Marla Maples

Marla Maples
Maples in 2007
Born
Marla Ann Maples

(1963-10-27) October 27, 1963 (age 61)
Cohutta, Georgia, U.S.
Occupations
  • Actress
  • television personality
  • presenter
  • model
  • singer
Years active1981–present
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1993; div. 1999)​
ChildrenTiffany Trump

Marla Ann Maples (born October 27, 1963)[1] is an American actress, television personality, model, singer and presenter. She was the second wife of former U.S. president Donald Trump. They married in December 1993, two months after the birth of their daughter Tiffany, separated in 1997 and divorced in 1999.[2][3]

Early life

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Maples was born on October 27, 1963, in Cohutta, Georgia. Her mother, Ann Locklear Maples, was a homemaker and model, and her father, Stanley Edward Maples, a real estate developer, county commissioner, singer, and songwriter.[4][5] She has one half-sister from her father's previous marriage.[6]

Maples attended Northwest Whitfield High School in Tunnel Hill, Georgia, where she played basketball, served as class secretary and was crowned the 1980–1981 homecoming queen during her senior year (she returned for the 1991 homecoming to crown the school's new queen).[7]

After graduating from high school in 1981, Maples competed in beauty contests and pageants. In 1983, she won the Miss Resaca Beach Poster Girl Contest, in 1984 she was the runner-up to Miss Georgia USA, and in 1985 she won the Miss Hawaiian Tropic.[8][9]

She entered the University of Georgia in 1981 but left college before graduating.[4]

Career

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Film, television, and theater

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In 1991, Maples appeared as a celebrity guest at WWF WrestleMania VII, serving as special guest timekeeper in the main event match between Hulk Hogan and defending WWF Champion Sgt. Slaughter. In that year, Maples also made a special appearance in the hit television series Designing Women as herself. In August 1992, Maples joined the cast of the Tony Award winning Broadway musical The Will Rogers Follies as "Ziegfeld's Favorite", a role originated by Cady Huffman when the show opened in May 1991.[10][11]

In 1994, Maples appeared alongside then-husband Donald Trump in a cameo appearance in an episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air[12] and the television series Something Wilder in 1994.

Maples co-hosted the 1996 and 1997 Miss Universe Pageant and the 1997 Miss USA Pageant, both of which were owned by her then-husband.[13]

Maples appeared in the films Maximum Overdrive (1986), Executive Decision (1996), For Richer or Poorer (1997), Happiness (1998), Richie Rich's Christmas Wish (1998), Black and White (1999), Two of Hearts (1999), Loving Annabelle (2006), A Christmas Too Many (2007), and A Nanny for Christmas (2010).[citation needed]

In 2011, she returned to New York for Love, Loss and What I Wore, an off-Broadway production.[14] In 2013, Maples was featured on Oprah: Where Are They Now?[15]

Since then, she appeared in Switching Lanes, directed by Thomas Mikal Ford.[16][17]

On March 8, 2016, Maples was announced as one of the celebrities who would compete on season 22 of Dancing with the Stars alongside her Switching Lanes co-star, Kim Fields.[18] She was partnered with professional dancer Tony Dovolani.[19] Maples and Dovolani were eliminated on Week 4 of competition and finished in 10th place. Maples also joined the women of ABC's morning talk show, The View, as a guest co-host on March 11, 2016.[20]

Maples is a keynote speaker with the London Speakers Bureau, focusing on inspiring women, wellness, spirituality, and motivation.[21]

Maples was featured in the Summer of Peace Summit 2018 with the opportunity to discuss topics of peace and finding common ground.[22]

Maples spoke at the 2018 Global Summit on Science, Spirituality, and Environment in India; the event brought together speakers from around the world to discuss the integration of science and spirituality, as well as self-transformation and world-transformation.[23]

Maples was a guest speaker on the Journeys of Faith podcast with Paula Faris in 2018.[24]

