Anya Major is an athlete and model who starred in Apple Computer's famous "1984" commercial.

In 1983, the Chiat/Day advertising agency, on behalf of their client, Apple Computer, held a casting call in London for what would prove to be their landmark television commercial, the Apple Macintosh "1984" Super Bowl commercial. To match the vision of the agency and director Ridley Scott, the firm was seeking an actress who could run up to a large video screen, swing a sledgehammer in a wide spin, and throw it at the video screen. Unfortunately, most of the models and actresses could not wield the clumsy hammer, much less throw it; indeed, one errant throw nearly struck and killed a passerby at the Hyde Park casting call. The petite, blonde Major, an experienced discus thrower who had been discovered at a local health club, won the role on the basis of her looks and her ability to spin with the hammer without becoming dizzy.

Though Andy Hertzfeld of the Macintosh development team stated that Major died of breast cancer ca. 2000 ^*, she is alive and well. She lives in England with her husband Kim Rajah and three children. She later became "Nikita" in the Elton John video. Anya is an ex-student of the United World College of South East Asia and recently attended the 30th Anniversary Reunion in December 2005.

References

1. Andy Hertzfeld at Google New York. March 15, 2006.

External links

• folklore.org
• CNN article