Supermodel and actress Carol Alt on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar Vietnam July 2024.
“Be true to yourself, be honest, and bring something unique to the table. Laughter, empathy, and smiling are powerful”, supermodel Carol Alt smiles at the end of our exclusive interview, when she reveals how her diverse experiences, entrepreneurial spirit, and unwavering principles have shaped her career.
Coat, Weisheng Paris at Maison Privée. Dress, Bibhu Mohapatra. Shoes, Manolo Blahnik. Earrings, Meredith Marks.
Discover Carol’s insights on modeling, acting, health, and life, along with her advice for aspiring talents and her plans for the future.
Shirt, Weisheng Paris at Maison Privée. Earrings, Meredith Marks.
HARPER’S BAZAAR (HBZ): Can you please tell us about your childhood? Did you have any particular career path in mind before you started modeling?
CAROL ALT: I grew up in Flushing, Queens. My father was a fire chief and my mother raised four kids on his salary. She instilled in me a moral compass, compassion, empathy, and fiscal responsibility, which I use today. I didn’t have many specific career dreams. I used modeling as a stepping stone, leading to opportunities I never dreamed possible.
Shirt, Weisheng Paris at Maison Privée. Earrings, Meredith Marks.
HBZ: How did you get discovered as a model while waiting tables in East Williston?
CAROL ALT: I was waitressing at a Steer Barn restaurant in Roslyn, Long Island. A photographer, stuck in traffic on his way to the Hamptons, stopped to eat at my table.
Coat, Alexander McQueen. Earrings, Meredith Marks.
HBZ: Your first big break came with the cover of Harper’s Bazaar in 1979. How did that opportunity come about?
CAROL ALT: My first modeling day was June 1, 1979, with Harper’s Bazaar Italia, leading to the collections trip. The cover kick-started my career, working with photographers like Patrick Demarchelier and Mario Testino.
Dress, Reem Arca. Shoes, Manolo Blahnik. Earrings, Meredith Marks.
HBZ: You’ve graced over 500 magazine covers. Can you share some of the most memorable covers or moments from your modeling career?
CAROL ALT: Probably closer to 1.000 covers. My first was Harper’s Bazaar Italia. My first Vogue Italia cover, shot by François Lamy, is iconic and often copied for its lighting.
Dress & gloves, Gustavo Cadile. Shoes, Manolo Blahnik. Earrings, Erickson Beamon at Showroom SEVEN.
HBZ: Life magazine called you “The Face”. Tell us what that day was like and what impact it had on you and your career?
CAROL ALT: Life magazine followed me for weeks, shooting my daily life. I didn’t see the cover until it was off the racks. All I thought was, “I HOPE I am the next million-dollar face!”.
Jacket, Giorgio Armani. Earrings, Meredith Marks.
HBZ: What inspired you to transition from modeling to acting?
CAROL ALT: An opportunity! Universal Pictures saw footage of me in a documentary and created a storyline for me. It was amazing. I have at least one scene, maybe two, with my late father who passed away right before the movie came out. I felt like a chameleon, always changing and innovating to stay relevant. I took a leave at my career’s peak to work with Bob Fosse.
Dress, Gaurav Gupta at The Good Six. Shoes, Manolo Blahnik.
It was not really looked upon favorably in America for a model to become an actress or a serious actress to do commercial work. They tried to put everybody into boxes. Europe didn’t do that. So I jumped. After Fosse, I started to receive film offers that literally booked every day of my year. Some of the contracts I secured were with Virginia Slims, CoverGirl, Lancôme, and Hanes with Michael Jordan.
Dress, Gaurav Gupta at The Good Six. Shoes, Manolo Blahnik.
HBZ: Among your numerous acting roles, which one do you consider the most significant?
CAROL ALT: Anna Karenina was the hardest role. It was every day for four months from September to end of December. It was a complicated character, Extremely difficult, but most gratifying.
Jacket, Giorgio Armani. Shoes, Manolo Blahnik. Earrings, Meredith Marks.
HBZ: What was your experience like on the Italian version of Dancing with the Stars?
CAROL ALT: With no dance expertise, I found myself more stubborn than talented. My younger dance partner didn’t realize my age and treated me like I was 30 or 40, even though I was in my 50s!
Dress, CD Greene. Shoes, Manolo Blahnik. Earrings, House of Emmanuele at The Residency Experience.
HBZ: Can you share any insights about your marriage to Ron Greschner and your long-term relationship with Alexei Yashin?
CAROL ALT: I met Ron when I was 20. I really liked being married. It gave me stability and a place to come home to. Being a professional athlete, he traveled just as much as I did. He was my support system.
