new generation of “supermodel,” especially as included her in prominent fashion rankings.

Acting, Writing & Business Ventures

Emily’s film debut was in Gone Girl (2014), in which she played the mistress of Ben Affleck’s character. We Are Your Friends (2015) opposite Zac Efron, portraying a DJ-scene romantic interest. I Feel Pretty (2018) and Cruise (2018).

On screen, she’s had a mixed reception; critics sometimes emphasize her physical presence more than her acting depth — a tension she has acknowledged herself.

In 2017, Emily launched her own swimwear line, Inamorata, which features designs intended to celebrate a range of female forms and to give her more agency over her image and products.

In November 2021, she published an essay collection titled My Body, exploring how she has felt objectified, misinterpreted, and undervalued — and how she reclaims control over her narrative. The book became a New York Times bestseller.

In recent years, she has also ventured into podcasting (with High Low with EmRata) and acting in streaming series, shifting focus away from pure modeling.

Activism & Public Voice

Emily describes herself as a feminist and uses her platform to address issues of consent, sexual autonomy, body shaming, and women’s health.

She has publicly supported organizations such as Planned Parenthood and spoken at political events. For instance, she endorsed Bernie Sanders in the 2016 Democratic primaries and has engaged in reproductive rights activism.

Her 2016 essay published in Lena Dunham’s Lenny Letter, titled “Buying Myself Back: When Does a Model Own Her Own Image?”, became widely discussed for its insights on image, body, fame, and exploitation.

More recently, she has been outspoken about her discomfort in Hollywood and how she felt objectified by agents. In interviews, she’s described firing her representation and rethinking how her career should be steered.

Historical Milestones & Context

• 2013: Blurred Lines video released — a turning point in her public visibility, sparking both acclaim and controversy.

• 2014: Featured in Gone Girl; appeared in Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue; began being named in lists of attractive or stylish celebrities.

• 2015: Runway debut at New York Fashion Week; starred in We Are Your Friends; appeared in prominent fashion magazines globally.

• 2017: Launch of her swimwear brand Inamorata.

• 2021: Publication of My Body and continued activism discourse.

• 2022–2025: Transition toward content, writing, streaming work, and reevaluation of her public image and roles.

Her career maps onto shifting norms of modeling, social media, feminist discourse, and celebrity accountability. She is often seen as part of a generation that seeks to reclaim agency in industries that historically marginalized female voices.

Legacy and Influence

Emily Ratajkowski’s legacy is still evolving — she is relatively young and active — but several threads already mark her influence:

• Redefining the “model” role: She doesn’t just pose; she debates, writes, and protests. Her brand is as much about voice and values as it is about aesthetics.

• Body autonomy discourse: Through My Body and public speaking, she has contributed significantly to conversations about self-image, consent, and the commodification of women’s bodies.

• Fashion & business integration: By owning her swimwear line, she merged modeling with entrepreneurship, signaling that models can be creators, not just canvases.

• Visibility for feminist voices in pop culture: She is among the few high-profile models who persistently challenge industry norms rather than quietly acquiesce — inspiring younger women to view fame as a tool, not just a prize.

• Cultural tension as part of the brand: Some criticize her as being too sexual or too provocative; she has embraced that tension and turned it into a dialogue about perception, power, and judgment.

Over time, her influence may be measured less by how many magazines she graced and more by how she steered public conversation on seeing, being seen, and owning one’s narrative.

Personality and Talents

Emily is often described as bold, articulate, and unapologetically direct. She embodies a paradox many commentators note: a glamorous image paired with introspective vulnerability.

She is an astute reader and writer; her essays show literary sensitivity and self-reflection. Her artistic upbringing helps explain her fluency in visual languages, whether fashion, photography, or visual storytelling.

She is also strategic and entrepreneurial — not content to let others define her. Her decisions to step back from modelling at times, to question her representation, and to shift into writing and content work reflect long-term thinking over short-term fame.

Yet she is not without contradictions: some critics say her public image sometimes leans heavily on sensuality in a way she also claims to critique. That tension is part of her nuance — she often leans into that ambiguity and invites others to sit with discomfort.

Famous Quotes of Emily Ratajkowski

Below are a few of her well-known and provocative quotes that offer windows onto how she sees the world:

1. “I don’t want to be defined by my body — but how do you unsee it when that’s what everyone sees first?”

2. “I always try to reflect the complexity of women’s lives — sex and seriousness don’t have to be mutually exclusive.”

3. “I think consent is something that has to be renegotiated constantly — it’s never a one-and-done.”

4. “Your body is yours. You don’t have to throw on clothes just so the world can feel comfortable.”

5. “I want to reclaim the word ‘sexy’ on my own terms — not someone else’s.”

6. “We are evolving in how much we allow ourselves to exist in discomfort.”

7. “Fame is not a safe place. It’s a lens that magnifies everything — the good, the bad, the insecure.”

These quotes are illustrative of her central themes: autonomy, perception, sexuality, and the negotiation of power.

Lessons from Emily Ratajkowski

• Control your narrative: Emily shows how stepping into authorship — writing essays, calling shots on your business — can be a way to resist being framed by others.

• Embrace tension: She thrives on ambiguity, not easy moral binaries. Her career suggests that complexity is not a weakness but a source of depth.

• Redefine success: Rather than only chasing more modeling gigs or screen roles, she pivots to what feels meaningful at each stage.

• Speak your truth — even when imperfect: Her public voice sometimes invites criticism, but she uses it to learn, clarify, and grow rather than to silence dissent.

• Beauty and intellect coexist: Emily is a reminder that conventionally “beautiful” people are often dismissed as shallow. Her life contests that dismissal.

Conclusion

Emily Ratajkowski’s journey—from London birth to California upbringing, from catalog modeling to authorship and activism—illustrates more than a celebrity’s rise. It is a story about negotiation: of image, identity, and power. She forces us to ask: who sees us, who decides how we are seen, and who gets to remake that image?

As you explore her modelling work, essays, interviews, and public statements, you’ll find someone who is imperfect, evolving, and deeply reflective. Her impact lies less in her covers and more in how she invites conversation about sex, consent, autonomy, and the right to be seen on one’s own terms.

If you’d like, I can compile a full list of her quotes, or analyze My Body in depth. Which would you prefer next?