Real Name: Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone
Profile: Singer, Actress
Birthdate: August 16, 1958
Birthplace: Bay City, Michigan
Sign: Sun in Leo, Moon in Virgo
Education: Attended University of Michigan
Relations: Ex-husband: Sean Penn; kid: Lourdes Maria Ciccone Leon (by
companion Carlos Leon)
ANY
etymologist can attest to Madonna's dynamic impact on linguistics. The belly
button-baring, bleach-blonde bombshell has not only contributed "boy toy,"
"vogue," and "wannabe" to the English lexicon, but has put an entirely
new spin on such dictionary classics as "ambition," "brassiere," and
"material." Of course, the library is not the arena Madonna aspires to conquer.
The envelope-pushing entertainer has instead focused her considerable determination to
succeed on both the music and motion picture industries.
Born on August 16,1958 in Bay City, near Detroit, Madonna Ciccone was the eldest daughter
of her engineer father and housewife mother's eight children. (Madonna's mother died of
cancer when she was six.) Madonna has 3 sisters Melanie, Paula and Jennifer and 4 brothers
Martin, Christopher, Anthony and Mario. The plucky girl exhibited a showbiz flair at a
young age, and signed up for such artistic outlets as school shows, the cheerleading
squad, piano lessons, and ballet classes. Madonna's dancing skills earned her a
scholarship to attend the University of Michigan. In 1978, two years into her college
studies, Madonna grew impatient for stardom, dropped out, and moved to New York. Legend
has it that she set down in Times Square with only thirty-five dollars and abundant
ambition to her name.
A series of low-wage jobs, including a stint behind the
counter at the Times Square Dunkin' Donuts, ensued before Madonna landed some short-lived
gigs with the acclaimed dance troupes of Alvin Ailey and Martha Graham. Her restless
aspirations prevented her from remaining a nameless face hidden among a sea of dancers for
long--besides, her attention had wavered away from dance to music. The
dancer-turning-singer joined a succession of small-time bands, and, during the early
eighties, she first tried her hand at writing songs and gradually learned to play guitar
and piano. Madonna landed gigs singing at local dance clubs, attracting considerable
attention for her boogie-inducing tunes and her enthusiastic, naughty stage presence. In
1982, star DJ Mark Kamins supplied Madonna with her big break: he created a club-scene hit
from one of her demo singles, "Everybody," and introduced the budding performer
to Warner Bros. executives, who liked what they heard--and saw--and promptly signed her to
a recording contract.
Madonna's eponymous debut album was released to zero
fanfare in 1983. Tracks from the record nonetheless became must-plays in New York's
nightclubs. The record's first single, "Holiday," made the leap from dance-floor
turntables to airplay by inner-city radio stations and, incredibly, into America's Top 20
chart. In quick succession, "Lucky Star" and "Borderline" followed the
debut single's trajectory. Both those tunes were boosted by music videos that introduced
the world to Madonna's intriguing look: layered mesh halter tops, exposed midriff, short
skirts, and religious accessories, all topped off by a pointedly bad dye-job. While hits
from Madonna were still camped out on the charts, Warner Bros. released Like a Virgin
(1984). Its title track became the singer's first No. 1 single, and the album also topped
the charts. In 1985, Madonna sold more singles and albums than any other artist that year.
Now a certified sensation, Madonna embarked on a sold-out tour; appeared in the feature
films Vision Quest (1985) and Desperately Seeking Susan (1985); and made her theatrical
debut in a production of David Rabe's Goose and Tom-Tom. The invitation-only play was
unremarkable, with one exception: it served to introduce Madonna to co-star Sean Penn, and
the two soon became an item. The media-magnetic couple wed in 1985--on Madonna's birthday,
August 16--in Malibu, California. The partnership produced the truly dreadful film
Shanghai Surprise (1986) and zillions of tabloid headlines, and ended in divorce less than
four years later.
Controversy--not entirely unwanted controversy--became
Madonna's next companion. The title track to her 1989 album Like a Prayer reaped
tremendous publicity by virtue of its highly contested music video, which featured a
slip-clad Madonna dancing before burning crosses, kissing an African-American saint, and
displaying spontaneous stigmata. The resulting outcry from religious groups prompted Pepsi
to cancel its sponsorship of her tour and to pull the plug on a TV commercial starring the
kinky video vixen. And what lesson did Madonna take away from this escapade? Scandal
sells. She went on to employ similar promotional techniques to boost ticket sales for her
1990 Blonde Ambition tour, box-office figures for the documentary Truth or Dare (1991),
and sales of the X-rated Sex book and album (1992).
In 1992, Madonna cemented her superstardom with a seven-year, $60-million deal with Time
Warner. Under the pact, Madonna became head of her own music and film label, Maverick.
Initially dismissed as a vanity studio, Maverick has succeeded beyond even the Material
Girl's most ambitious dreams, thanks largely to the label's best-selling artist, Alanis
Morissette. After the uproar surrounding Sex subsided, Madonna, realizing she was
seriously overexposed, slipped out of the limelight and into a handful of low-key roles in
such films as Blue in the Face and Four Rooms (both 1995). When she reemerged, she
embodied two new personae: mother-to-be and serious actress. On October 14, 1996, Madonna
and boyfriend Carlos Leon welcomed daughter Lourdes Maria Ciccone Leon into the world. In
addition, the lambasted star of such filmic flops as Who's That Girl? (1987) and Body of
Evidence (1993) appeared as the titular heroine of Evita (1996). It was a role she seemed
born to play. At least the Hollywood Foreign Press Association thought so--it honored
Madonna with a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy.
Madonna
has only married once and that was to actor Sean Penn on her 27th birthday, Aug. 16, 1985.
The marriage officially ended on January 10, 1989 when Madonna filed for divorce on the
grounds of irreconcilable differences.
Madonna
gave birth to a baby girl, October 14, 1996, making 1996 very memorable for us loyal fans.
"Mother Madonna Ciccone, father Carlos Leon and their daughter are all resting
comfortably." said Liz Rosenberg, Madonna's publicist. Lourdes Maria Ciccone Leon
weighed in at 6 pounds, 9 ounces at the Good Samaritan Hospital. The baby was born at 4:01
p.m. pacific time.
Next
up, Madonna intends to devote herself to raising her kid, managing her empire, and
selecting her artistic projects very carefully.