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Celeb News: TIME: Madonna’s Extraordinary Career. Take a bow!
Member Since: 10/9/2008
Posts: 9,835
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TIME: Madonna’s Extraordinary Career. Take a bow!
As the Material Girl prepares to perform at Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis, TIME takes a look back at the superstar’s life and career, both of which have been lived firmly in the public eye.
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Madonna Louise Ciccone grew up in suburban Detroit, where she was a straight-A student and cheerleader (center) at Rochester Adams High School despite her rebellious nature. Madonna attended the University of Michigan on a dance scholarship, but dropped out in 1977 and moved to New York to pursue a career in show business.
Madonna claimed she moved to NYC with just $35 in her pocket, calling it "the bravest thing" she had ever done. She started as a backup dancer for numerous artists before forming two bands, the Breakfast Club and Emmy. It was through the latter that Madonna attracted the attention of Sire Records and embarked on her solo career.
Madonna's self-titled debut album yielded several hits, but her second record, Like A Virgin, made her an international star. She performed the title track at the 1984 MTV Video Music Awards, rolling on stage in a risque white wedding dress, and forever securing her place in pop culture history.
With her music career solidified, Madonna turned her sights to the big screen, appearing as a lounge singer in the movie Vision Quest before taking a larger role in the comedy Desperately Seeking Susan, in which she played a free-spirited New York City drifter. The film was a commercial success, netting $27 million in the U.S.
In July 1985, Madonna performed at the Live Aid concert for Ethiopian famine relief, which was broadcast across 150 nations. When she took the stage, Madonna proclaimed that she wouldn't take her jacket off, despite the sweltering heat, in response to the unauthorized publication of nude photos of her in Penthouse and Playboy.
Madonna's third album, True Blue, was released in June 1986, and was inspired by and dedicated to her husband, actor Sean Penn, whom she married on her birthday in 1985. The album topped the charts in 28 countries, with three singles — "Live to Tell," "Papa Don't Preach" and "Open Your Heart — hitting number one.
Madonna and Sean Penn's marriage only lasted four years, but the couple did take that time to collaborate, costarring in the film Shanghai Surprise, as well as in the theatrical production Goose and Tom-Tom. They divorced in 1989.
Madonna embarked on the Who's That Girl World Tour in 1987, coinciding with the release of her movie of the same name. The tour had seven costume changes, challenging dance numbers and theatrical effects. It was also a success, grossing $25 million.
The film Who's That Girl was not nearly as successful. Madonna played a ex-convict who cons a tax lawyer into helping her prove her innocence in a crime. Critics were disappointed in the movie, but the accompanying soundtrack, for which Madonna recorded four songs, was a hit.
In 1990, Madonna hit the road again on the Blond Ambition World Tour to promote her fourth studio album, Like a Prayer. French designer Jean-Paul Gaultier designed Madonna's costumes for the show, which included the now-infamous cone bra.
Called "sexually provocative" by Rolling Stone, the Blond Ambition World Tour played upon themes of passion and desire, as well as Catholicism. Madonna's show was officially denounced by the Pope, as he asked Christians not to attend and was responsible for the cancellation of one appearance in Rome.
While Madonna's presence at any event turned heads, when she arrived at the 1991 Oscars with Michael Jackson by her side, it was a media spectacle. Their date night was a well-timed publicity stunt, as Jackson had just inked a deal with Sony, and Madonna was promoting her film, Truth or Dare.
Despite her lackluster acting notices, Madonna continued to pursue movie roles. In 1992, She played Mae Mordabito, a player on a 1940s all-women baseball team, in A League of Their Own. It was on set that she became friends with Rosie O'Donnell, who played her best friend in the film.
Madonna released her fifth studio album, Erotica, in 1992, at the same time she published her first book, Sex. Madonna embarked on The Girlie Show World Tour to promote the album, continuing her overtly sexual act by posing as a dominatrix surrounded by topless dancers, leading some critics to wonder if she had gone too far.
Madonna appeared in the erotic thriller Body of Evidence with Willem Dafoe in 1993. The film contained episodes of sadomasochism and bondage and had to be censored in order to receive an R rating. Regardless, her performance, and the film, was critically pummeled.
In 1996, Madonna was cast as Eva Perón, the first lady of Argentina, in the film Evita. The movie was a commercial success, and Madonna was praised for her emotional depiction of Perón, earning herself a Best Actress Golden Globe.
After her ninth studio album, American Life, received lukewarm reviews, Madonna took to the road for her Re-Invention World Tour in 2004. Despite American Life becoming the lowest-selling album of her career, the tour was the highest-grossing of the year, earning $125 million.
In 2006, Madonna co-founded the charity Raising Malawi, which is dedicated to poverty relief for the nation's nearly one million orphans. The singer was so taken with the country and its hardships that she adopted a son, David Banda, in 2008 with her then-husband Guy Ritchie.
Over the years, Madonna became involved with many charitable efforts. In 2007, she participated in the first Live Earth concert at London's Wembley Stadium. The show was developed by producer Kevin Wall and former Vice President Al Gore, to increase environmental awareness through entertainment.
The Queen of Pop and pop princess Britney Spears recorded the song "Me Against the Music" in 2003. The pair performed on stage with Christian Aguilera at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards, where they shared a provocative kiss. In 2008, Spears joined Madonna at Dodgers Stadium during her Sticky and Sweet tour — but no PDA this time.
Madonna married director Guy Ritchie in 2000, and they had one child together, Rocco, and adopted a son, David Banda, from Malawi. Ritchie directed Madonna's music video for the song, "What It Feels Like for a Girl," and she starred in his film Swept Away. The pair filed for divorce in 2008.
The second film that Madonna directed, W.E., a biopic about the affair between King Edward VII and Wallis Simpson, premiered at the 2011 Venice Film Festival. Madonna recorded a song called "Masterpiece" for the soundtrack, which won a Golden Globe for Best Original Song. Madonna has also confirmed that she will release her twelfth studio album in March. |
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Member Since: 6/22/2011
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Member Since: 10/24/2011
Posts: 3,702
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She looks so bad in this photo.
But amazing article 
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Member Since: 12/29/2006
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Member Since: 11/13/2009
Posts: 25,902
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This was a great read though
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Member Since: 10/9/2008
Posts: 9,835
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Quote:
Originally posted by givemethatpop
She looks so bad in this photo.
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Same here:
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Member Since: 10/1/2011
Posts: 4,686
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Quote:
Originally posted by Sahn
Same here:
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Member Since: 8/4/2010
Posts: 12,356
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Quote:
Originally posted by Sahn
Same here:
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Oh, ****!
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Member Since: 8/4/2010
Posts: 12,356
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Member Since: 10/24/2011
Posts: 3,702
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Quote:
Originally posted by Sahn
Same here:
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You wish 
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Member Since: 7/17/2009
Posts: 8,833
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Amazing. 
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