A model from the age of three and one of the highest paid supermodels in the world, following her reign as the top Sports Illustrated swimsuit covergirl of the late 1980s, as well as being the face of Estee Lauder, Porizkova surprised critics who assumed she could not speak, let alone act, when she made an impressive film debut in "Anna" (1987). Playing a scheming Czechoslovakian refugee who uses a former actress (and usurps her past) to become a star, Porizkova impressed Hollywood with her first film foray. She had, previously, appeared in husband Ric Ocasek's band, The Cars' music videos before "Anna" proved she had acting chops. She went on to co-star with Tom Selleck in the pallid comedy "Her Alibi" (1989) and the cult film "Arizona Dream" (1992), before focusing more on her family than film sets and catwalks.
By 2007, Porizkova came back into the limelight – first, by releasing her first work of fiction, A Model Summer ; followed by her joining the fourth season of the immensely popular dance competition series, "Dancing with the Stars" (ABC, 2004- ) in early 2007. Porizkova would be guided through her dance training by season one champ, Alec Mazo.