Background
Austin was born in Tarzana, California, and raised in nearby Palos Verdes. She grew up as a tomboy, riding quads and playing football.
Austin was born in Tarzana, California, and raised in nearby Palos Verdes. She grew up as a tomboy, riding quads and playing football.
She has been married to rapper-actor Ice-T (né Tracy Marrow) since January 2002. She has Serbian ancestry through maternal grandparents born in Serbia. Austin also has a younger sister Kristy Williams and three younger brothers.
Eventually her family began addressing her as Coco.
The family moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico when she was 10. Austin began dancing (jazz, tap and ballet).
At 18, Austin began specializing in swimsuit, lingerie and body modeling, for calendars, catalogs and videos. In 2001, Austin began working events and parties at the Playboy Mansion.
She appeared in low-budget R-rated films, including Southwest Babes (2001), Desert Rose (2002), and The Dirty Monks (2004).
Austin has made guest appearances on television shows and specials including Hip-Hop Wives, the Comedy Central Roast of Flavor Flav, RuPaul"s Drag Race 5, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson,The Doctor Oz Show, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Austin appeared on National Broadcasting Company"s game show Celebrity Family Feud on June 24, 2008 (with winnings donated to charity). Austin played the lead role of Bo Peep in the Las Vegas revue Peepshow from December 2012 to September 1, 2013, replacing Holly Madison in the role.
Austin and Ice-T star in the reality television series Ice Loves Coco, which premiered on June 12, 2011, on East!.
The show ran for three seasons, and ended in February 2014.