Katarina Witt

Witt left competitive skating behind in 1994 to indulge her love for the audience, touring with Stars on Ice. She also indulged her love for American culture, buying an apartment in New York City, and becoming a fan of Madonna, blue jeans, and Michael Jordan. She took a break in 1995 to recover from back injuries, and received the Jim Thorpe Pro Sports Award for outstanding performances and efforts in the Olympics. She also was inducted into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She was nominated for another Emmy Award for The Ice Princess in 1996. Witt's star turn off the ice also included several cameo roles in Hollywood productions. She appeared in the hit features Jerry Maguire with Tom Cruise in 1996 and Ronin with Robert DeNiro in 1998. She appeared on television in Frasier in 1993 and Everybody Loves Raymond in 1996. She played herself on TV's Arliss in 1997 and 1998, and appeared as "Greta Krantz" in 1998 on V.I.P alongside Pamela Anderson. A multi-year contract with Germany's ARD put Witt in front of the cameras as a commentator for international skating. She also launched a sports marketing and promotion company called With Witt. The 1998 Playboy magazine she appeared in was a huge seller.