Bo Derek

Bo Derek
Derek in 2022
Born
Mary Cathleen Collins

(1956-11-20) November 20, 1956 (age 67)
Long Beach, California, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1973–present
Notable work
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1976; died 1998)​
​
(m. 2020)​
RelativesSean Catherine Derek (stepdaughter)

Bo Derek (born Mary Cathleen Collins; November 20, 1956)[1] is an American actress. She began her career as a child model before deciding to pursue acting on the advice of a talent agent she met through the actress Ann-Margret, who was acquainted with both of her parents.[2] In 1972,[3] she was cast in the romantic drama film Once Upon a Love (1973), which was directed by her first husband, John Derek, and eventually released as Fantasies in 1981.[4] Her breakthrough performance came in the romantic comedy film 10 (1979), which cemented her status as a sex icon and mainstream celebrity. The role earned her a Golden Globe Award nomination for New Star of the Year – Actress.

Derek went on to star in three more films directed by John Derek: Tarzan, the Ape Man (1981), Bolero (1984), and Ghosts Can't Do It (1989), all of which were critically panned. Her other credits include the dramatic-comedy film A Change of Seasons (1980), the American buddy comedy film Tommy Boy (1995), and the American telenovela series Fashion House (2006).

Derek has been involved in a number of philanthropic endeavors. For several years, she served as Honorary Chairperson for Veterans Affairs' National Rehabilitation Special Events,[5][6] which helps disabled veterans overcome their limitations through sports and competition. In 2002, she was appointed to the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees by former President George W. Bush.[7] A longtime WildAid ambassador,[8][9] Derek was named Special Envoy of the Secretary of State for Wildlife Tracking Issues by former Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick in 2006.[10] In 2008, former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed Derek as a commissioner of the California Horse Racing Board[11][12] in honor of her many contributions to the betterment of horses, including her position as a spokesperson for the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, which she had held since 2003.[11][12][13] She was reappointed to the CHRB in 2010[13] and 2014.[14]

Widowed in 1998,[15] Derek began a relationship with actor John Corbett in 2002.[16] They were married in December 2020.[16]

  1. ^ "Bo Derek Bio". Bo Derek Official Website. Archived from the original on May 1, 2007. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference biography was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference LA Times was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference AFI Fantasies was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference VA 2009 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference VA 2005 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "Nominations and Appointments". Welcome to the White House. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  8. ^ "World Celebrities 'Join the Herd' to Fight for Africa's Elephants". WildAid. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  9. ^ "Bo Derek". WildAid. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  10. ^ "Public Activist Bo Derek Named Special Envoy of the Secretary of State for Wildlife Trafficking Issues". State Department (state.gov) Website [2001-2009]. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  11. ^ a b "Bo Derek, David Israel Appointed to CHRB". Bloodhorse.com. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  12. ^ a b "Opinion: Arnold's New Bo". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  13. ^ a b "Winner, Derek Among Those Elected to CHRB Board". Paulick Report. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  14. ^ York, Anthony (January 2, 2014). "Bo Derek Reappointed to State Horse Racing Board". Los Angeles Times. California Times. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  15. ^ Cite error: The named reference Variety was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  16. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference People 2021 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).