Hollywood romances often spotlight certain celebrity couples while others fade into the background. This holds true for Carey Salley’s relationship with Emilio Estevez. Their brief connection lasted 3 years and 5 months, from July 1983 to December 1986. The relationship changed both their lives by a lot and brought two children into the world. The sort of thing I love about their story is how young Estevez was – just 22 years old – when his son Taylor Levi arrived in 1984. He even admitted feeling like “still a kid” himself at the time.
Emilio stayed in the spotlight, but Carey Salley, now 67, chose to step away from public life after their separation. She has remained single since her time with the then-rising Hollywood star ended. This piece traces Carey’s experience from her early modeling career through her relationship with Estevez. It also shows how she built a life away from Hollywood’s spotlight while raising their children Paloma and Taylor.
Early Life and Modeling Career
Fame’s brush strokes paint mysterious pictures of those who choose life in the shadows. Carey Salley’s story perfectly captures this enigma. She was born in the 1970s and managed to keep remarkable privacy despite her Hollywood connections.
Most celebrity partners use their relationships to gain fame. Carey took a different path. She kept her family background, childhood, and education away from public eyes. Records show she’s American with white ethnicity. Some sources point to March 8, 1970, as her birth date, though this remains unverified.
Her professional life tells a clearer story. She started her modeling career young and signed with the prestigious Wilhelmina Modeling Agency. Wilhelmina, a 1967-founded powerhouse, represented top talent for major advertising campaigns and media appearances.
Carey worked with brands and magazines during her modeling days. Historical records don’t highlight any specific breakthrough projects that defined her career. Her association with Wilhelmina Models showed she had the talent and look the competitive industry needed.
The most fascinating part of Carey’s story lies in her commitment to privacy amid Hollywood spotlight. She dated Emilio Estevez – son of acting legend Martin Sheen and Charlie Sheen’s brother – yet never sought public attention.
Her choice stood in stark contrast to Emilio’s background. He grew up in New York in an entertainment-focused family before moving to Malibu as his father’s career soared. His early interest in filmmaking showed at Santa Monica High School. He even appeared as an extra in “Apocalypse Now” with his father.
Carey chose a path different from the Estevez-Sheen family’s approach to fame. She valued privacy over publicity even as her life intertwined with one of Hollywood’s most notable families.
Relationship with Emilio Estevez
Carey Salley and Emilio Estevez started their romance in July 1983. Their relationship lasted three and a half years until December 1986. Things moved fast between them, and Carey gave birth to their son Taylor Levi Estevez on June 22, 1984. Emilio was only 22 years old and still working to establish himself in Hollywood. “I was still a kid,” Estevez later admitted about becoming a father. “It was tough to assume that responsibility.”
The couple welcomed their daughter Paloma Rae Estevez on February 15, 1986. Their relationship became more complicated because it overlapped with Estevez’s high-profile engagement to actress Demi Moore, whom he met on the set of “St. Elmo’s Fire.”
Estevez managed to keep his relationship with Carey going on and off during this time. His engagement to Moore happened while he still had connections with Salley. Moore discussed this overlap in her 2019 memoir “Inside Out.” She revealed that she canceled their wedding after learning about Estevez’s unfaithfulness with Salley during a brief breakup.
December 1986 marked their final separation, and Carey filed a $2 million paternity suit against Estevez. He formally acknowledged paternity of both children on June 1, 1987. Taylor and Paloma lived with Carey after the breakup, and Emilio stayed actively involved in their lives. He often referred to his children as “the light of my life.”
Estevez’s love life continued with other relationships, including a short marriage to singer Paula Abdul from 1992 to 1994. Abdul’s desire for children and Estevez’s reluctance to have more kids led to their marriage’s end.
Carey chose to stay away from the spotlight and focused on raising their children outside Hollywood’s influence. She stepped back from her modeling career to become a mother – a decision that shaped her future path.
Family and Life After the Breakup
Carey Salley and Emilio Estevez started co-parenting after their relationship ended in 1986. Their children stayed with Carey most of the time, but Emilio stayed deeply involved in their lives. He often called Taylor and Paloma “the light of my life”.
Money matters eventually led them to court. Carey’s case (Estevez v. Superior Court) aimed to change their children’s support structure. Emilio had agreed to pay $3,500 monthly for child support. He also covered medical insurance, healthcare costs, childcare, housekeeping, vacations, food, transportation, private school, and Malibu housing. These benefits added up to more than $14,000 each month.
Carey didn’t want more money – she wanted the support structured differently. She needed guaranteed payments to rent her own home, handle her finances, and pursue acting. The case became a big deal as it meant that Estevez, who earned at least $1.4 million yearly from 1990-1992, claimed his high income should exempt him from detailed financial disclosure.
Their children carved successful paths as adults. Taylor, 39 years old, embraced his family’s Hollywood roots. He worked as a stunt performer in “Ride Along,” “Sons of Anarchy,” and “Two and a Half Men”. His work expanded to associate producer in Spain for the 2010 film “The Way.” His father directed this film, which starred his grandfather Martin Sheen. Taylor now works as a Spanish dialog coach.
Paloma, 37 years old, built a strong music career. She graduated from the Musicians Institute and became a talented drummer. She opened shows for famous bands like Drowning Pool and Buckcherry. She shared with Tom Tom Magazine, “In terms of feel and groove, I have found myself modeling my playing after the great John Bonham from day one”.
Taylor made Emilio a grandfather for the first time in 2019. The baby’s due date matched Taylor’s own birthday perfectly.
Conclusion
Carey Salley’s story has stayed mostly hidden over the last several years, even with her ties to Hollywood royalty. She never used her relationship with Emilio Estevez to chase fame. Of course, her trip from model to mother shows someone who put her kids first instead of seeking the spotlight.
Her children Taylor and Paloma grew into successful adults, and without doubt they thrived because their mother created a stable life away from Hollywood’s glare. The child support battles ended up securing their future, though Carey wanted independence more than just money.
Her story stands out because she never wavered. She managed to keep her privacy even when she could have told all about dating a famous actor from one of Hollywood’s biggest families. Though she had a promising future as a professional model, she chose to dedicate herself to being a mom instead.
Carey shows us that not everyone wants fame just because they brush against it. While Emilio kept building his Hollywood career after they split, she built a quiet life focused on raising their kids. Taylor and Paloma learned to blend both worlds – they pursued creative work but kept some of their mother’s love for privacy.
Some stories mean more because they stay partly hidden. Carey Salley’s path from Hollywood romance to private life tells that kind of tale – where staying quiet says more about someone’s character than any headlines could.
