Madonna’s younger brother Christopher Ciccone died of cancer in Michigan on Friday at the age of 63, TMZ reports. He was famous for his diverse works in direction, painting and design and was also instrumental in bringing Madonna to fame.
While the siblings worked closely together, their differences came into the spotlight when Christopher released his controversial memoir Life with My Sister Madonna in 2008.
Madonna’s brother died just weeks after the Ciccone family lost their stepmother Joan Claire Ciccone, who died after a short battle with cancer.
A look at Madonna and Christopher’s bond and the rise of their careers
When Madonna’s career took off, Christopher began playing an important role in her tours and served as one of her backup dancers.
Growing up in Michigan, the twins developed a close bond from a young age. In the late 1970s, Christopher moved to New York City to join forces with his sister, where he began his wide-ranging and diverse career.
Christopher quickly rose to prominence among Madonna’s inner circle. After beginning her career as his personal assistant and dresser, his influence grew when she took over as his stylist and artistic director of his world tours.
Her artistic contributions were significant, from the famous Blonde Ambition Tour to The Girlie Show.
The complex image of Madonna was presented in Christopher’s memoir, which also discussed the difficulties in their relationship caused by her fame.
She claimed in her memoir that British director Guy Ritchie, who was Madonna’s then-husband, was largely responsible for their growing distance from each other.
“The cow never got along with me,” Christopher admitted in his book, which became a New York Times bestseller.
“And once he came into Madonna’s life, it was the beginning of the end of my relationship with her. “He created a rift between us.”
After the release of the book, Madonna and Christopher gradually moved away from each other. He even experienced personal and professional failures. Like other members of the Ciccone family, Christopher struggled with alcohol and drug abuse and Madonna reportedly paid for his rehab several times.
Christopher hinted in 2012 that the siblings were starting to mend fences. In an interview with the Evening Standard, they revealed that they were in contact with each other, describing their relationship as “absolutely fascinating”.
