Whatever Happened to Fabio?
What To Know
- Fabio rose to fame in the 1980s and 1990s as the iconic cover model for romance novels and later became a pop culture figure through advertising and film cameos.
- Originally a competitive athlete from Milan, his modeling career began after a sports injury led him to New York, where he quickly became the face of Harlequin and other publishers.
- Now in his sixties, Fabio leads a private yet glamorous life, maintains his signature look, and has expressed interest in returning to television with a lifestyle show.
In the ’80s and ’90s, everyone knew who Fabio was, even if you’d never picked up a romance novel. With his flowing hair and chiseled features, he began gracing the cover of romance novels from the publishing company Harlequin and seemingly appeared everywhere else, too. The CW has a new lineup of Harlequin-inspired made-for-TV movies which air on Sunday and Saturday nights in November and December at 8/7c, including Montana Mavericks, Second Guessing Fate and Savvy Sheldon Feels Good as Hell — none of which star Fabio, sadly. Butit’s impossible to think of the brand without him. So where is Fabio now?
Born March 15, 1959, in Milan, Italy, Fabio didn’t originally set out to be a model. He was a competitive athlete until a broken leg in his teens sidelined his sports career. That injury ended up changing his life. By his early twenties, he had relocated to New York City and landed a modeling contract almost immediately with Ford Models. From there, he became the go-to cover model for Harlequin and other romance publishers, posing for hundreds if not thousands of book covers that made him a household name.
Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for IMDb
By the early ’90s, Fabio had expanded his reach far beyond paperbacks. He became the face of “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!”, starred in national ad campaigns, and even made memorable cameos in movies such as Dude, Where’s My Car? and Zoolander. Of course, he also became infamous for a bizarre moment in 1999, when a goose collided with his face on a roller coaster during a publicity event.
Where is Fabio now?
In recent years, Fabio has mostly stepped back from modeling but continues to live a larger-than-life existence. Now in his sixties, he still works out almost every day, avoids alcohol and proudly maintains his signature look with an impressive body and long beautiful hair. He lives a private but glamorous life surrounded by luxury cars and his beloved Rottweilers.
Though he’s no longer gracing romance covers, Fabio hasn’t disappeared from public view. He’s appeared in recent interviews, reflecting on his career with gratitude. He’s also expressed interest in returning to television, possibly hosting a lifestyle show focused on travel, cars, and “beautiful things.”
Remind 
February 2021
1990s Rom-Coms
Pop some popcorn and cozy up to feel-good movies and TV shows from a generation ago.
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