Anya Major (born 1966) is an athlete and model who starred in
Apple ComputerApple Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs and manufactures consumer electronics and computer software products. The company's best-known hardware products include Macintosh computers, the iPod and the iPhone...
's famous
"1984""1984" is an American television commercial which introduced the Macintosh personal computer for the first time. It is now considered a watershed event and a masterpiece in advertising. It was directed by Ridley Scott, conceived by Steve Hayden, Brent Thomas and Lee Clow at Chiat/Day, Venice, and...
commercial, and who appeared as
Nikita"Nikita" is a song by English singer Elton John about the Cold War from his 1985 album Ice on Fire. Released in late 1985, the song achieved success in many countries, becoming a top ten hit in almost all of them.-Song synopsis:...
in the video to
Elton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE is an English singer-songwriter, composer and pianist.In his four-decade career, John has sold more than 200 million records, making him one of the most successful artists of all time. His single, Candle in the Wind 1997, has sold over 37 million copies, becoming the...
's song of the same name.
In 1983, the Chiat/Day advertising agency held a
casting callIn the performing arts, casting is a vital pre-production process for selecting a cast of actors, dancers, singers, models and other talent for a live or recorded performance....
in
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
, on behalf of their client,
Apple ComputerApple Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs and manufactures consumer electronics and computer software products. The company's best-known hardware products include Macintosh computers, the iPod and the iPhone...
, for what would prove to be a landmark television commercial. The vision of the agency and director
Ridley ScottSir Ridley Scott is an English film director and producer known for his stylish visuals and an obsession for detail. His films include Alien, Blade Runner, Thelma & Louise, Gladiator, Hannibal, Black Hawk Down, Matchstick Men, Kingdom of Heaven, American Gangster and Body of Lies...
stipulated an actress capable of running up to a large video screen, swinging a
sledgehammerA sledgehammer is a tool consisting of a large, flat head attached to a lever . The head is typically made of metal. The sledgehammer can apply more impulse than other hammers, due to its large size. Along with the mallet, it shares the ability to distribute force over a wide area...
in a wide spin, and releasing it at the video screen. Unfortunately, most of the models and actresses tested could not wield the clumsy hammer, much less throw it; in fact, one errant throw nearly struck a passerby at the
Hyde ParkHyde Park is one of the largest parks in central London, England and one of the Royal Parks of London, famous for its Speakers' Corner.The park is divided in two by the Serpentine...
casting call. The petite Major, an experienced
discusThe discus throw is an event in track and field competition, in which an athlete throws a heavy disc — called a discus — in an attempt to mark a farther distance than his or her competitors. It is an ancient sport, as evidenced by the 5th century BC Myron statue, Discobolus...
thrower who had been discovered at a local health club, won the role with her ability to handle the hammer convincingly.
The commercial aired only twice on American television, most famously just after half-time of
Super Bowl XVIIISuper Bowl XVIII was an American football game that was played on January 22, 1984 at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1983 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Los Angeles Raiders defeated the National Football...
on January 22, 1984. Even with this limited appearance, the ad created such a media frenzy that it gained many subsequent free TV airings and print mentions as it was discussed in the media.
Major later portrayed "
Nikita"Nikita" is a song by English singer Elton John about the Cold War from his 1985 album Ice on Fire. Released in late 1985, the song achieved success in many countries, becoming a top ten hit in almost all of them.-Song synopsis:...
" in the
Elton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE is an English singer-songwriter, composer and pianist.In his four-decade career, John has sold more than 200 million records, making him one of the most successful artists of all time. His single, Candle in the Wind 1997, has sold over 37 million copies, becoming the...
1986
music videoA music video is a short film or video that accompanies a complete piece of music/song. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings. Although the origins of music videos go back much further, they came into their own in the...
of the same name. As a spin-off, she released a single named
Moscow Nights using the name
Anya-Origins and variant forms:*Anya is a Russian diminutive of Anna, which means "graceful" or "bringing goodness".*The spelling Anja is common in Norwegian, Danish, German, Swedish, Dutch, Slovenian and Serbian.*Ania is the spelling in Polish....
.
Although
Andy HertzfeldAndy Hertzfeld was a key member of the original Apple Macintosh development team during the 1980s. After buying an Apple II in January 1978, he went to work for Apple Computer from August 1979 until March 1984, where he was a key designer of the Macintosh system software...
of the Macintosh development team stated that Major had died of breast cancer in 2000, she is alive and well. She lives in
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
with her husband Kim Rajah and their three children. Major is an alumna of the
United World College of South East AsiaThe United World College of South East Asia is an independent, non-profit international school in Singapore. The school's main campus is in Dover Road. A second campus was opened in 2008 in Ang Mo Kio...
and was in attendance for the 30th anniversary reunion in December 2005 .
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