About
Adrianne Marie Curry‑Rhode was born on August 6, 1982, in Joliet, Illinois, and burst onto television screens in 2003 as the very first winner of America’s Next Top Model (ANTM). Her victory catapulted her from anonymous Midwestern hopeful to jet‑setting fashion model and reality‑TV favorite almost overnight. Over the next decade, she balanced runway work, magazine covers, and a string of television appearances—from VH1’s The Surreal Life to judging gigs on gaming shows—while cultivating a reputation for blunt honesty and unabashed geek culture enthusiasm.
Now 42, Curry has consciously stepped away from Hollywood’s glare. She and voice‑actor husband Matthew Rhode relocated to rural Whitefish, Montana, where she runs a lifestyle blog, sells Avon products, and revels in open skies instead of red carpets. On social media, she champions silver strands and wrinkle lines, telling followers that “aging happens” and should be celebrated rather than feared. Her frank posts about choosing personal dignity over cosmetic quick fixes have landed recent headlines and endeared her to a new audience far beyond fashion.
Before Fame
Curry’s childhood in Joliet was anything but glamorous. The self‑described tomboy juggled fast‑food shifts and retail jobs, nursed ambitions bigger than her hometown, and—according to her ANTM bio—rarely worried about haute couture. Friends recall her climbing trees more often than catwalks. That scrappy confidence served her well during ANTM auditions, where she powered through food poisoning, culture shock in Paris, and the judges’ critiques to claim the inaugural crown.
Trivia
- First-ever Top Model champion: Curry’s victory in Cycle 1 not only made her the original winner of the franchise, but for a while, its most vocal alumna. She subsequently confirmed that the promised Revlon contract did not come through, fueling continued criticism of reality‑show prizes.
- Maxim Hot 100 & Playboy: She was #100 on Maxim’s 2005 Hot 100 and appeared on the covers of Playboy in 2006 and 2008, highlighting her crossover appeal from catwalk to men’s mag culture.
- Cosplay trailblazer: Well before “cosplayer” entered the mainstream vernacular, Curry wore elaborate Comic‑Con costumes—typically drawn from Star Wars or World of Warcraft—and broadcast gaming sessions, which earned her the tongue‑in‑cheek nickname of “Resident Celebrity Gamer” on The Tester for PlayStation Network.
- Small-town business owner: In leaving Los Angeles behind, she enjoyed small‑town business, playfully saying ringing on neighbors’ doorbells with an Avon catalog is truer to form than any strut down a runway.
- Promote elegant aging: Her 2025 Instagram side‑by‑side—2003 vs. 2025—trended everywhere, spreading her message that laugh lines and gray hair are badges of a well-lived life.
Family Life
Reality television didn’t just change Curry’s career; it altered her personal world. While filming The Surreal Life in 2004, she struck up a whirlwind romance with actor Christopher Knight (Peter Brady of The Brady Bunch). The relationship, chronicled in VH1’s My Fair Brady, led to a 2006 wedding, but the pair amicably filed for divorce five years later, citing growing distance. In 2017, she announced her engagement to Rhode, whose booming trailer voice contrasted charmingly with her straight‑shooting sarcasm. The duo eloped on September 15, 2018, in Glacier National Park, exchanging Tolkien‑ and Game of Thrones‑laced vows under Montana evergreens. They live child‑free with a menagerie of pets and plenty of outdoor gear.
Associated With
Curry’s story is forever entwined with Tyra Banks, who created ANTM and, in Curry’s words, “taught me the truth of entertainment.” While fans often expect lingering resentment, Curry says her real criticism is reserved for viewers who fueled the show’s harsher moments. Her pop‑culture orbit also includes former spouse Christopher Knight, current partner Matthew Rhode, and reality‑TV veteran Bethenny Frankel, whose podcast recently hosted Curry for a candid industry debrief. Together, these connections paint the picture of a woman who has brushed shoulders with fashion moguls, ’70s sitcom icons, and modern influencers—yet now prefers the company of Montanan wildlife and loyal online followers.
