Gunilla Persson

Sonja Gunilla Persson (born 31 December 1958) is a former Swedish fashion model and current television personality. She is the daughter of Nils Erik Persson (1920–1998) and Iris Strid (born 1926). She has a daughter whose name is Erika, who was born in August 2002. Her mother Iris lives with her daughter.

Gunilla Persson was married to Stephen Linville 1984–1990, whom she met at an acting class in Dallas. She lived in Francis Kellogg's apartment in New York in the late 1980s, during which she also had a romance with Prince Albert of Monaco. Her boyfriend was hotel developer Patrick Ellis from 1990 until 1995.

Persson worked as a tour leader and, after journalistic studies, started her career at Sveriges Radio. She was a presenter of a one-hour celebrity entertainment show conducting interviews with celebrities.

Persson participated in the 1983 Damernas Värld (Swedish women's magazine) modelling competition The Face of the 80s after her boyfriend submitted pictures of her without her knowledge. Eileen Ford, one of the competition's judges, contacted her and signed her to her agency in New York City in 1983, even though Persson did not win the competition. She was also signed at and worked for Elite Model Management. She has appeared on the cover of several magazines including notably for the German edition of Bazaar and has modelled lingerie for La Perla.

In the late 1970s, Persson moved from Sweden to Dallas, US, later moving to New York City where she lived for many years. She studied at Stella Adler's acting school. She moved to California to participate in Svenska Hollywoodfruar, and in early 2015 Persson was forced to leave her Manhattan, New York apartment by her landlord.