Jenny Lynn Shimizu (born June 16, 1967) is an American model and actress.

Early life

Shimizu was born in San Jose, California, and raised in Santa Maria.

Career

While working as a mechanic, Shimizu was approached to model for the Calvin Klein CK1 fragrance ads and model Calvin Klein fashions. She later was featured in the Banana Republic "American Beauty" campaign. She became the first Asian model to walk for the highly influential catwalk Prada and also became the first minority model to open the show. Shimizu was one of the stars of '' Foxfire'', alongside

Angelina Jolie Angelina Jolie ( ; born Angelina Jolie Voight, , June 4, 1975) is an American actress, filmmaker, and humanitarian. The recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Angelina Jolie, numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards ...

. She also had a supporting role in

Jamie Babbit Jamie Merill Babbit (born November 16, 1970) is an American director, producer and screenwriter. She directed the films '' But I'm a Cheerleader'' (1999), '' The Quiet'' (2005), and '' Itty Bitty Titty Committee'' (2007). She has also directed ep ...

's 2007 film ''

Itty Bitty Titty Committee ''Itty Bitty Titty Committee'' is a 2007 American comedy film directed by Jamie Babbit. It follows the political awakening of Anna, a young, mild-mannered lesbian woman who joins a Radical feminism, radical feminist group. The film is produced by ...

''. Shimizu appeared in the third season of the

Here TV Here TV (also known as Here! or stylized as here!) is an American premium television network targeting LGBTQ audiences. Launched in 2002, Here TV is available nationwide on all major cable systems, fiber optics systems, and Internet TV providers ...

original series ''

Dante's Cove ''Dante's Cove'' is an American LGBTQ-oriented supernatural soap opera which aired on Here TV from October 7, 2005, through December 21, 2007. Created and written by Mike Costanza, Michael Costanza and directed by Sam Irvin, the series combines ...

''. In 2005, Shimizu appeared as a special guest on Tyra Banks's reality show ''

America's Next Top Model ''America's Next Top Model'' (abbreviated ''ANTM'' and ''Top Model'') is an American reality television series and interactive competition in which a number of aspiring models compete for the title of "America's Next Top Model" and a chance to b ...

''. She appeared in season two of Bravo TV's '' Make Me a Supermodel'' as a member of the judging panel. In 2019, Shimizu appeared in the acclaimed documentary House of Cardin, discussing the ground breaking Pierre Cardin model, Hiroko Matsumoto.

Personal life

In the mid-1990s, Shimizu had a romantic relationship with

, which Jolie confirmed in a 1997 interview when she said, "I fell in love with her the first second I saw her. I would probably have married Jenny if I hadn't married my husband (

Jonny Lee Miller Jonathan Lee Miller (born 15 November 1972) is an English actor. He achieved early success for his portrayal of Simon "Sick Boy" Williamson in the dark comedy-drama film '' Trainspotting'' (1996) and as Dade Murphy in '' Hackers'' (1995) before ...

)." During that same decade, she also had a romantic relationship with

Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone ( ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Referred to as the "Queen of Pop", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, ...

, which she later recalled by saying "You'd get a phone call like, 'Hey can you meet me at my Paris show. You're in Europe right?' So I'd be like, 'Yeah, I'm just finishing Prada. Right after Prada I'll catch a plane over.' And I would. I'd go over to her hotel, to the Ritz, at like 4 in the morning, have sex, and then fly back to Milan." In 2005, to protest against America's laws on gay marriage, Shimizu took part in a staged wedding ceremony with Rebecca Loos on the

Sky The sky is an unobstructed view upward from the planetary surface, surface of the Earth. It includes the atmosphere of Earth, atmosphere and outer space. It may also be considered a place between the ground and outer space, thus distinct from ...

documentary ''Power Lesbian UK'' (broadcast as ''Power Lesbians'' on

LOGO A logo (abbreviation of logotype; ) is a graphic mark, emblem, or symbol used to aid and promote public identification and recognition. It may be of an abstract or figurative design or include the text of the name that it represents, as in ...

in the U.S.). The two had a relationship for a period thereafter. In 2012, Shimizu met Michelle Harper at a party. They married in August 2014.

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Shimizu, Jenny 1967 births American female models American actresses of Japanese descent American models of Japanese descent American lesbian actresses American LGBTQ models Lesbian models Living people Actresses from Los Angeles People from Santa Maria, California People from San Jose, California Actresses from San Jose, California American LGBTQ people of Asian descent LGBTQ people from California 21st-century American women