Michael John Bergin is considered to have been one of the first males to have achieved supermodel status, previously reserved for women such as Cindy Crawford, Elle Macpherson, Naomi Campbell, and Iman.

Bergin attended the University of Connecticut and is perhaps best known as Mark Wahlberg's successor in Calvin Klein's racy series of black and white underwear ads. His 6' 1" frame and washboard abs (widely cited as his professional signature) gained international exposure in print ads and, notably, on a 96' X 70' billboard in New York City's Times Square.

While contracted to Calvin Klein, Michael met the late Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, a Calvin Klein publicist, whom he dated seriously. After that relationship fell apart due to career pressures, she went on to marry John F. Kennedy, Jr., with whom she later perished in a fatal plane crash. In early 2004, Bergin published a book about his relationship with Bessette, The Other Man, claiming that they continued a sexual affair during the time Bessette was dating Kennedy and during their marriage. He was arrested for drunk driving in 2004, on the 5th anniversary of Bessette-Kennedy's death.