24 Photos of a Young and Beautiful Julianne Phillips in the 1980s

Julianne Phillips (born May 6, 1960) was a successful model and emerging actress in the 1980s, best known at the time as Bruce Springsteen’s first wife (married 1985–1989). She embodied classic 1980s beauty: tall (around 5'8" or model height), with long blonde hair (often styled with volume, bangs, or soft waves typical of the era), striking features, a fit athletic build, and an elegant yet approachable “all-American” look that landed her high-paying modeling gigs.

Phillips began the decade as one of the most successful models of the early 1980s. After being discovered and signing with the Elite Modeling Agency in 1982, she was marketed as the “perfect-ten package.” At the peak of her modeling career, she was reportedly earning as much as $2,000 a day.

She transitioned into acting by appearing in several notable 1980s projects. She appeared in the video for .38 Special’s “If I’d Been the One” (1983). Later, she appeared in the video for Bruce Springsteen’s “Glory Days” (1985).

In 1984, she landed roles in the made-for-TV films Summer Fantasy and His Mistress (opposite Robert Urich). Toward the end of the decade, she moved into feature films, starring in the 1986 comedy Odd Jobs and 1989’s Fletch Lives (with Chevy Chase) and Skin Deep (with John Ritter).

Phillips gained massive international media attention when she began dating rock legend Bruce Springsteen in late 1984. They married shortly after midnight on May 13, 1985, in Lake Oswego, Oregon. The ceremony was a major media event, though the couple took measures to avoid the paparazzi. The marriage was short-lived; Phillips filed for divorce in August 1988, citing irreconcilable differences. The divorce was finalized in March 1989.

The end of their relationship is famously cited as the primary inspiration for Springsteen’s introspective 1987 album, Tunnel of Love. While the 1980s cemented her celebrity status, Phillips would go on to achieve her greatest professional success in the early 1990s as Francesca “Frankie” Reed on the TV drama Sisters.