Leslie Bibb has thanked Oprah Winfrey for "opening up the whole world for me".
During an appearance on Today with Jenna & Friends on Tuesday, co-host Jenna Bush Hager asked the actress what it was like when she won a modelling contest on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1990 when she was just 16.
"I don't know why (Oprah) decided to do it, but she hosted a modelling contest with Elite (Agency), and Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, and Iman were the judges," the 51-year-old recalled. "I won, and it brought me to New York and sort of opened up a whole world for me. And now, here I am. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't be sitting here with you."
In response, Jenna gushed over Oprah's influence on popular culture.
"I mean, I feel like if it wasn't for Oprah, we wouldn't be doing a lot of things. I probably wouldn't know how to read," she joked, referring to Oprah's Book Club.
Jenna also played a throwback clip showing Leslie addressing the audience during the contest. In the footage, the star noted that she would appreciate the "incredible money" that could come out of modelling.
"My dad died when I was three years old. And I have four sisters," she explained at the time. "For once, I'd like to tell my mom, 'I can pay for it.' 'Cause she loves spending money on us, and it would be nice to get her something back for once."
After working as a model, Leslie landed roles in episodes of Pacific Blue and Home Improvement in 1996. She rose to fame after appearing as the lead character in the 1999 series, Popular.
More recently, Leslie is known for her performances as Dinah on Palm Royale and as Kate in the third season of The White Lotus.