Gail O'Neill, Former CBS 'Early Show' Correspondent, Dead at 61
Gail O'Neill
Supermodel and TV journalist Gail O'Neill has died. She was 61.
Essence reports that her death was confirmed by her longtime agent Stephanie Grill, who was unable to confirm very many details but noted that she believed O'Neill passed away at her Atlanta home.
No cause of death has been shared yet.
O'Neill was born on February 6, 1962 in Westchester County, New York. She studied to be a marketing representative at Wesleyan University and worked for Xerox shortly after graduating.
At 23 years old, the trajectory of her career changed after she was scouted by photographer Chuck Barry while arriving home from vacation at New York City's JFK Airport. She signed to Click Models soon after and, within months, became the March 1986 cover star of British Vogue.
She went on to appear on the cover of various other magazines, including Mademoiselle, Essence, Glamour, and Elle, but her most iconic cover was the 1992 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. Additionally, she appeared in ads for various major brands and designers, including Ralph Lauren, Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan, and Calvin Klein.
O'Neill dedicated her modeling career to creating more opportunities for women of color. She was a member of the Black Girls Coalition, an advocacy group for Black models formed by Bethanny Hardison and Iman in 1988.
She made another career shift in 1999 when she became a correspondent for CBS's The Early Show. O'Neill then became a travel correspondent for CNN Saturday in 2001 and hosted TV shows Mission: Organization and Public Places, Private Spaces.
O'Neill is survived by her husband, Paul Viera, her mother, Elaine, her sister, Denise, and her brother, Randy.
