The world lost another pop culture icon this past week in Chuck Norris, who died at the age of 86. A beloved actor and martial artist, Norris was known, in great part, for playing the lead on Walker, Texas Ranger. The late star’s legacy is far-reaching, and many have taken to social media to honor him and his body of work. Among those to pay tribute are a slew of celebrities, including a number of fellow action stars. Now, Christie Brinkley, a longtime colleague of Norris’, is reflecting on their friendship (and difference in political opinions).
For years, Brinkley and Norris worked alongside each other in commercials for the Total Gym home fitness center. The pair started appearing together in those ads back in the ‘90s, and they ultimately became the faces for the product. Following Norris’ death, Brinkely (72) posted a promotional photo of herself and her late friend on Instagram. She also shared some warm words and explained how Norris influenced her involvement with the aforementioned fitness brand:
For 25 years, Chuck Norris and I were partners in The Total Gym. Bringing me on board was his idea… and I’m forever grateful to have been a part of such a successful enterprise. And we had lots of fun along the way shooting in a variety of vacation hot spots around the country. His beautiful wife Gena would accompany him and sometimes jump on and exercise too. He was often on the phone with his family who seemed to run all kinds of productions and businesses for him. He was a real family man.
A veteran model who has graced various magazine covers, Brinkley seemed to relish her time working with Norris. In her caption, she also shared some sweet details about how they would spend their downtime between takes on commercials. From there, Brinkley recalled the light-hearted ways she and Norris would reference their varied positions on the political spectrum:
Article continues belowBetween takes we would get him to tell us Bruce Lee stories and his adventures in Russia and we’d laugh at the Chuck Norris jokes. We often joked about the fact that I was a delegate for Al Gore and he was George Bush’s pick as his favorite celebrity. We’d say we don’t agree politically but we can both agree on the Total Gym. Actually… Chuck Norris was a Total GEM… of a sweet human being. To his family that he was so proud of I’m sending my heartfelt sympathy and love.
Among the others who honored Chuck Norris was Sylvester Stallone, who worked together on 2012’s The Expendables 2. The Rocky and First Blood icon said he had a “great time working with” Norris and that he was “All American in every way” in addition to being a “great man.” Fellow Expendables alum Dolph Lundgren referred to Norris as “the champ,” while Jean-Claude Van Damme said he “always respected the man [Norris] was. Author Jack Carr also expressed his condolences, saying that he was "heartbroken" over Norris’ death.
Throughout his career, Norris carved out a specific path for himself, one in which he headlined both action-centric TV shows and films. Additionally, the Oklahoma native also became something of a symbol for physical strength and fitness (arguably in part due to that Total Gym partnership). Last fall, an 85-year-old Norris even appeared in a workout video that proved he hadn’t lost a step, and fans were loving it at the time.
Now, Christie Brinkley's reaction to Chuck Norris’ death is yet another testament to the fact that he’ll be sorely missed not just by his fans but by those he worked with. It’s sweet that the two became so close (even amidst their differences in politics). As many continue to process Norris' passing, we at CinemaBlend continue to extend our thoughts to his family and loved ones.
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