Radio and music

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Maples hosted her own talk radio show, Awakening with Marla, on Contact Talk Radio. Her guests included naturopathic doctors, authors, and astrologers.[25] Maples' album The Endless, released in August 2013, is a musical journey of spiritual awakening and transformational energy, featuring thought leaders such as the Dalai Lama, Michael Beckwith, and Deepak Chopra.[citation needed] In December 2012, Maples won a "Hollywood Music in Media Award" for best New Age/Ambient song, for "House of Love", from that album.[26][27]

Other

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In 1990, Maples starred in an advertising campaign for No Excuses jeans.[28] In 1993, she designed a line of maternity clothes, sold in several major department stores.[29] In January 2000, a memoir by Maples, All That Glitters Is Not Gold, was announced by the ReganBooks division of HarperCollins Publishers. In February 2002, a spokeswoman for the publishing company said, "The author and publisher by mutual consent have agreed not to publish the book."[30]

Maples makes personalized videos through the website Cameo.[31]

Philanthropy

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Maples is committed to supporting charities and non-profit organizations and is a long-time vocal advocate of Kids Creating Peace, an organization uniting Israeli and Palestinian children.[32]

Maples is involved with AWARENYC.org as an advisory board member. AWARE (Assisting Women through Action, Resources & Education) is a grassroots organization dedicated to promoting awareness and generating funds in order to make meaningful improvements in the lives of women and girls in the New York City community and worldwide.[33]

Maples also supports and is on the Steering Committee for The Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine.[34]

Personal life

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Relationships

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Maples' relationship with Donald Trump was initiated while he was married to his first wife, Ivana, whom Trump divorced in 1990.[35] Maples met him in 1984 and had a highly publicized relationship[36] later with at least one breakup.[37] One New York Post headline reported that Maples said Trump gave her the "best sex I've ever had."[38][39][40] Maples and Trump had one child, daughter Tiffany Trump, born on October 13, 1993.[41]

According to Maples, the 1993 Long Island Rail Road shooting, on December 7, caused Trump to reevaluate his life and propose to her.[42] The couple married on December 20, 1993, at New York City's Plaza Hotel, in a ceremony reportedly attended by 1,000 guests, including Rosie O'Donnell and O. J. Simpson.[43][44]

In 1996, Trump fired his bodyguard Spencer Wagner after a police officer found Maples and the bodyguard together under a lifeguard stand on a deserted beach at 4:00 a.m.[45] Both Maples and Trump denied that she was having an affair, despite reports in the National Enquirer and other tabloids; the bodyguard himself told conflicting stories about the incident.[45][41] Maples and Trump separated in May 1997[46] and divorced on June 8, 1999.[30] Under the terms of their prenuptial agreement and divorce settlement, Maples is bound by a confidentiality agreement regarding their marriage.[30][41]

Health and wellness

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Maples is an advocate of health and wellness. Her daughter Tiffany Trump has described Maples making her healthy homemade chocolate in Trump Tower; meanwhile her father would sneak her downstairs to the candy store to buy her Almond Joys.[47] Maples describes herself as a "mostly-vegan" who avoids dairy, eats organic, and chooses to be gluten free.[48][49] During the COVID-19 pandemic, Maples used her social media platforms to promote treatments that have not been proven effective, such as vitamin C drips. She also joined Children's Health Defense's Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in touting various discredited conspiracy theories about the disease.[50][51]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1986 Maximum Overdrive 2nd Woman
1987 Funland Mother
1996 Executive Decision Nancy
1997 For Richer or Poorer Cynthia
1998 Happiness Ann Chambeau
1999 Black and White Muffy
2006 Loving Annabelle Lauren
2015 Switching Lanes Stacey Jefferson
2021 The Birthday Cake Aunt Emma

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1989 Dallas Maggie Episode: "Cally on a Hot Tin Roof"
1991 P.S. I Luv U Leslie Episode: "Where There's a Will, There's a Dani"
1991 Designing Women Herself Episode: "Marriage Most Foul"
1994 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Herself Episode: "For Sale by Owner"
1994 Something Wilder Donna Episode: "Love Native American Style"
1996 Clueless Buyer #2 Episode: "Cher, Inc."
1997 The Big Easy Grace Belvedere Episode: "Platinum Blonde"
1997 Spin City Jennifer Episode: "The Goodbye Girl"
1997 The Christmas List Faith Television film
1998 The Nanny Herself Episode: "The Best Man"
1998 Richie Rich's Christmas Wish Mrs. Van Dough Television film
1999 Two of Hearts Joan Michaelson Television film
1999 Sunset Beach Barbara Birch Episode #1.559
2007 A Christmas Too Many June Television film
2010 A Nanny for Christmas Brandy Television film
2014 Liv and Maddie Amy Becker Episode: "BFF-A-Rooney"
2019 The Righteous Gemstones Gay Nancy 3 episodes

