Christie Brinkley’s new memoir, “Uptown Girl,” offers a candid look at the supermodel’s life and career, including her tumultuous 11-year marriage to singer-songwriter Billy Joel. In an exclusive interview, Brinkley shares intimate details about their relationship, including the struggles with addiction, psychosis, and infidelity.
Brinkley met Joel in 1983 while on location for a photo shoot in St. Barts, and the two quickly fell in love. However, their marriage was marked by intense highs and lows, including a series of publicized affairs and a period of time when Brinkley woke up to find her husband had vanished.
“I loved him and I wanted to make it work,” Brinkley says. “Drinking is a disease. And I knew that there had to be some way to help him, but at the same time, we were in a public relationship where you couldn’t really talk about your problems without being judged.”
The couple’s marriage was further complicated by Joel’s struggles with addiction and psychosis. In one particularly disturbing incident, Brinkley recalls how her husband ate spaghetti directly from a pan on the stove while drunk.
“I hesitated to put that scene in the book,” she says. “But at the same time, it demonstrates what I was up against.”
Despite the challenges they faced, Brinkley and Joel’s marriage remained public for many years. However, their relationship ultimately ended in divorce in 1994, with Brinkley going on to marry real estate developer Richard Taubman.
Throughout her memoir, Brinkley shares a candid and often painful look at her life and career. Despite the ups and downs she has faced, she remains grateful for her second chance at life and is determined to continue working and thriving as a model and entrepreneur.
Source: https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/books/story/2025-04-29/christie-brinkley-billy-joel-why-they-divorced-uptown-girl