Episode 183 – Beyond The Blue Lagoon: The Naked Truth With ‘80s Icon Christopher Atkins – Part 1
On this episode of Hollywood Obsessed, host Tony Miros sits down with actor Christopher Atkins, whose extraordinary journey from aspiring baseball player to international teen idol began with one unexpected audition. Best known for his unforgettable film debut opposite Brooke Shields in the 1980 blockbuster “The Blue Lagoon” and his role as Peter Richards on the iconic primetime soap “Dallas,” Atkins looks back on the wild ride that changed his life forever.
Atkins takes us back to the unlikely circumstances that landed him on a deserted island in Fiji. With absolutely no acting experience, he auditioned for “The Blue Lagoon” alongside approximately 4,000 other young actors and eventually won the role of Richard. He shares hilarious and fascinating behind-the-scenes stories about working with a 14-year-old Brooke Shields and director Randal Kleiser, filming for months on a remote island, and why he believes a movie like “The Blue Lagoon” could never be made the same way today.
Then came the part nobody could have prepared him for: global superstardom! Atkins opens up about the exciting ride he had as well as the darker side of teen-idol fame, including frightening encounters with obsessed fans, disturbing letters, and the difficulty of trying to maintain a normal life when you couldn't go anywhere unnoticed.
Atkins talks about taking on more serious roles, including the acclaimed television movie “The Child Bride of Short Creek” with Diane Lane and Helen Hunt, why he caught heat for making the transition from movies to television at a time when film stars were discouraged from doing TV. Its an episode you just HAVE to listen to!
CHRISTOPHER ATKINS
Christopher Atkins is a Golden Globe-nominated actor, director, and producer who became an international teen idol virtually overnight. Before fame, Atkins was a high school student working as a lifeguard and sailing instructor when a friend convinced him to audition for “The Blue Lagoon.” With no previous acting experience, the 19-year-old won the role over more than 4,000 other actors.
Released in 1980, “The Blue Lagoon,” starring Atkins opposite Brooke Shields, became a major box-office success. The romantic adventure has gone on to become a cult classic, while Atkins' youthful looks, athleticism, and natural screen presence made him one of the most recognizable teen idols of the era. His newfound fame was extraordinary, with fans mobbing him wherever he went and teen magazines featuring him on countless covers.
Atkins followed “The Blue Lagoon” with “The Pirate Movie” (1982), playing Frederic in the musical comedy inspired by Gilbert and Sullivan's “The Pirates of Penzance.” He also recorded "How Can I Live Without Her?," which reached No. 71 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1983, he starred opposite Lesley Ann Warren in “A Night in Heaven” and joined the cast of the hit CBS primetime soap “Dallas” .
Throughout the following decades, Atkins continued working in film and television, appearing in projects including “Mortuary Academy,” “Its My Party,” “Angel Flight Down,” “Strike Force,” “Spiritual Warriors,” “13th Child,” “Tequila Express,” “Quigley,” “Blue Lagoon: The Awakening,” and “True Legends of the West.” He also reunited with Brooke Shields as a guest star on “Suddenly Susan.” In 2009, he appeared on VH1's reality series “Confessions of a Teen Idol” . In 2023, Atkins reunited with his former “Dallas” co-star Linda Gray in “Ladies of the '80s: A Divas Christmas.”
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Actor/Writer/Director/Producer
Christopher Atkins is a Golden Globe-nominated actor, writer, director, and producer who rose to international fame as one of the most recognizable teen idols of the 1980s.
Born in Valdese, North Carolina, Atkins was a high school student working as a lifeguard and sailing instructor when a friend encouraged him to audition for “The Blue Lagoon.” With no prior acting experience or interest in pursuing a career in Hollywood, Atkins nevertheless won the role from more than 4,000 other young actors.
At just 19, Atkins made his film debut in “The Blue Lagoon” (1980), starring opposite Brooke Shields. The romantic adventure film was a major box-office success, earning more than $58 million against a $4.5 million production budget. The film has since become a classic of romantic fantasy and adventure. Atkins' natural good looks, athleticism, swimming abilities, and undeniable screen presence quickly made him a worldwide teen idol. Following the film's success, he was mobbed by fans wherever he went, with female admirers sometimes literally tearing at his clothes.
He followed “The Blue Lagoon” with “The Pirate Movie” (1982), playing Frederic in the musical comedy inspired by Gilbert and Sullivan's “The Pirates of Penzance.” Atkins also recorded the song "How Can I Live Without Her?" for the film, which reached No. 71 on the Billboard Hot 100. Though initially a critical and commercial disappointment, “The Pirate Movie” has since developed a devoted cult following.
In “A Night in Heaven” (1983), co-starring Lesley Ann War… Read More