References

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  1. ^ "Donald Trump ex, Georgia native Marla Maples on 'Dancing With the Stars' | Radio and TV Talk". March 6, 2016. Archived from the original on March 25, 2018. Retrieved July 26, 2017. Maples was born in Cohutta and grew up in the Dalton area. She attended high school in Tunnel Hill.
  2. ^ "After The Gold Rush". Vanity Fair. September 1, 1990. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
  3. ^ "It's a Wedding Blitz for Trump and Maples". The New York Times. December 21, 1993.
  4. ^ a b Orth, Maureen (November 1990). "The Heart of the Deal". Vanity Fair. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  5. ^ David L. Beckwith (ed.). "Marla Ann Maples b. 27 Oct 1963 Georgia". Smoky Mountain Ancestral Quest. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  6. ^ “Ann Maples, Marla Maples Mother Public Obituary”
  7. ^ "Marla Maples and Donald Trump visit Dalton as she is honored at the Northwest Whitfield homecoming football game". WDEF News 12 (video). Chattanooga, Tennessee (published February 2, 2016). October 21, 1991 [October 21, 1991]. Archived from the original on November 14, 2021. Retrieved July 26, 2017.
  8. ^ Harris, Art (February 19, 1990). "The Hometown of the Killer Blondes". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  9. ^ Roura, Phil; Hayes, Daniel (February 18, 1990). "Blond from Georgia Rumored to Be Trump Home-Wrecker". South Florida Sun Sentinel. New York Daily News. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  10. ^ Marla Maples at the Internet Broadway Database
  11. ^ Stanley, Alessandra (August 4, 1992). "Maples in Spotlight on Opening Night". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331.
  12. ^ Quinn, Dave (October 6, 2016). "Alfonso Ribeiro Looks Back on Donald Trump's Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Appearance". People.com. Retrieved June 5, 2017.
  13. ^ "Miss USA Pageant". New York Daily News. April 1, 1997. Archived from the original on September 15, 2017. Retrieved June 5, 2017.
  14. ^ "What's Up, Marla Maples? The Love, Loss and What I Wore Star on Returning to New York and Sending Daughter Tiffany Trump to College". Broadway.com. Retrieved December 20, 2014.
  15. ^ "Marla Maples". Oprah.com. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved December 20, 2014.
  16. ^ "Inspirational Film 'Switching Lanes' Wins 2015 Feature Film Silver Award [TRAILER]". BREATHEcast.com. October 13, 2015. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  17. ^ "New Movie Coming from Tyscot Films: Switching Lanes". Tyscot.com. Archived from the original on December 20, 2014. Retrieved December 20, 2014.
  18. ^ "Meet the Cast". switchinglanesmovie.com. Archived from the original on December 26, 2014.
  19. ^ "'Dancing With the Stars' 2016: Season 22 Celebrity Cast Revealed Live on 'GMA'". ABC News. March 8, 2016. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
  20. ^ "'The View' Guest Co-host Marla Maples on 'Dancing with the Stars' Preparation Video". The View. ABC. Retrieved June 5, 2017.
  21. ^ "Marla Maples – Keynote Speaker | Speaker Bureau USA". London Speaker Bureau. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  22. ^ Summer Of Peace Summit 2018, MarlaMaplesOfficial, August 19, 2018, retrieved June 5, 2019 – via YouTube
  23. ^ Marla Maples attends Global Summit on Science, Spirituality and Environment 2018 in India, MarlaMaplesOfficial, October 11, 2018, archived from the original on November 14, 2021, retrieved June 5, 2019 – via YouTube
  24. ^ Faris, Paula (December 19, 2018). "'Journeys of Faith with Paula Faris': Marla Maples on her faith, marriage to Trump". ABC News. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  25. ^ "Marla Maples's Page". ctrnetwork.com. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
