Sophie Monk
Monk at the Australian premiere of Kung Fu Panda 3, March 2016
Born	Sophie Charlene Akland Monk (1979-12-14) 14 December 1979 London, England
Nationality	Australian
Occupations	Singer actress television personality model
Years active	1997–present
Television	Popstars The Celebrity Apprentice Australia Australia's Got Talent The Bachelorette Australia Love Island Australia Beauty and the Geek Australia
Spouse	Joshua Gross (m. 2022)
Musical career
Genres	Pop dance
Instrument(s)	Vocals
Labels	Warner Music Group
Formerly of	Bardot
Website	sophiemonk.com.au

Sophie Charlene Akland Monk (born 14 December 1979)^[1] is an Australian singer, actress, television personality, and model. She was a member of the pop girl group Bardot, winners of the first season of Popstars Australia in 2000. Monk also had a brief career as a solo singer when she released the album Calendar Girl (2003). She has appeared in various films, including Date Movie (2006), Click (2006), Sex and Death 101 (2007), The Hills Run Red (2009), and Spring Breakdown (2009).

On reality television, Monk was the winner of the fourth season of The Celebrity Apprentice Australia in 2015, and in 2016, she was a judge on Australia's Got Talent. In 2017, she starred on the third season of The Bachelorette Australia, and the following year, she became the host of Love Island Australia. In 2021, Monk began hosting Beauty and the Geek Australia and became a regular guest panelist on The Hundred with Andy Lee.

Early life

Sophie Monk was born in London, England to an English father and an Australian mother. In 1982 her parents moved to Australia's Gold Coast in Queensland when she was two years old.^[2] She attended Helensvale Primary School, St Hilda's, Somerset College, A. B. Paterson College and MacGregor State High School,^[3] where she graduated as school captain in 1997.^[4] She was trained in classical opera growing up.^[5][6] Following graduation, Monk worked as a Marilyn Monroe impersonator at Warner Bros. Movie World on the Gold Coast.^[7][6]

Music career

Solo career

Kasey Chambers and Monk performing at Byron Bay Bluesfest in April 2017

In 2002, Monk signed a recording contract with Warner Music Australia and started working on a solo album. The first single "Inside Outside" was released in October 2002 and was produced by Grammy Award winning music producer Rob Davis. Monk performed the song at the 2002 The Footy Show Grand Finale to promote the single. The track peaked at No. 5 on the ARIA Singles Chart and went on to sell over 35,000 copies worldwide. Her next single, "Get the Music On", peaked at No. 10 on the ARIA Singles Chart. On 5 May 2003 Monk released her debut album Calendar Girl which peaked at No. 35 on the ARIA Albums Chart. The album received mixed reviews from critics with Monk co-writing four of the album's tracks. Following the release of the album Monk released her third and final single, "One Breath Away", which peaked at No. 23 on the ARIA Singles Chart. In 2004, Monk parted ways with Warner Music Group.

In April 2017, Monk performed with country singer Kasey Chambers at Byron Bay Bluesfest.^[8] She has expressed interest in releasing country music in the future.^[9]

Acting career

Monk in 2011

In 2004, Monk made her acting debut in a bit role on the Nine Network made-for-television film The Mystery of Natalie Wood portraying the role of Marilyn Monroe. That same year, Monk appeared in the music video Always by Pop Punk band Blink-182. Monk has had small roles in films such as Click, Murder World and Spring Break '83.

In 2005, Monk relocated to Los Angeles, California to pursue a career in acting. Monk quickly landed her break-out role in the spoof comedy film Date Movie. In July 2007, Monk made her American television debut in the HBO Comedy series Entourage. That same year she appeared in the dark comedy Sex and Death 101.

Monk starred in the Warner Premiere comedy film Spring Breakdown alongside Parker Posey and Amy Poehler. Filming took place in South Padre in 2006. Monk portrayed the role of the film's antagonist a bimbo sorority girl named Mason. The film underwent a long post-production period suffering distribution problems. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival to negative reviews. The film was released straight-to-DVD in June 2009.^[10]

In September 2008, Dark Castle Entertainment announced Monk was cast in the slasher horror film The Hills Run Red. Filming began at the start of 2009 in Sofia, Bulgaria and premiered at UK Frightfest. The film was released straight-to-DVD in September 2009 to mixed reviews from critics with some praising Monk's performance. In September 2008, Monk announced she was developing her own reality television series titled Bigger Than Paris. Monk filmed the pilot in January 2010 in Los Angeles, California.^[11]

In April 2013, Monk was working on a sitcom with actor Sam Worthington.^[12] Monk talked about her struggles as an actress and revealed that she has produced five television pilots for major networks, but they haven't been picked up. "Shows that were meant to get the green light, didn't, and movies that were meant to be massive, weren't, but I just keep going and going," she said.^[13] In 2015, Monk was added to the cast for the remake movie of Blood Feast.^[14]

Other ventures

Public image

Sophie Monk at the Hot 100 Halloween Bash at Sydney's Marquee nightclub in 2012

Monk is often spotlighted for her looks. In October 2012, Monk was ranked number 7 on Maxim Australia's Hot 100.^[32] She ranked at No. 96 in the Maxim Hot 100 List of 2011.^[33] She was No. 2 in FHM's Sexiest Women List in 2003.^[34]

Monk is also well known for her modelling career and has appeared on the cover of several men's magazines, including Maxim, FHM, Stuff and Ralph. In August 2008 and again in 2011, she was offered $1 million to pose for Playboy magazine, which she declined.^[35][36] Monk commented about the offer, "When I was younger I was like, 'I want to be on Playboy.' My mum was a Playmate, she was hot." In 2014 she accepted an offer to be photographed for Playboy. The photos were posted exclusively for viewing on the magazine's website, Playboy Plus. Commenting about her pictorial Monk said, "Marilyn Monroe did Playboy. It's an iconic brand, and let's get real... You only live once and I don't plan on dieting forever... I miss pizza too much!"^[37]

Personal life

Monk was engaged to American guitarist Benji Madden, but the couple split up in February 2008.^[38][39]

In February 2010, Monk was photographed in a wheelchair following a car crash in Los Angeles.^[40]

In January 2011, Monk announced her engagement to Jimmy Esebag.^[41] A few months later Monk announced on Chelsea Lately that she had separated from Esebag.^[42]

In 2013, Monk revealed she has had a stalker who wanted to kill her. "He thought he could hear me screaming in the corner of his hospital room and thought I wanted to die. So I wrote to him and told him I was fine," she said.^[35]

In October 2017, after completion of The Bachelorette Australia, Monk began a steady relationship with the winner, Stu Laundy. In January 2018, she broke off the relationship by announcing it on Instagram.^[43]

In 2018, Monk was diagnosed with endometriosis at the age of 38.^[44]

In 2022, Sophie Monk married Joshua Gross in a secret ceremony at their New South Wales home after being in a relationship since 2018.^[45]

Discography

Filmography

References

External links

Wikiquote has quotations related to Sophie Monk.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sophie Monk.

• Official website
• Sophie Monk at IMDb
• Sophie Monk discography at Discogs