Paulina Porizkova

Paulina Porizkova is a Czech-born model and writer. She began her modeling career in Paris at the age of 15 and quickly gained recognition, becoming the first Central European woman to appear on the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue in 1984. In addition to her successful modeling career, Porizkova also ventured into acting, making her film debut in the movie 'Anna' in 1987. Born in Prostějov, Czechoslovakia, Porizkova was separated from her parents who had fled to Sweden to escape the Warsaw Pact invasion. Her mother later attempted to rescue her, but was detained by the authorities. Porizkova's story became widely known and she became a cause célèbre.