  26. ^ "iTunes – Music – The Endless by Marla Maples". iTunes. August 4, 2013. Retrieved December 20, 2014.
  27. ^ "Music Awards Los Angeles – Music Awards Hollywood". hmmawards.org. Archived from the original on November 19, 2014. Retrieved December 20, 2014.
  28. ^ Foltz, Kim (July 27, 1990). "2 Networks Say No To No Excuses Jeans". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331.
  29. ^ Brozan, Nadine (November 24, 1993). "Style: Chronicle". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331.
  30. ^ a b c Fried, Joseph P. (February 24, 2002). "Tell-All Book on Trump Won't Be Telling at All". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331.
  31. ^ Heil, Emily (May 2, 2018). "President Trump's Ex-Wife Marla Maples Is Charging $33 For Personalized Videos". NDTV.com. Retrieved October 15, 2018.
  32. ^ Juzwiak, Rich. "Of Course the Surviving Member of Milli Vanilli Has an EDM Project". Gawker. Archived from the original on February 1, 2016. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
  33. ^ "Mission Statement". AWARE.
  34. ^ "Music Therapists NYC | Mount Sinai - New York". Mount Sinai Health System.
  35. ^ "Trumps Get Divorce; Next, Who Gets What?". The New York Times. December 12, 1990. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
  36. ^ "Marla Maples says her daughter with Trump just had 'first job interview'". Fox News. April 5, 2016. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  37. ^ Carswell, Sue (July 8, 1991). "Trump Says Goodbye Marla, Hello Carla". People. Vol. 35, no. 26.
  38. ^ Sporkin, Elizabeth (March 5, 1990). "Ooh-La-La Marla!". People. Vol. 33, no. 9. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  39. ^ "Marla Maples Speaks Out On Sex With The Donald – 'The Best' She's Ever Had?". Access Hollywood. January 5, 2011. Retrieved June 5, 2017.
  40. ^ Farhi, Paul (December 1, 2016). "Will a gossipy tabloid be the new paper of record in the Trump administration?". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  41. ^ a b c Sherman, Gabriel (June 4, 2019). "'Marla Was under Duress': Secrets of the Trump-Maples Prenup". The Hive. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  42. ^ Ellison, Sarah (February 2017). "Inside Ivanka and Tiffany Trump's Complicated Sister Act". Vanity Fair.
  43. ^ Dullea, Georgia (December 21, 1993). "VOWS; It's a Wedding Blitz for Trump and Maples". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331.
  44. ^ Capuzzo, Mike (December 21, 1993). "Marla Finally Becomes Mrs. Trump It Was 'Paparazzi' Aplenty And Glitz Galore As The Couple Pledged Their Troth". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on January 19, 2016. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  45. ^ a b "Trump Bodyguard Once Accused of Having Affair With Marla Maples Never Got Over The Scandal, Ex-Wife Says". Inside Edition. Retrieved January 21, 2018.
  46. ^ Weber, Bruce (May 3, 1997). "Donald and Marla Are Headed for Divestiture". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331.
  47. ^ "Tiffany Trump Explains the Surprising Reason Her Parents Donald Trump and Marla Maples Fought over ... Wait for It ... Chocolate". Retrieved July 22, 2016.
  48. ^ "Marla Maples". Retrieved July 22, 2016.
  49. ^ "Dancing With the Stars: Week 4: Disney Night – Watch Season 22 Episode 04". Archived from the original on July 31, 2016. Retrieved July 22, 2016.
  50. ^ Hitt, Tarpley (August 15, 2020). "The president's second wife, Marla Maples, and anti-vaxxer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are pushing a wacky conspiracy theory involving Bill Gates, chip implants, and a COVID-19 vaccine". The Daily Beast. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  51. ^ Porterfield, Carlie (August 15, 2020). "Debunked Bill Gates Conspiracy Gets A Boost From RFK Jr., Marla Maples". Forbes.
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