Chrissy Teigen shares a lot more with fans than other celebrities typically do. From her tragic stillbirth to her parents' relationship, she's spoken very openly over the years.
Chrissy Teigen, as many will know, was first discovered when she was 15-years-old and working in a surf shop in California. But at that time, a lot was happening in her family's life.
Where is Chrissy Teigen originally from?
Chrissy was born Christine Diane Teigen on 30th November 1985 in Utah, US. She is half-Thai and half-Norwegian-American.
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It's reported that Chrissy's last name is traditionally pronounced 'Tai-gen,' but she prefers the pronouncement of 'Tee-gen.'
Not long after she was born, her family moved to Washington, US, where her parents ran a tavern together called Porky's.
When Chrissy was 15, she moved to Huntington Beach in California with her father while her mother moved back to her native Thailand to care for her sick father. Little did she know, that this is when her million-dollar career as a model would begin.
Who are Chrissy Teigen's parents?
Chrissy's father, Ron Teigen, is an electrician of American-Norwegian descent and her mother, Vilailuck Teigen, who's better known as Pepper, is a Thai chef.
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As mentioned, Pepper spent a good period of time flying back and forth to Thailand to take care of her father when Chrissy was a teenager.
Pepper's father had lung cancer and choked to death in front of her, which deeply affected her. Shortly after, Pepper's mother was killed in a freak train accident. Pepper sunk into a deep depression following this and wouldn't leave her bedroom in Thailand for months.
"I never knew what depression is," Pepper told Vanity Fair. "Sometimes I thought about killing myself because I know that my girls are mad at me."
Chrissy's parents met in Korat, Thailand and married in May 1983. At the time, Pepper wasn't married, but had a daughter, Tina, who is Chrissy's half-sister.
It's reported that Chrissy's parents separated in January 2017 due to "irreconcilable differences" and their divorce was finalised in May 2020.
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Chrissy's mum now lives with her and husband John Legend and is a successful cook who specialises in Thai cuisine. In April 2021, she released her first cookbook - The Pepper Thai Cookbook.
Pepper describes herself on social media as a "culinary enthusiast, grandma and mom of Chrissy Teigen."
Ron is less active on social media, but he does appear in Chrissy's posts every now and then.
In December 2018, Chrissy posted a photo of her dad after he got a tattoo of her as a birthday present.
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: Celebrity, Chrissy Teigen