About
Emily Ratajkowski (born June 7, 1991) is an American model, writer, and actress who first caught the world’s eye in the 2013 “Blurred Lines” video and swiftly turned that spark into a wide-ranging career. She has appeared on the covers of international fashion magazines, walked runways for luxury labels, and acted in films such as Gone Girl and We Are Your Friends.
Alongside modeling and acting, Ratajkowski has built her own businesses and creative projects. She launched the swim- and body-wear label Inamorata in 2017 and has steadily grown it into a full lifestyle brand that now sells lingerie, casual knits, and shapewear. In 2021 she published the bestselling essay collection My Body, and a year later she started the twice-weekly podcast High Low with EmRata, where candid chats with artists, writers, and friends sit next to her own reflections on pop culture and politics.
Before Fame
Ratajkowski was born in Westminster, London, to American parents Kathleen Balgley, an English-professor-turned-writer, and John David “J.D.” Ratajkowski, a painter and art teacher. The family settled in the laid-back beach town of Encinitas, California, giving Emily a childhood split between sunny Pacific sands and summers in Europe.
Creative influences were everywhere at home, from her father’s canvases to shelves filled with feminist texts. She tried soccer, ballet, and local theater before signing with a modeling agency at 14. After a brief year studying at UCLA’s School of the Arts, she left to pursue modeling full-time. Small catalog jobs and a cameo on iCarly eventually led to that headline-grabbing appearance in Robin Thicke’s video, a moment that opened doors to fashion weeks, film sets, and global campaigns.
Trivia
- A writer first. Long before the runway, Ratajkowski filled journals with essays about body image and power. Those ideas later shaped My Body, her blunt, personal look at the costs and rewards of being seen.
- Business savvy. She self-funded Inamorata, shoots many look-books herself, and uses social platforms as a direct storefront, bypassing the old fashion gatekeepers.
- Symbolic jewelry. After filing for divorce she had her two-stone engagement ring split into “divorce rings,” a gesture she said marked reclaiming her story.
- A curious listener. On the podcast she welcomes voices as varied as pop-rapper BIA and philosopher Amia Srinivasan, proving she’s happiest when big ideas and everyday gossip sit side by side.
Family Life
Emily married indie film producer Sebastian Bear-McClard in February 2018 during a small New York City ceremony. Their son, Sylvester Apollo Bear, arrived on March 8, 2021. Motherhood, she says, reshaped her priorities and sharpened her sense of purpose.
The couple separated in 2022 amid reports of infidelity, and their divorce was finalized in 2023. Since then Ratajkowski has shared co-parenting duties while largely raising “Sly” in Manhattan. She often posts glimpses of their adventures—whether strolling to the farmers’ market or exploring childhood vacation spots like Majorca—preferring low-key moments over red-carpet glare.
Associated With
- Robin Thicke & Pharrell Williams – Her appearance in their “Blurred Lines” video propelled her into mainstream pop culture.
- Ben Affleck & Rosamund Pike – She acted alongside them in David Fincher’s Gone Girl (2014).
- Anna Wintour – A regular at the Met Gala and Vogue shoots, she’s become a fashion-week fixture.
- Planned Parenthood & Bernie Sanders – An outspoken advocate, she lends her platform to reproductive rights and progressive politics.
- BIA, Ziwe, Troye Sivan – Just a few of the eclectic guests who have conversed with her on High Low, underscoring her passion for wide-ranging dialogue.
