Kim Basinger was born December 8, 1953, in Athens, Georgia, the third of five children. Both her parents had been in entertainment, her dad had played big-band jazz, and her mother had performed water ballet in several Esther Williams movies. Kim was introspective, from her father's side. As a schoolgirl, she was very shy. To help her overcome this, her parents had Kim study ballet from an early age. By the time she reached sweet sixteen, the once-shy Kim entered the Athens Junior Miss contest. From there, she went on to win the Junior Miss Georgia title and traveled to New York to compete in the national Junior Miss pageant. Kim, who had blossomed to a 5' 7" beauty, was offered a contract on the spot with the Ford Modeling Agency. At the age of 20, Kim was a top model, commanding $1,000 a day. Throughout the early 1970s, she appeared on dozens of magazine covers and in hundreds of ads, most notably as the Breck girl. Kim took acting classes at the Neighborhood Playhouse, performed in various Greenwich Village clubs, and sang under the stage name Chelsea. Kim moved to Los Angeles in 1976, ready to conquer Hollywood. Kim broke into television doing episodes of such hit series as Charlie's Angels. In 1980, she married Ron Snyder (they divorced in 1989). In movies, she had roles like being a Bond girl in Never Say Never Again and playing a small-town Texan beauty in Nadine. Her breakout role was as photojournalist Vicki Vale in the blockbuster hit Batman. There was no long-orchestrated campaign on her part to snag this plumb role, Kim was a last-minute replacement for Sean Young. This took her to a career high.

With perhaps too much disposable income, Kim headed up an investment group that purchased the entire town of Braselton, in her native Georgia, for $20 million (she would later have to sell it). In 1993, Kim married Alec Baldwin, and in 1995 they had a daughter, Ireland Eliesse. Kim took some time off to stay at home with her child. Kim, who loves animals and is a strict vegetarian, devoted energy to animal rights issues and PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), even posing for some ads. In 1997, Kim gave an Oscar-winning performance in the film noir classic L.A. Confidential. Kim's salary for I Dreamed of Africa was $5,000,000, putting her firmly in the category of big-name movie star. And no doubt there are still many great things ahead, in the career of cover girl turned Oscar-winning actress Kim Basinger.
I Dreamed of Africa (2000): $5,000,000
The Marrying Man (1991): $2,500,000
No Mercy (1986): $1,000,000
Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#40). [1995] Studied ballet from age of 3 to mid-teens. Her father was an introspective, classically trained trumpter, while mom was a flamboyant, extroverted housewife Kim describes as "Lucy-like." Loved the movie My Fair Lady and the "Loverly" song in it, which prompted her dad to encourage her to enter local Junior Miss pageant and sing the song as her "talent." She didn't win, but later did succeed in competition to become the 'Breck (shampoo) Girl." This led to career as Ford model, then to acting. Her grandmother was part Cherokee Indian. Went to high school with Keith Strickland of the 'B-52s'. Daughter, with Alec Baldwin, Ireland born. [October 23, 1995] Turned down the role in Basic Instinct that later went to Sharon Stone. Listed as one of twelve "Promising New Actors of 1984" in John Willis' Screen World, Vol. 36. [1984] When she reneged on her verbal agreement to star in Boxing Helena in 1993, the producers sued her for breach of contract and a jury ordered her to pay over $8 million, which ultimately forced Basinger to declare bankruptcy. Her appeal was ultimately accepted. Ex-sister-in-law of Daniel Baldwin, William Baldwin and Stephen Baldwin. Ex-cousin-in-law of Joseph Baldwin. Her last name is often mispronounced, so when she appeared with husband Alec Baldwin on Saturday Night Live on NBC, he asked her during the opening monologue how to pronounce it. In seriousness, she answered "BAY-sing-ger," with the final syllable used with a hard "g" as in "go." First "Bond Girl" (she played Domino in Never Say Never Again to win an Oscar (won for L.A. Confidential). Was a cheerleader at Athens High School. Measurments: 35 1/2C-24-35 1/2 (but mostly wears a 34C bra) (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine). Recreated Molly Peters's massage scene in the Thunderball remake, Never Say Never Again. She and Alec Baldwin met and fell in love in 1990 on the set of the trouble-plagued movie The Marrying Man. Ex-sister-in-law of Chynna Phillips. Born on the same day as the late Sam Kinison. First actress to win an Oscar after appearing naked in Playboy magazine. She is of German, Swedish and Cherokee Indian ancestry. Has Irish Ancestry Almost didn't appear in L.A. Confidential because she was tired of playing prostitutes. Was originally cast in Kansas City as Carolyn. Turned down leading role in Sleepless in Seattle, which went to Meg Ryan.