[3] Her life was dramatized in the television film Gia (1998), directed by Michael Cristofer and starring Angelina Jolie as Carangi.

Gia was described as "needy and manipulative" by relatives who recalled her as spoiled and shy as a child and a "mommy's girl" who did not receive the motherly attention that she desired.

One of Carangi's friends later spoke of her "tomboy persona", describing her relaxed openness about her sexuality as reminiscent of the character Cay in the film Desert Hearts (1985).

"[4] After being featured in Philadelphia newspaper ads and being discovered by Sondra Scerca in Maurice Tannenbaum's hair salon,[8] Carangi moved to New York City at the age of 17, where she signed with Wilhelmina Models.

[9] Her first major shoot, published in October 1978, was with top fashion photographer Chris von Wangenheim, who had her pose nude behind a chain-link fence with makeup artist Sandy Linter.

Of her quick rise to prominence, described by Vogue as "meteoric",[9] Carangi later said, "I started working with very good people, I mean all the time, very fast.

[5] Carangi was a favorite model of various fashion photographers, including Von Wangenheim, Francesco Scavullo, Arthur Elgort, Richard Avedon and Denis Piel.

[6] During these years, she also appeared in various advertising campaigns for high-profile fashion houses, including Armani, André Laug, Christian Dior, Versace, and Yves Saint Laurent.

[16] After her agent, mentor and friend Wilhelmina Cooper, died of lung cancer in March 1980, a devastated Carangi began using drugs and developed an addiction to heroin.

[16][17] Carangi's addiction soon began to affect her work; she had violent temper tantrums, walked out of photo shoots to buy drugs, and fell asleep in front of the camera.

"[18] During one of her final location shoots for American Vogue, Carangi had red bumps in the crooks of her elbows where she had injected heroin.

Modeling offers soon ceased and her fashion industry friends, including Sandy Linter, refused to speak to her, fearing their association with her would harm their careers.

[23] In late 1981, although still using drugs, Carangi was determined to make a comeback in the fashion industry and signed with Elite Model Management.

He hired her for the fashion house's next campaign, but during the photo shoot, in late 1982, Carangi became uncomfortable and left before any usable shots of her were taken.

[4] However, weeks later, fashion photographer Francesco Scavullo, Carangi's friend and confidant, sent a Mass card when he learned of her death.

[36] Carangi's rise to fame as an androgynous brunette in an industry full of blue-eyed blondes is believed to have started heroin chic.

[32] Carangi is often considered to be the first supermodel,[3][4] although that title has been applied to others, including Margaux Hemingway, Audrey Munson,[37][38] Lisa Fonssagrives,[39][40] Dorian Leigh,[41] Twiggy, Jean Shrimpton,[42] Cheryl Tiegs and Janice Dickinson.

A biography of Carangi by Stephen Fried titled Thing of Beauty—taken from the first line of John Keats' famous poem Endymion—was published in 1993.