Heidi Klum biography

Synopsis

Modeling Success

Model, actress, television host, designer and businessperson Heidi Klum was born on June 1, 1973, in Bergisch-Gladbach, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Known for years as a leading model, Klum has become a popular television host and a successful businessperson. She started her modeling career at the age of 18 after winning a contest in her native Germany. Before this win, Klum had planned on becoming a designer.

After later moving to New York, Klum eventually landed work with the lingerie company Victoria's Secret, which helped raise her profile in the modeling world. Around this time, she married famous hairstylist Ric Pipino. (Their union ended in divorce in 2002.) Soon she appeared on the cover of the 1998 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, an honor coveted by many models. While her hourglass shape was not a fit for the runways, Klum became a fashion favorite, appearing in such magazines as Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire and Harper's Bazaar.

Acting Debut

Exploring other opportunities, Klum branched out into acting. One of her early roles was a guest appearance on the political sitcom Spin City with Michael J. Fox. Making the jump to the big screen, Klum appeared in the hairdressing comedy Blow Dry (2001) with Alan Rickman, Josh Hartnett, Natasha Richardson and Rachael Leigh Cook. A few more roles followed in such films as Ella Enchanted (2004) with Anne Hathaway and The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004) with Geoffrey Rush and Charlize Theron. For the Peter Sellers biopic, Klum portrayed another famous beauty, Ursula Andress.

In 2004, Klum's life and career moved in a new direction. She was pregnant with her first child by boyfriend Flavio Briatore, an Italian racecar team manager. But the couple split up shortly before the baby was born, and Klum became involved with British singer Seal. On May 4, she gave birth to her daughter Leni.

'Project Runway'

On the professional front, Klum helped develop a competitive reality television series about fashion designers called Project Runway with Harvey Weinstein. She also became the show's host in addition to serving as one of the executive producers. Premiering in December 2004 on the Bravo cable network, Project Runway soon became a huge hit. The show has received several consecutive Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Reality Competition Program from 2005 to 2012. The series also received an Emmy for Outstanding Picture Editing for Reality Programming in 2009.

'Germany's Next Topmodel' and 'American's Got Talent'

In addition to Project Runway, Klum serves as the host of the reality show Germany's Next Topmodel in her native country.