Dayle Haddon, the renowned model and actress, shared her life’s philosophy and career reflections in her final interview with PEOPLE. Just weeks before her tragic passing from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning at age 76, Haddon opened up about the importance of connecting with other women and how it shaped her successful career.
Haddon’s interview took place at the opening of an Ann Taylor store in New York City on December 3rd. Having a long-standing relationship with the brand, Haddon spoke candidly about her journey, which included gracing the covers of Vogue, Elle, and Cosmopolitan, securing contracts with major cosmetic companies, authoring books, and pursuing acting roles.
Reflecting on her multifaceted career, Haddon acknowledged the challenges she faced: “It took me a very long time to be successful.” She emphasized the significance of self-belief and communication: “But you find your own niche if you believe in yourself and you communicate. I’ve always communicated that I was more than what I look like, that I had something else to say.”
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Haddon believed her ability to resonate with other women was key to her success. She explained, “I think what makes a great model is that she will inhabit herself. So, through whatever physically is photogenic, she will [also] project an authentic feeling and emotion and draw women in.”
This connection, she felt, extended beyond the superficial. “If I could make a connection through the page to another woman, then I felt I was successful. And I think that translated into selling a lot of product, because I did make that connection, and therefore, they kept hiring me, because it worked.”
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Haddon viewed her public image as a platform for something more profound. “My job is to reach inside and send out who I am to women and girls out there,” she stated. “That’s been the theme of even my books and everything.” She championed inner beauty over outward appearances, asserting, “There’s nothing more deceiving than somebody that is physically beautiful, but has nothing to say or nothing to deliver.”
Expanding on this idea, she added, “It’s a huge disappointment. It’s a lot of promise, no delivery. … Because, I think, if you are just a body posing, you’re going to be very bored.”
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Tragically, Dayle Haddon passed away on December 27th due to a suspected carbon monoxide leak at her son-in-law, actor Marc Blucas’s, Pennsylvania home. A faulty flue and exhaust pipe on a gas heating system were identified as the likely cause of the leak. Walter Blucas, also found in the home, was hospitalized and treated. Haddon’s final interview serves as a poignant reminder of her legacy of empowering women and promoting authentic connection.
