Ali Landry Reflects on Fame and Being Known for Her Looks

Ali Landry is reflecting on the unexpected fame that followed her appearance in a popular Doritos commercial during the 1998 Super Bowl.

Landry, 53, said her agent told her that her life would change after the commercial aired during Super Bowl XXXII. The next day, she received a call from a record label asking whether she could sing because they were interested in offering her a recording deal. Landry said she could not sing, but the call showed how quickly her career had changed.

The commercial also led to widespread attention for her appearance. In 1998, PEOPLE named her one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world, and she was later included several times on FHM’s list of the 100 Sexiest Women in the World.

Landry said she was uncomfortable with being defined primarily by her looks. Although swimsuit magazine shoots helped advance her career, she felt the image did not accurately represent her personality.

“I am so much more than that,” she told PEOPLE, adding that she often wished she had been given more choices over how she was presented publicly.

Over the past 15 to 20 years, Landry said she has gained more control over the projects she takes on and how she represents herself. She continues to work as an actor and host and also works behind the camera with her husband, filmmaker Alejandro Gómez Monteverde.

Away from work, Landry is focused on her family and her three children. She said she is grateful for her marriage, her children and her career and is making an effort to appreciate those aspects of her life.