Kim Basinger | What Happened To This 1980's Icon?

Kim Basinger has played some memorable characters in her acting career. But her personal life, most notably her vicious divorce battle with Alec Baldwin, has often eclipsed the talent of this American beauty.

Basinger's Early Life

Kimila Ann Basinger was born on December 8, 1953 in Athens, GA. She pursued ballet from the age of three and continued through her middle teens. Basinger then switched to cheer leading and began entering beauty pageants.

Modeling Career

In 1971, Basinger became a model for the Ford Modeling Agency in New York. She was featured in hundreds of 1970s ads, including her turn as the Breck shampoo girl.

Kim Basinger Get Her Start As An Actress

After five years gracing the covers of magazines, Basinger moved to Los Angeles to become an actress. She started off by appearing as a guest on some television shows, then starred in the television movie, Katie: Portrait of a Centerfold.

Acting Success in the 80s

Following her 1981 Playboy pictorial, Basinger made her movie debut in Hard Country in 1982, for which she received critical praise. The next year, she became a Bond girl, starring with Sean Connery in Never Say Never Again. She went on to do The Natural in 1984 with Robert Redford, winning a Golden Globe nomination for her role. After gaining notoriety with other starring roles, Basinger wound up the 1980s with what is probably her most memorable portrayal, her role as Vicki Vale in Batman.

Love, Marriage, and Family

After her successful turn in Batman, Basinger met actor Alec Baldwin in the comedic film, The Marrying Man. The celebrity couple wed in 1993. This was Basinger's second marriage, following her 1980 marriage to makeup artist, Ron Snyder. Basinger and Baldwin welcomed their daughter, Ireland Eliesse, in 1995, but separated in 2000. They divorced two years later and waged a fierce custody battle for their child. In 2014, Basinger fell in love with Mitchell Stone and the two are still together.