The name Emily Ratajkowski may not sound familiar, but her face and body most defiantly are. The model turned actress is climbing her way towards mega-stardom at an incredibly fast pace. Ratajkowski is the scene-stealing sensation that became the next "it" model after her appearance in Robin Thicke's controversial "Blurred Lines" music video. The scandalous video currently has over 72 million views on Vevo and over 405 million on YouTube. "Blurred Lines" became a pop-culture phenomenon and propelled the previously unknown model into the Hollywood spotlight.
Taking advantage of her sudden rise to fame thanks to the "Blurred Lines" video, Ratajkowski landed a role in David Fincher's adaptation of the Gillian Flynn novel "Gone Girl." In the film, she plays Andie, a college student and the mistress of possible murderer Nick Dunne. She again is a scene stealer in the movie, where she appears topless once. With the success of "Blurred Lines" and an Academy Award nominated movie under her belt, the 24-year-old beauty is sure to be the next big model and actress in Hollywood. Here are five things you need to know about her.
1. Her last name isn't as difficult to pronounce as it seems.
"The J is silent," she said, according to Rolling Stone. "That's the trick. Occasionally people get it right on the first try, just through random luck. People have told me to change it over the years, but my dad is always saying, 'Never change your name!'
Her last name comes from her Polish and Irish father while her maternal grandfather was a Polish and Jewish Immigrant. Her full name is Emily O'Hara Ratajkowski.
2. She is an American
Thanks to her exotic look, last name and the fact she was born in London, most people think Ratajkowski speaks with some sort of an accent. "People either think I have a crazy Polish accent or a British accent; then I say 'gnarly' and surprise everyone," she told Vanity Fair.
Her mother is an English professor, and her father is a painter who teaches art. Ratajkowski moved to the U.S. when she was five, and the family made San Diego their home. Her parents originally met at San Dieguito Academy, where both of them used to teach. "I was real into theater, and then I tried soccer, acting and ballet. Both my parents didn't want a child-star model, so I didn't get into modeling until I was 14," Ratajkowski said.
3. She went to UCLA
She attended the University of California at Los Angeles in 2009 for one year and planned to study painting before she dropped out, according to GQ. She was not a big fan of the art program she was in at college. "I went through a whole year, which is four quarters," she said. "Things started to pick up with modeling and I had to decide whether to stay in school or pursue this full time."
Ratajkowski spent less and less time in the classroom as modeling opportunities were coming. After she completed her first year, she dropped out, rented an apartment in downtown L.A. and strung together a series of basic modeling jobs like Carl's Jr. ads and nude photography for Los Angeles based "art" magazines.
4. She initially turned down the "Blurred Lines" music video.
Ratajkowski did not want to do the "Blurred Lines" music video at first. The concept sounded crazy to her, and she did not know what the final result of "naked girls dancing around" would turn out like. The director, Diane Martel, was desperate for Ratajkowski to star in the video and called her agent to set up a meeting between the two. "We really got along and I was like, 'You're the person in charge of this? Cool!' Then when the rate was negotiated we sort of decided, 'Well, it can't hurt you,'" she said. "It's pretty funny, because it obviously didn't hurt me at all."
However, she did like the song! "I do like it. But if there's one thing I'd request, it's for people who see me out to not be, like, You're the hottest bitch in this place," Ratajkowski explained. "When it comes on in a bar, I run into the bathroom and hide."
5. Her bra size is 32 C
Ratajkowski receives a lot of attention for her physical assets. "Yes, they are real," she told Cosmopolitan. After she goes topless in the "Blurred Lines" music video and appears nude in countless pictures, it's a question she's used to answering. "For those meanies that insist I have had a boob job, here I am at 14 sooooo," she said on Twitter along with a picture of her at 14-years-old.
Next up for Ratajkowski is another big-time film, but this time she was not cast as a supporting character like in "Gone Girl." The actress is the lead character alongside Zac Efron in "We Are Your Friends," a film set in the world of electronic dance music and the Hollywood nightlife, according to Deadline. The film is sure to propel the model/actress to a new, even higher level of fame. If you did not know her before, you are sure to know it soon.
"We Are Your Friends" comes out Aug. 28, 2015.
