The Blonde Bombshell’s Shocking Transformation: Where is Bo Derek Now

Millonaire Goat | September 29, 2024 | Celebrity | No Comments

How many of you remember Bo Derek? She has always been one of my favorites, and when I found out what she has been doing in recent years, I was even more impressed by this amazing woman.

I remember the first time I saw Bo Derek in her big movie in 1979—it was hard not to notice the beautiful young blonde with bright blue eyes in the film *10*.

But what happened after her famous time in Hollywood?

Bo Derek was born Mary Cathleen Collins and grew up in California. She started her career in Hollywood at a young age because her mother worked for the Swedish-American actress Ann-Margret.

With her mother’s connections, Bo got an agent when she was just 16 years old. This helped her land her first film role in *Once Upon a Love*.

The movie was filmed on the beautiful island of Mykonos in Greece. While filming, Bo met her future husband, John Derek. They quickly fell in love and started dating. At the time, Bo was only 17 years old, while John was 47.

The age difference alone could have caused a scandal, but there was another issue: John Derek was still married to actress Linda Evans.

Not long after he met Bo, John divorced his actress wife.

“I was at least halfway responsible for some serious pain she (Linda Evans) went through. She’d been very gracious and kind … And I just saw her yesterday, funny enough. We were at a jewelry trunk show for charity. And she was just as fabulous and wonderful as ever. I always feel like terrible when I’m around her. It’s just ingrained, years later,” Bo told *Interview Magazine* in 2016.

Since Bo was a minor at the time, John could have faced arrest in the United States. So, they spent some time in Europe and Mexico to avoid California’s age of consent laws. They later married in Las Vegas in 1976. Bo was 19, and John was 49.

After they got married, Bo’s career really took off. John cast her in his movies, often putting her in interesting poses and situations to create buzz around his low-budget films. In the movie *10*, Bo became known as one of the most beautiful actresses in Hollywood. It was also in that film that her famous look first appeared, featuring her cornrow-style blonde braids.

It was actually John’s idea for Bo to wear braids in the movie, even though he wasn’t the film’s director.

“It was the end of the 1970s and everything was fluffy, and I’m blonde, and … What are you going to do to look different? John had always thought that would be a good look for me, just for photography—he’s a great photographer. And we tried it. And he said, ‘Why don’t you take these pictures into Blake and see if he’ll go for it? It would be really good for the part, so you don’t look ordinary,’” she told *Interview Magazine*.

After the success of *10*, Bo Derek acted in several of her husband’s films, including *Tarzan, The Ape Man* (1981), *Bolero* (1984), and *Ghosts Can’t Do It* (1990). However, these movies received negative reviews. After that, Bo appeared in several TV shows, including *7th Heaven*, *Lucky*, and *Queen of Swords*.

Since the start of the 21st century, Bo has been involved in politics and showed her support for George W. Bush and the Republican Party during the 2000 and 2004 election campaigns. However, she now says she doesn’t support any political party and even voted for Barack Obama.

One of her biggest passions is horses, especially the Lusitano breed, which is from Portugal. She has also written an autobiography called *Riding Lessons: Everything That Matters in Life I Learned from Horses*.

For a while, Bo was also involved in horse breeding on her ranch. She has been a strong advocate for animal safety and has called for an end to horse slaughter.

Additionally, Bo supports and helps war veterans through her position as the honorary chair of the VA’s National Rehabilitation Special Events.

The VA’s National Rehabilitation Special Events help veterans heal both their bodies and spirits. This program aims to improve their independence and enhance their quality of life,” Bo Derek said while speaking to the Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs.

“I am truly honored and touched to serve again as the honorary chair of such a noble cause for America’s veterans.”

Bo Derek’s father, Paul Collins, was a radio operator during the Korean War, and both her stepfather and late husband, John, were veterans. Since becoming a widow in 1998, 63-year-old Bo is now in a relationship with John Corbett, a 59-year-old actor known for his role in “Sex and the City.”

“We enjoy spending time together and making each other laugh. After 15 years, we still hold hands and have barbecues with friends a couple of times a week,” Bo says.

The couple first met in 2002, thanks to Hollywood agent Norby Walters, who set them up on a date at his traditional Oscars party.

“I said, ‘I’m not dating anyone,’ and he replied, ‘I’ll get you a date, Corbett!’ So, he set me up with Bo,” Corbett shared with TODAY in 2015.

In August 2021, the couple announced some exciting news. After nearly 20 years together, Bo and Corbett got married in a private ceremony.

“We’re pretty private people. We didn’t make a big announcement. All our friends and family knew, but this is the first time we’ve talked about it publicly. So, you’re my buddy, and now I guess I’m telling all of America, or the world,” Corbett said during a virtual interview with CBS.