Modeling a one-piece and possessing an intense gaze on the cover of July's Hello! Fashion Monthly, it's clear Renee Stewart inherited some key genes from her supermodel mother Rachel Hunter, who became a cover star herself as a Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue icon. But, despite her good looks, and stints with Pantene and lingerie brand Bendon, Renee doesn't have modeling aspirations – and she's not following the rock star path of her dad Rod Stewart, 70, either.
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Renee, whose dad is British "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy" singer Rod Stewart, was mostly raised by her mother Rachel Hunter (left) in Los Angeles Photo: Getty Images
"I'm proud of where I come from – I grew up in such an artistic family – but of course you want to build your own identity," the 23-year-old tells HFM. "I think that's important for any human being."
So, instead of following music or fashion footsteps, she's passionately carving out a career as a dancer. It was a desire to seek a future independent of her starry lineage that saw her leave the family nest in Los Angeles to study at the London Contemporary Dance School two years ago – a move that highlights another similarity to her mother, now 45, who once aspired to be a ballet dancer herself and has appeared on TV competition Dancing With the Stars.
"I'm proud of where I come from, but of course you want to build your own identity," says Renee, who is studying to be a dancer Photo: Peter Pedonomou/ Hello! Fashion Monthly
Her parents separated when she was 7, and she describes the childhood she shared with her younger pro ice hockey player brother Liam, as "happy and normal." She tells the magazine that she doesn't run with a famous crowd now, either. "I've never really fallen into the idea of hanging out with celebritites," she admits. "I don't think I've purposefully done it... I just hang out with all my friends from school."
The model mother-daughter team in 2013 Photo: Getty Images
Are there any other qualities that she has inherited from her mom and dad? "That's a tough one," she says. "I've definitely got both their senses of humour, mixed together, and I can start seeing little mannerisms of my mom in me now."
And her favorite Rod Stewart tune? "I Don't Want To Talk About It." She jokes: "That's the name of the song, by the way!"
For more from Renee's interview, download the July issue of HFM on your Android device or from iTunes.
