Johnson won the International Model of the Year competition in 1982. At age 16, Johnson began doing fashion print work and was soon signed by the
Wilhelmina agency in New York City. Director
Stanley Donen spotted her in a photograph in the fashion biweekly
W, and just as her modeling career was beginning, chose her to act in his feature film
Blame It on Rio. Since she was 17 at the time, she required permission from a judge to appear nude in the film. Johnson appeared in a number of roles over the next 15 years. Michelle Johnson played Linda Kolkena Broderick, the second wife of Dan Broderick, in the TV movie
A Woman Scorned: The Betty Broderick Story (1992) and its sequel,
Her Final Fury: Betty Broderick, the Last Chapter. She appeared in theatrical films, television movies, and television series, including a recurring role as Kim Carlisle on season eight of
The Love Boat. She appeared in films
Gung Ho (1986),
Waxwork (1988),
Dr. Giggles (1992), and
The Glimmer Man (1996). She also co-starred in TV movie
Dallas: War of the Ewings in 1998 as Jennifer Jantzen, and in 1985 played Rhonda Cummings in an episode of
Dallas. Her most recent major film role was in
Mickey (2004). She remained out of the public eye until returning to acting briefly in the digital media Christmas special
Brat Holiday Spectacular (2018). ==Personal life==