Corinna Everson is a legend in the world of female bodybuilding. The American athlete and actress dominated the Ms. Olympia contest for six years in a row, from 1984 to 1989. She was known for her impressive physique, charisma, and grace on stage. After retiring from bodybuilding, she pursued an acting career, appearing in movies such as Double Impact (1991) and Natural Born Killers (1994), and TV shows such as The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. (1993) and Tarzan: The Epic Adventures (1996).
So many years after retiring from bodybuilding, Corinna is still passionate about fitness and wellness. She lives with her husband Dr. Steve Donia, whom she married after divorcing Jeff Everson in 1996.
Early Life And Family Background
Bodybuilder, actress, and fitness star Corinna Everson, often known as Cory, came from an athletic family and was born on January 4, 1958, in Racine, Wisconsin. She is currently 67 years old.
Her mother was a gymnast, while her father played football. Cameo Kneuer, her younger sister, born in 1961, is also an actor and a fitness champion.
In Deerfield, Illinois, where Cory grew up, she achieved academic and athletic success. In high school, she participated in gymnastics, track and field, badminton, and swimming as a four-sport athlete. She was also a National Honor Society member and a straight-A student.
Corinna studied at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she got to know competitive bodybuilder and fitness instructor Jeff Everson, whom she would later marry and divorce.
A Look At The Career Of Corinna Everson
She Won Ms. Olympia Six Times In A Row
Everson had a phenomenal bodybuilding career, taking home the most prestigious Ms. Olympia title six times straight from 1984 to 1989. She retired unbeaten and rose to prominence as an inspiration for many other women who wished to achieve their ambitions.
Following her graduation from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Cory began taking her bodybuilding training seriously. She competed in various bodybuilding contests, winning the IFBB North American in 1982 and the NPC Nationals in 1984.
In 1984, Corinna competed in her first Ms. Olympia competition and took first place. Her attractive physique, personality, and stage presence won both the judges and the crowd. For the following five years, she maintained her dominance while enhancing both her performance and health.
When Corinna won her sixth Ms. Olympia title in 1989, she made the decision to stop competing in bodybuilding. She said that she had attained her sporting goals in full and that she now wished to explore other interests. She added that since bodybuilding was becoming more severe and demanding, she wanted to maintain her health and femininity.
The accomplishments of Corinna in bodybuilding are unmatched and exceptional. She is recognized by many as one of the greatest female bodybuilders of all time and one of the sport’s most important pioneers. She was among the first class of individuals to be inducted into the IFBB Hall of Fame in 1999.
She also received other honors and awards, such as the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Arnold Classic in 2007 and the induction into the International Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.
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Corinna Transitioned To Acting After Bodybuilding
In 1991, Corinna made her feature film debut as Jean-Claude Van Damme’s co-star in the action flick Double Impact. She portrayed Kara, a fierce and devoted bodyguard who aids the twin characters of Van Damme in combat with their foes.
Later, she made an appearance in Oliver Stone’s 1994 film Natural Born Killers. She played TV Mallory, a muscular lady who appears in a TV show within the film, in a brief role.
Cory was featured in the low-budget film Ballistic, often referred to as Fist of Justice, in 1995. She played Claudia, a former CIA agent who teams up with a martial artist to stop a terrorist plot.
In the 1990s, she appeared on a number of TV shows as a guest. She played Amazon Woman in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1994) and Atalanta in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (1995-98)
Cory also appeared in other TV shows such as Tarzan: The Epic Adventures (1993), Renegade (1994), Strange Luck (1996), Goode Behavior (1996), and Home Improvement (1997). She portrayed a variety of characters, including a warrior, a receptionist, a bounty hunter, a fitness teacher, and herself.
Her last screen appearance was in an episode of Charmed in 2005. She played Hulk Paige, a version of Paige Matthews who transforms into a muscular green creature after being exposed to gamma radiation.
Corinna Everson Has Been Married Twice and Divorced Once
In 1982, Corinna married Jeff Everson, who became her first husband. They met at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where Cory was a student and Jeff was a strength coach. They established a mail-order apparel company together and were both competitive bodybuilders. They also participated in and won multiple titles in couples bodybuilding competitions. No children were born throughout their 14 years of marriage.
Cory and Jeff divorced in 1996; however, she kept ‘Everson’ as her stage name. She said that the divorce was amicable and that they remained friends. She also said that they grew apart over the years and that they had different goals and interests.
In 1998, she married her second husband Dr. Steve Donia, a cosmetic dentist. According to reports, they have two children, including Boris Donia, whom they adopted from Russia.
Today, Corinna Lives With Her Husband And Still Keeps Fit
As you already know, she is still happily married to Steve and lives with him in California. Apparently, she enjoys her married life, but she hasn’t given up on her old habits. She still hits the gym and sees a therapist regularly to keep her body fit and healthy. She recently shared on Instagram that she may be older, but she still pumps iron. She said that her goal is no longer to have the best physique but to stay strong and well.
Apart from this, she is active with Nightlight Christian Adoptions, an adoption agency that brings orphans from Russia and Belarus to the US. Their mission is to find loving homes for children in need. She also shares her adoption story and encourages others to consider adoption as a way of building their families.
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