‘RHOA’: Cynthia Bailey Was Roommates With Eddie Murphy’s Ex-Wife in Her Early Modeling Days
The Real Housewives of Atlanta has always had a diverse cast, but Cynthia Bailey joined in Season 3 and showcased real star power as a former supermodel. She spent more than 20 years in New York City, rubbing elbows with fashion’s elite, including the ex-wife of Eddie Murphy. In a recent interview, Bailey revealed that she and Murphy’s ex lived together briefly.
Cynthia Bailey and Nicole Murphy were roommates in their early modeling days
Bailey left her southern roots in hopes of model superstardom. While she stood out in her hometown, the Big Apple was a different ballgame. She realized she had fierce competition, more than she was used to.
“I actually lived in a model’s apartment with a bunch of models who lived together and split the rent. And it’s so funny because when I first moved to New York, as soon as I got there, the only way my mom would let me go was if I stayed with my booker. And she actually had a model’s apartment. So I get there, I land into LaGuardia, my first taxi, I take it to the address, and my roommate is Nicole Murphy,” she told Jasmine Brand on her new FOX SOUL show Brutally Honest.
Bailey was stunned and intimidated by Murphy’s strikingly gorgeous looks. “She was this beautiful girl from California, and I remember opening up the door, and I saw her, and I was like, ‘Oh boy, I’m in trouble.’ She was the most beautiful creature that I’d ever seen in my life. But she was even prettier then. It was like crazy. I was like, ‘What am I doing here? I don’t look anything like this woman.”
Bailey and Murphy were only roommates for two weeks. Murphy was shipped off to Paris to participate in runway shows, while Bailey stayed behind to go on modeling calls.
A recap of Cynthia Bailey’s work as a model
The Alabama native left home at the age of 18 in search of international runways and magazine covers. In 1985, she moved to New York City and was immediately signed by an agency. Modeling scouts believed her look was more suited for the international stage, and she was sent to Europe, where she worked in Paris and Milan. Within eight months, she booked her first ESSENCE cover.
Her work overseas made her more marketable in the US, and she began working in print campaigns, modeling for beauty and fashion brands. Some of her notable works included Maybelline, Oil of Olay, and Target. She also appeared in magazine spreads in Vogue, Glamour, Elle, and Vanity Fair. She landed her second ESSENCE cover in 1997. Susan L. Taylor, the former editor-in-chief of Essence, once described the high-cheekboned beauty as one of her favorite models to work with.
Bailey also thrived in the catalog business. She worked with the likes of Macy’s and Nordstrom for years before moving down south.
She now has several businesses and has been focused on acting
After to Atlanta and entering into her 40s, Bailey began to think outside of the modeling world. With a little push from her ex-husband Peter Thomas, she opened The Bailey Agency School of Fashion. She also embarked into the fashion accessories line with Cynthia Bailey eyewear and Cargo by Cynthia Bailey, the latter of which she has a store at the Beverly Center in LA. Bailey also owns a wine cellar and event space.
