Christie Brinkley never really had to face an empty nest.
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Brinkley → have → nest
The actress and supermodel stars opposite Steve Guttenberg in "American Summer," a feel-good tribute to simpler times and family connections.
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actress → star → times
The 72-year-old told Fox News Digital that those themes aren't just on-screen — they're values she's embraced in her own life, creating a home her three adult children can still return to.
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children → tell → home
The movie, which hit theaters Sept. 4, follows Guttenberg's character as he looks back on a formative childhood summer filled with baseball, first love and the disappearance of his U.S. Army father overseas.
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he → hit → father
"I have always been all about family, so I have built my life in a way that my kids ...
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kids → build → way
I want them independent," Brinkley said.
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Brinkley → want → ?
"I want them out there living, doing whatever, but they always tend to come home on weekends, holidays.
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they → want → weekends
We all really are big on being together, and I love that."
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I → love → that
"It's funny because a lot of moms on Instagram will ask me, 'How do you get your kids to come home so often?
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kids → ask → me
Mine are off and about,'" the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover girl shared.
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girl → share → ?
"And I think it's just to always let them know they're always welcome back.
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they → think → ?
They can bring their friends, that kind of thing."
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They → bring → thing
The supermodel is often photographed alongside her three grown children — Alexa Ray Joel, 40, Jack Paris Brinkley-Cook, 31, and Sailor Brinkley-Cook, 28 — whether they're walking red carpets or stepping out in coordinated looks.
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they → photograph → looks
Brinkley said their close bond didn't happen by accident but was rooted in the example set by her own parents.
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bond → say → parents
WATCH: CHRISTIE BRINKLEY SHARES SECRET TO KEEPING HER FAMILY CLOSE
After losing both of her parents less than two months apart in 2012, Brinkley said she no longer takes family time for granted.
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she → watch → time
Her father, Don Brinkley, died July 14, followed by her mother, Marge Brinkley, on Sept. 9.
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father → die → Sept.
"I have always cherished my family time," Brinkley said.
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Brinkley → cherish → time
"And I think once you lose both of your parents, it becomes more precious because you know that there is a finite time to it.
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you → think → it
And right now, our family's smaller because I don't have my mom and dad."
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I → have → mom
Brinkley became visibly emotional before saying, "I always get choked up whenever I talk about them."
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I → become → them
He became a caregiver for his father, Stanley Guttenberg, after he developed kidney failure, eventually training to help administer dialysis at home.
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he → become → home
"I remember you telling me about your mom and dad, Christie, that you had a little house on your property, and they lived near you, right?" Guttenberg said.
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Guttenberg → remember → you
How lucky you were and are to have them right there.
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you → have → them
"The best," Brinkley replied.
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Brinkley → reply → ?
Good times, bad times, they were always there, and they always made an effort to be a family.
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they → make → effort
And I think it's so important, and it has given me my happiest moments."
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it → think → moments
Family continues to be an essential part of Brinkley's life.
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Family → continue → life
She shared that Alexa Ray was preparing for a concert that night, while Jack planned to attend the premiere of "American Summer" alongside her.
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Jack → share → her
For Brinkley, the movie's message extends beyond the screen.
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message → extend → screen
She believes audiences are craving stories that celebrate family.
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that → believe → family
People want to put down their phone and speak to another human face to face," she said.
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she → want → face
"... This [story] takes us back before there were cell phones.
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story → take → us
And I think that we're going to find people now putting down their cell phones more often and just connecting with loved ones.
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people → think → ones
And that human connection, nothing can replace it.
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nothing → replace → it
I find that whenever I light a little bonfire in the backyard or at the beach, I always say, 'This is it.
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This → find → beach
And you know what?
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you → know → what
This is as good as it gets.'
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it → get → ?
"
"Just to be able to sit there by the crackling of the fire, the moon coming up, the stars sparkling, the birds chirping, the crickets coming on, the fireflies lighting — that's it," she continued.
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she → sit → fire
I think those are things that we all want to feel again and again.
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we → think → that
"It's better than any Ferrari," Guttenberg said.
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Guttenberg → say → Ferrari
…and 8 more, not listed.
The Aporia