Alexei and I had an amazing relationship. We were together for 17 years and frankly, I’m still kind of on the phone with him every day, even now!
Head piece, House of Emmanuele thuộc The Residency Experience.
HBZ: Can you tell us more about your show, A Healthy You & Carol Alt, and what inspired you to start it?
CAROL ALT: I loved doing A Healthy You, because Roger Ailes (president of Fox News) was willing to take a chance on doing an extreme alternative health show. It was extremely unique and still today.
Coat, Cesar Galindo. Heels, Manolo Blahnik. Earrings, Scyla Boyer Jewelry at Flying Solo PR.
HBZ: What core principles or philosophies have guided you throughout your career and life?
CAROL ALT: Fiscal responsibility – My girlfriends always remarked that I wrote down every expense in my ledger. That I did my own books and didn’t allow anyone to sign my checks. My mother brought up four children on a fireman’s salary (less than US$13,000 a year). She is my role model and my hero.
Dress, Cucculelli Shaheen. Earrings, House of Emmanuele at The Residency Experience.
Moral purpose – I don’t do anything without a reason. I won’t do a nude for the sake of doing a nude. I won’t lie, cheat or steal. I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life – I’m human. But I really try. I strive to live up to the example set by my mom and sisters.
Dress, Cucculelli Shaheen. Earrings, House of Emmanuele at The Residency Experience.
HBZ: How do you approach challenges and setbacks in your professional journey?
CAROL ALT: When I was younger, I looked for challenges and I looked to scream and shout and kick the door down. I’m 63, I would just really like someone to come along who understood me and is able to utilize my talents and really be able to do something that changes the world!
Dress, Tom Ford. Earrings, Meredith Marks.
HBZ: Who have been your idols or sources of inspiration throughout your life and career? How have they influenced your growth?
CAROL ALT: As I mentioned, I’ve never molded myself after anybody else. I find creativity is crushed when you try to be like someone else. I try to forge my own way and follow my own path. Good or bad I’ve always done that. The Bible says that the best: Do not compare yourself to others because it makes for a very unhappy life.
Coat, Weisheng Paris at Maison Privée. Dress, Bibhu Mohapatra. Shoes, Manolo Blahnik. Earrings, Meredith Marks.
HBZ: How do you spend your free time and stay creatively inspired?
CAROL ALT: Well lately, it’s been a lot of videos for my personal social media – work I normally get paid for (LOL). For me it’s very sad that the industry has changed so much. I spend my time researching, studying, rescuing animals. I work with Denise’s Washington Heights Cat Sanctuary.
Coat, Cesar Galindo. Heels, Manolo Blahnik. Earrings, Scyla Boyer Jewelry at Flying Solo PR.
HBZ: What advice would you give to aspiring models and actors based on your experience?
CAROL ALT: My advice might be outdated, but health information and education is extremely important because health is the great equalizer.Nobody escapes dying, and nobody escapes getting old. Educating and disciplining yourself leads to a productive life.
Maybe in the future, I will start a YouTube channel and share my health habits.
Coat and pants, Giorgio Armani. Shoes, Manolo Blahnik.
HBZ: What advice would you give to young individuals who are just starting their careers?
CAROL ALT: Be true to yourself, be honest, and bring something unique to the table. Laughter, empathy, and smiling are powerful.
Dress, Lever Couture. Shoes, Manolo Blahnik.
HBZ: What are your future plans and goals?
CAROL ALT: I’m seeking new adventures. I’ve done many unexpected things, and I’m excited for what’s next. Something new will pop up!
Dress, Lever Couture. Shoes, Manolo Blahnik.
Muse: Carol Alt @modelcarolalt at The Model CoOp @themodelcoop.
Photographer/Producer: Tom Marvel @tommarvelphotography.
Creative Director: Cannon Media Group @thecannonmediagroup at Ray Brown @raybrownpro.
Lightening Director: Pierre Bonnet @jpierrebonnet.
Director of Video: James Weber @james_weber.
Photographer Assistant: Michele Wilhelmina @michelewilhelminaphotography.
Photographer 2nd Assistant: George Pepe @gspepe.
Digital Tech: Ryan Liu @justryanliu.
Set Producer: Roger Joseph @rjcomments.
Hair: George Grierson @geoxge.
Hair Assistant: Luz Castillo @hairbyluzz.
Makeup: Nikki Jelin @nikkij_mua.
Fashion Team: Winnie Noan @winnie_noan, GIabriela Jagodzinska @gjagodzinska_,
Sydney Loera @sydneyloera, and Betta Bono @elisabettabono_.
Retoucher: Anne Nguyen @retoucher_anna.
Special Thanks to Corinne Nicolas at The Model CoOp.
Harper’s Bazaar Vietnam
