Emily Ratajkowski’s Blurred Lines appearance may have catapulted her into the spotlight way back in 2013, but the stigma surrounding the video still follows her to this day.
Even though the video is six years old now and her career has exploded since then, the Blurred Lines model still gets bombarded with questions about her role in the video.
So why did Emily agree to feature in the video? And does she defend its controversial message? Keep reading to see Emily’s responses over the years, why she starred in it, and what she’s been up to since then.
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Who Is Emily Ratajkowski?
Emily Ratajkowski is a 28-year-old American model who was born in London and raised in California. She started her modelling career at the age of 14, when she signed with Ford Models and did catalogue shoots for Kohls and Nordstrom.
She had several minor roles in Disney and Nickelodeon productions, but her agent encouraged her to be more selective with acting roles. She starred in two other music videos, Taio Cruz’s Fast Car and Maroon 5’s Love Somebody, before getting the offer to appear in Blurred Lines.
She’s done multiple acting gigs and editorials since then, and she’s known for her progressive stances on feminism and sexuality. Emily credits this to how her parents exposed her to nude art and photography at a young age. She has also actively expressed support for Planned Parenthood, gender equality, and freedom of sexual expression.
How Did She Get Involved In The Blurred Lines Video?
Emily snagged several fashion editorials before posing for the cover of erotic magazine treats! In March 2012. She claims that it was this shoot which got her an offer to appear in the Blurred Lines video.
Apparently Robin Thicke saw her on the cover. Despite posing completely naked, Emily had carefully tucked her knees in and appeared almost modest for the artsy shoot. He showed the photo to his video director, who thought she would be perfect for the video and contacted Emily’s agent.
An Explicit Vid And Copyright Issues Throw ‘Blurred Lines’ Into Controversy
Though several models starred alongside Thicke, Pharrell and Emily Ratajkowski in the music video, it was Emily who captured the public’s imagination with her bright red lips and sexy figure. Two versions of the video were released: the first had the models in crop tops and shorts, but the second uncensored version featured a topless Emily.
Youtube banned the more explicit version, and the song drew flak for its lyrics and video, which were seen as misogynistic. The song also became the subject of copyright infringement, when Marvin Gaye’s estate sued them for copying the 1977 hit song Got To Give It Up. The estate won against Thicke and Pharrell, forcing the pop stars to pay them $USD5-million for the copyright violation.
How Does Emily Feel About The Music Video?
Emily has expressed conflicting views over the years about it. In 2015, she appeared to be tired of being so closely linked to it. “I wasn’t into the idea at all at first. I think I came off as a bit annoyed in the video. Now, it’s the bane of my existence. When anyone comes up to me about “Blurred Lines”, I’m like, are we seriously talking about a video from three years ago?“
In an interview with the Daily Telegraph in 2018, she seems to have embraced her video appearance, and admitted that she would still do it all over again. “I’ve made peace with it, especially because there are ideas I strongly believe in – like women embracing their sexuality and having fun with it – that ‘Blurred Lines’ kinda fits into.”
What’s Emily Done Since Her Appearance In The Vid?
Since then, she’s done commercials for Nikon and Carl’s Jr, and gotten a breakthrough acting role as Andie Fitzgerald in 2014’s Gone Girl. She also starred in 2018’s I Feel Pretty, where critics praised her comedic chops.
Recently, Emily’s walked the Milan Fashion Week runway for Versace and Dolce & Gabbana, and launched a bathing suit line called Inamorata.
A budding actress and seasoned model, she’s now more known as a fashion It Girl than as the Blurred Lines girl. She’s also gotten married to actor-producer Sebastian Bear-McClard! Emily has the world wrapped around her finger, and she’s surprisingly managed to escape the controversy of the Robin Thicke song.
She’s Come A Long Way Since
Emily Ratajkowski’s music video appearance may have made her famous, but she’s come a long way since then. She’s more than just a sex symbol, and she’s getting one acting role after another. Watch 2019’s Lying and Stealing or check out her breakout performance in Gone Girl to see what we’re talking about! You may just find yourself becoming a fan of this brunette beauty!
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