Supermodel Carolyn Murphy: 73 Vogue Covers, Walking Away from Fame, and Finding Yourself at 53
Pretty Tough with Maria SharapovaShow Notes
Supermodel icon Carolyn Murphy sits down with Maria Sharapova to reflect on three decades in fashion, shooting 73 Vogue covers (and counting), and the pivotal moment she walked away from fame to live quietly in Costa Rica with her daughter. Carolyn opens up about the power of intuition, breaking up with perfectionism, navigating single motherhood, and why dedication always beats discipline.
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00:00 – Introduction: Aging, Longevity, and Supermodel Realities
00:59 – Escaping the Spotlight: Why Carolyn Walked Away to Costa Rica
02:00 – The Chaotic Moncler Aspen Runway & 30 Years of Experience
03:43 – Nana's Wisdom: "Beauty is as Beauty Does" & Trading Discipline for Dedication
05:32 – The 1995 Prada Pixie Cut & Finding Her Footing in the Grunge Era
08:34 – Maintaining Individuality Amidst Endless Industry Opinions & Working with Legends
11:00 – Christy Turlington’s Mentorship & Turning to Yoga and Breathwork
13:28 – 73 Vogue Covers: Surreal Moments and the Microscope of Fashion
20:00 – Legendary Photographers: Steven Meisel, Peter Lindbergh, and Irving Penn
25:12 – The Work Ethic Learned in Japan and Loving Japanese Culture
31:00 – Becoming a Single Mother and Choosing Family Over Hollywood Stardom
37:25 – A Historic 26-Year Partnership with Estée Lauder
41:41 – Visualization, Manifestation, and Wellness in the 1990s
48:00 – The "Invisible Supermodel," Boundaries, and Escaping Social Media Exhaustion
52:50 – Aging Gracefully, Injectables, and Redefining Beauty Standards
57:08 – Rapid Fire: Unlearning People-Pleasing, Perfectionism, and Finding Strength
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About Pretty Tough
Pretty Tough is the weekly interview podcast hosted by five-time Grand Slam champion, entrepreneur, and bestselling author Maria Sharapova. Each week, Maria sits down with founders, CEOs, athletes, creatives, investors, and other high achievers for candid conversations about leadership, ambition, decision-making, performance, entrepreneurship, wellness, and building exceptional careers.Drawing from her own experience at the highest levels of sport and business, Maria explores what it really takes to succeed—from navigating failure and reinvention to scaling companies, leading teams, and pursuing excellence over the long term.
About Maria Sharapova
Maria Sharapova is a five-time Grand Slam champion, former World No. 1 tennis player, entrepreneur, investor, bestselling author, and one of the most recognizable athletes of her generation. Since retiring from professional tennis, she has built businesses, invested in consumer, technology, and lifestyle companies, and become a respected voice on leadership, performance, and entrepreneurship.
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