Quick Facts
Biography
Cynthia Jean Cameron Breakspeare (born October 24, 1954) — known as Cindy Breakspeare — is a Canadian-Jamaican jazz musician and former model. She was crowned Miss World 1976. She is the mother of Grammy-winning reggae musician Damian Marley, through her relationship with reggae legend Bob Marley, who remained married to Rita Marley until his death. Bob is said to have written the songs "Waiting in Vain", "She Used To Call Me Dada" and "Turn Your Lights Down Low" about her and their love.
Biography
Breakspeare was born in Toronto, Canada, to a Jamaican father, Louis Breakspeare, who was a British-Jamaican of multiracial ancestry, and a White Canadian mother of British origin, Marguerite Cochrane. Cindy has three brothers and one sister. She moved to Jamaica when she was four years old, and attended the Immaculate Conception Preparatory School. As a teenager she participated in beauty pageants, including Miss Jamaica Body Beautiful and Miss Universe Bikini. She was invited to participate in the Miss World competition in 1976 held in London, and won the title on November 19, 1976, becoming the second Jamaican to do so.
Breakspeare had an infamous relationship with the legendary reggae musician Bob Marley. From their relationship she gave birth to a son, Damian Marley (aka Jr. Gong), in 1978. However, 3 years later she married senator and attorney Tom Tavares-Finson in 1981 with whom she has a son Christian (1982) and a daughter Leah (1986). Breakspeare and Tavares-Finson divorced in 1995.
She is currently married to musician Rupert Bent II. Breakspeare has been pursuing her career as a recording artist and entrepreneur. She founded a Rastafarian craft store called "Ital Craft" in Jamaica. Breakspeare has four grandsons from her three children.
Filmography
- Marley (2012), interviewee