She shares the same blonde-haired, blue-eyed all-American girl-next-door good looks as her model mother – so you might think she’s a winner in the great gene pool lottery.
Yet today in Sailor Brinkley Cook’s first major interview, she admits that growing up in her mother Christie’s shadow has at times left her torn apart by doubt and self-loathing.
Indeed, for much of her life she has actively hated her appearance, the more so thanks to constant comparisons with her superstar mother, whose cover girl looks have earned her a £200 million fortune – and inspired Brinkley’s second husband Billy Joel to write ‘Uptown Girl’ about her.
In Sailor Brinkley Cook’s (pictured left as a youngster and right today at 19) first major interview, she admits that growing up in her mother Christie’s (pictured) shadow has at times left her torn apart by doubt and self-loathing
‘I’ve never brought it upon myself that I have to be like her… that’s not possible,’ said Sailor. ‘She’s had a career for 50 years.
‘I’m not even 20 years old yet. I’m just trying to live my life. I want people to realise I have my own things going for me.’
Sailor, 19, said her problems began as a plump child who was constantly being compared to her mother.
‘I’ve dealt with insecurity and body image issues my entire life,’ said Sailor who is studying photography, politics and business at New York’s Parsons School of Design.
‘Everyone sees flaws when they look in the mirror. We all look for imperfections. I was a chubby kid.
Sailor, 19 (pictured as a baby with her mother), said her problems began as a plump child who was constantly being compared to her mother
‘Everyone sees flaws when they look in the mirror. We all look for imperfections. I was a chubby kid,’ says Sailor (pictured as a youngster)
Then and now: An Instagram snap shows Sailor fooling around with her mother Christine
‘I got teased, bullied and bad-mouthed. My friends were petite and could eat whatever they wanted. I wasn’t. I hated having a roll around my tummy.
‘That pushed me down emotionally and as I grew up, it got worse. I had a deep hatred for what I looked like.
‘I wouldn’t go to swimming pool parties because of my stomach. I’d not go to friends’ houses for dinner because I didn’t want to eat. It all related to how I looked.’
Sailor says she is speaking now to help other young women cope with growing up in the age of social media where ‘every flaw is criticised’.
Sailor grew up in luxury on America’s East Coast, the youngest of Brinkley’s three children.
Model mothers and their mini-me daughters: Honky tonk women Jerry Hall and her and Mick Jagger’s daughter Georgia May are pictured left. Catwalk queens Cindy Crawford, 52, and her daughter Gabriel, 16, are pictured right
Her sister Alexa, the product of Brinkley’s union with Billy Joel, is a 32-year-old singer. Brother Jack, 22, was born during Brinkley’s brief third marriage to real estate developer Richard Taubman.
Sailor is from Brinkley’s fourth marriage to architect Peter Cook which ended in 2008 after 12 years amid lurid accusations that he cheated on his wife with an 18-year-old shop girl.
It is a subject Sailor refuses to discuss, but she cites both parents as role models: ‘Mum didn’t raise me to believe I was better than anyone else. My dad studied hard and went to college. They both made everything they have.’
It was perhaps only a matter of time before Sailor followed in her famous mother’s footsteps.
Yasmin Le Bon and her daughter Amber are pictured left. Meryl Streep, 68 and her daughter Marnie Gummer, 34 are pictured right
Supermodel Christie – now aged 64 – found fame in glamorous assignments for Sports Illustrated and Sailor too has recently posed naked for the prestigious magazine.
Her shoot was done, she says, in response to criticism of her looks on social media.
‘I’m 19 years old and I’m learning. I shouldn’t be receiving hatred. I wrote back to someone who wrote mean comments anonymously saying I didn’t have a butt or boobs.
‘I said, ‘Hey, let’s grab a coffee and talk and if you still hate me after that, then fine.’ ‘
The anonymous critic quickly removed the negative comment.
‘You can only live with negativity for so long,’ observes Sailor.
Blonde moments: Reese Witherspoon, 41, and her daughter Ava Philippe, 18 are pictured right. Donna Air, 38 and her daughter Freya Aspinall are pictured left