Anna Bjorn

{{Redirect|Anna Björnsdóttir|the Icelandic poet|Anna Svanhildur Björnsdóttir}} {{short description|Icelandic graphic designer, filmmaker, model, and actress}} {{Icelandic name|Anna}} {{Infobox pageant titleholder | name = Anna Björnsdóttir | image =  | alt =  | caption = | birth_name =  | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1954|07|04|df=y}} | birth_place = | other_names = Anna Bjorn | occupation = {{Hlist|Graphic designer|yoga instructor|documentary filmmaker|model|actress}} | years_active = | title = [[Miss Iceland|Miss Universe Iceland 1974]] | competitions = [[Miss Iceland|Miss Universe Iceland 1974]]<br>(Winner)<br>[[Miss Universe 1974]]<br>(Unplaced) }} '''Anna Björnsdóttir''' (born 4 July 1954), also known as '''Anna Bjorn''', is an Icelandic graphic designer, yoga instructor, documentary filmmaker, model, actress and beauty pageant title holder. In 1974, she represented Iceland in [[Miss Universe 1974|Miss Universe in Manila]] and was voted Miss Congenial by her fellow contestants.<ref name=huffpost/><ref>{{Cite news |title=Hún var vinsælust þeirra allra |url=https://timarit.is/page/3255102 |access-date=20 April 2022 |work=[[Vísir]] |date=22 July 1974 |language=Icelandic |via=[[Tímarit.is]]}} {{open access}}</ref>

==Career== In the 1970s and 1980s, Anna had a successful modeling career, being represented by the [[Ford Modeling Agency]] in [[New York City|New York]] and Nina Blanchard in [[Los Angeles]].<ref>{{cite news |author1=Katrín Pálsdóttir |title=Ford-fyrirsætur |url=https://timarit.is/page/4510599 |access-date=4 May 2022 |work=Vikan |date=27 February 1986 |page=5 |language=Icelandic |via=[[Tímarit.is]]}} {{open access}}</ref> She was featured in a great number of television commercials both in Europe and the United States and held exclusive contracts with [[Noxema]] and [[Vidal Sassoon]]. During that time she studied acting in Los Angeles and appeared in several films and television shows in the United States, such as ''[[More American Graffiti]]'' and ''[[The Sword and the Sorcerer]]'' and ''[[Get Crazy]]''.<ref>{{cite news |title=Íslensk kvikmyndastjarna |url=https://timarit.is/page/4497127 |access-date=4 May 2022 |work=Vikan |date=24 December 1981 |page=25 |language=Icelandic |via=[[Tímarit.is]]}} {{open access}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author1=Ómar Valdimarsson |title=Málið er ekki að meika það |url=https://timarit.is/page/979384 |access-date=4 May 2022 |work=Helgarpósturinn |date=7 November 1983 |pages=12–13 |language=Icelandic |via=[[Tímarit.is]]}} {{open access}}</ref>

In 1982, Anna co-produced, filmed and edited the documentary ''From Iceland to Brazil'', about Icelandic immigrants to Brazil in the 1870s, and in 1987, she produced and directed the documentary ''Love & War'', about the "war brides" of Iceland.

She became a certified yoga instructor in 1994, having practiced yoga since the late 1970s. She opened her own yoga studio, Yogastöð Vesturbæjar/Yoga West, in [[Reykjavík]], Iceland, in 1994<ref>{{cite news |title=Jógastöð Vesturbæjar í nýtt húsnæði |url=https://www.mbl.is/greinasafn/grein/687534/ |access-date=20 April 2022 |work=[[Morgunblaðið]] |date=13 September 2002 |language=Icelandic}}</ref> and sold the company in 2007.

In 2003, Anna graduated from the [[Iceland Academy of the Arts]] with a BA degree in graphic design. Since then she has worked as a freelance graphic designer, focusing on logo and book design.

==Personal life== Anna was married to musician [[Jakob Frímann Magnússon]].<ref name=huffpost/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Jakob Frímann Magnússon |url=https://www.althingi.is/altext/cv/is/?nfaerslunr=1114 |access-date=2023-01-08 |website=Alþingi |language=is}}</ref>

She divides her time between Europe and the United States.{{cn|date=July 2019}} Her partner since 1994 is advertising CEO Halldór Guðmundsson.{{cn|date=July 2019}}

In 2011, ''[[The Boston Globe ]]'' claimed that she gave the FBI information that led to gangster and fugitive [[Whitey Bulger]]'s capture.<ref name=huffpost>{{Cite web|date=2011-10-10|title=Former Beauty Queen To Receive $2 Million For Turning Whitey In|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/anna-bjorn-whitey-bulger-_n_1003638|access-date=2021-01-12|website=HuffPost|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author1=Kristjana Björg Guðbrandsdóttir |title=Nágranninn hættulegasti glæpamaður Bandaríkjanna |url=https://www.visir.is/g/20151513093d |access-date=20 April 2022 |work=[[Vísir.is]] |date=10 October 2015 |language=Icelandic}}</ref> A reward of US$2 million had been offered for information leading to his capture.

==References== {{reflist}}

== Filmography == ===Film=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Film ! Role |- | 1979 | ''[[More American Graffiti]]'' | Eva |- | 1982 | ''[[The Sword and the Sorcerer]]'' | Elizabeth |- | 1982 | ''[[Með allt á hreinu]]'' (''On Top'': US title) | Hekla |- | 1982 | ''From Iceland to Brazil'' | producer |- | 1983 | ''[[Get Crazy]]'' | Countess Chantaminaa |- | 1987 | ''Love and War'' | director/producer |-

===Television=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Other notes |- | 1981 | ''[[Diff'rent Strokes]]'' | Kristin | Guest star |- | 1982 | ''[[The Devlin Connection]]'' | Erica | Guest star |- | 1983/1984 | ''[[Fantasy Island (1977 TV series)|Fantasy Island]]'' | Connie/Monique | Guest star |- | 1985 | ''[[Remington Steele]]'' | Reporter | Guest star |- | 1986 | ''[[Dream West]]'' (TV) | Angelique | Guest star |- | 1986 | ''[[Riptide (American TV series)|Riptide]]'' | | Guest star |- | 1991 | ''[[Shannon's Deal]]'' | Ingrid | Guest star |}

== External links == * {{IMDb name|id=0084861|name=Anna Bjorn}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bjorn, Anna}} [[Category:1954 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:20th-century Icelandic actresses]] [[Category:Icelandic graphic designers]] [[Category:Women graphic designers]] [[Category:Icelandic expatriates in the United States]] [[Category:Icelandic female models]] [[Category:Icelandic film actresses]] [[Category:Icelandic television actresses]] [[Category:Miss Universe 1974 contestants]] [[Category:Place of birth missing (living people)]]