Karen McDougal

Karen McDougal: biography

Karen McDougal is a Playboy star, actress, and one of the #MeToo campaign participants. Although she was in a different situation related to the American president, the former model believes that her example may keep other women from reckless actions.

Childhood and youth

Karen was born in Merrillville, Indiana, in March 1971. She got her prettiness from the mixture of Irish and Indian roots. Karen had three elder brothers and a younger sister.

The would-be Playboy celebrity grew up in Sawyer, Michigan and attended River Valley High School. Her childhood was full of activities: the girl played the clarinet, took up cheerleading to support soccer and basketball teams, and was engaged in ballet, volleyball, and softball. In 1989, the young woman entered Ferris State University. She was going to devote her life to childcare and open a special training center. As Karen graduated from college, she moved to Detroit and worked as a pre-school teacher.

Modeling

Karen began her modeling career when she won the local club swimwear contest. Later on, she participated in a similar competition organized by the large sports retailer Venus Swimwear. The beauty earned the victory and took part in the international final in Florida.

This is where the Playboy photographer David Mecey noticed Karen. He invited her to a photo session at Playboy Studio West. Thanks to the collaboration with the leading erotic photographers, McDougal became Miss December 1997. After her photos appeared in the magazine, Playboy TV showed her debuting video “Playmate Profile.”

In May 1998, Hugh Hefner and magazine readers named the blue-eyed brunette Playmate of the Year. She received $100 000 and the exclusive cabriolet Shelby Series 1 with the number PMOY 98. In the July issue, the photos of Playmate of the Year were published in the magazine; her portrait also appeared on its cover.

The new Playboy girl shot for catalogs, calendars, and special editions. Karen was the first woman who appeared on the cover of the men’s sports magazine Men's Fitness.

At 38, McDougal who was “Hardbody” of the month, shot for the November issue of Iron Man. According to Karen, she felt pleased to be a competitive fitness model, even though she entered this sphere by accident.

In 2005, Playboy made the first attempt and presented the first calendar women would not be naked. However, Karen and another model had painted-on bikinis. The magazine tried to introduce non-erotic photos several times; in 2017, the son of Hugh Hefner, the Playboy founder, came back to the old format.

Movies

Not so many people are familiar with the actress Karen McDougal. The role of the female gladiator in The Arena, the remake of Steve Carver’s The Arena (1974), was her most notable work. Timur Bekmambetov’s project also starred Olga Sutulova, Viktor Verzhbitsky, and Yulia Chicherina.

Besides, Karen played in episodes of the adventure comedy Charlie’s Angels, the melodrama The Girl Next Door, and the sitcom Anger Management with Charlie Sheen.

Personal life

The Playboy star is not married. She worked at a radio station, writes for various magazines, and sometimes participates in photo sessions.

Karen loves high speed: she takes part in motorcycle competitions. She has a pink motorcycle made especially for her. The model spends five days per week in a gym to keep her wonderful body fit and compensate for the food caprices: sometimes, she indulges herself.

In 1996, McDougal had a breast augmentation: she wanted to improve her appearance and feel more feminine. At that time, the model genuinely believed that saline implants would be put once and for all; she ignored her poor physical condition up to photophobia, acousticophobia, and panic attacks.

The model revealed what she had survived on her Instagram page. At the beginning of 2017, she finally got rid of the implants. Judging by the woman’s recent Facebook posts, she pays more attention to her health now.

Present days

In 2016, McDougal’s filmography increased: she appeared in the movie American Zealot.

In January 2018, the model revealed one of the pages of her life: the relation to the American President Donald Trump. The lawyer and The New Yorker journalist Ronan Farrow, the son of Woody Allen, published the exposing article.

According to McDougal, the romance with Trump lasted for nine months. She met the man in 2006 at a TV show shooting. Karen was embarrassed a little: Trump was married and had a son. However, in her defense, she said their feelings were real, and the man told her about his love.

The future leader of the country invited Karen to different cities and compensated for the ticket costs; he gave her presents and even introduced the model to his elder son and Melania. Later, in her interview to CNN, McDougal apologized to the First Lady of the United States.

The information about Trump’s and the former Playboy model leaked to the media before the presidential elections. In November 2016, The Wall Street Journal published on the front page the article according to which Karen had an agreement with American Media Inc in the pre-electoral campaign. The deal implied that McDougal would give the tabloid National Enquirer the written document describing the story of her relationship with the candidate. For this, she would gain $150 000 and assistance in her movie career, personal magazine columns about healthy lifestyle, and other benefits. The primary condition was to keep silent about what had happened.

However, according to Karen, the promises were not kept; half of the money was spent on the lawyer and the partner for their “mediation” when she dared to talk to Farrow.

The New York Times reported that McDougal filed a claim for рук withdrawal from the agreement with American Media because she was made to keep silent. In their turn, AMI claimed that the obligations under the contract were fulfilled and provided the example of Karen’s shootings and publications. The company says the contract with Karen is relevant, but they will also be glad to consider the offers that can satisfy both parties.

Filmography

• 2000 – Charlie's Angels
• 2001 – The Arena
• 2004 – The Girl Next Door
• 2008 – Stiletto
• 2013 – Anger Management

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