Adriana Lima Biography

Why Is She Famous?

As a spokeswoman for Victoria's Secret, Guess and Armani, Adriana Lima has become one of the most in-demand runway models in the world. She has also walked the catwalk for designers Vera Wang, Christian Lacroix, Emanuel Ungaro, and Ralph Lauren. When she's not making men throughout the world drool, she's helping Brazilian orphans in her native land and dabbling in acting.

Adriana LimaAdriana Lima Picture

Date of Birth:
12 June 1981, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

Birth Name:
Adriana Francesca Lima

Nickname:
LimaBean

Height:
5' 10" (1.78 m)

Measurements:
33-24-34.

Adriana Lima Sexy Wallpaper

Adriana Lima Biography:

Lima was born in the northeastern coastal town of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil on June 12, 1981. Her parents are Nelson Torres and Maria da Graça Lima, a social worker. In late 2007, she told a reporter at the Hollywood Walk of Fame that she has two half brothers, aged 7 and 11.

When she was six months old, her father walked out on her and her mother. She has since had an estranged relationship with her father, although recently she has been making attempts to reconcile with him. According to her, she is of African, Native South American and Swiss descent

Adriana Lima Lovely Picture

Modeling career:

Lima was discovered while shopping at a local mall at the age of 13. At the age of 15, she entered and finished in first place in Brazil's Ford Supermodel of the World Search. She subsequently entered the 1996 Ford Supermodel of the World contest and finished in second place. Three years later, she moved to New York City, and signed with Elite Model Management. Lima’s modeling portfolio began to expand exponentially, appearing in numerous international editions of Vogue and Marie Claire. As for fashion shows, she has walked the catwalks for big-name designers such as Vera Wang, Christian Lacroix, Emanuel Ungaro, Giorgio Armani, Fendi, Ralph Lauren, Valentino, among others. Lima then became a GUESS? girl appearing on GUESS?' Fall 2000 ad campaign. She also appeared in the book 'A second decade of Guess? Images.

Adriana Lima Images

In 2001, Lima starred in BMW short film, The Follow alongside actors Mickey Rourke, Clive Owen, and Forest Whitaker. The film was directed by Hong Kong film director and internationally renowned auteur Wong Kar-Wai.

Lima continued to build upon her entry, doing more print work for Maybelline, bebe, Mossimo, BCBG and gracing the cover and editorials of more high fashion magazines such as Harper's Bazaar, ELLE, Vogue, GQ, to name a few. Her April 2006 GQ cover was the highest-selling issue of the year. Her other notable works include the Pirelli Calendar 2005 and the face of Italy’s big cell phone carrier Telecom Italia Mobile, where she became known as the "Catherine Zeta-Jones of Italy."

Lima is probably best known for her work with Victoria's Secret. She first graced the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in 1999 and has appeared on subsequent shows ever since. Her most notable walk down the runway was in 2003, where she was the show opener. Lima had appeared on several television ads for the brand but her most memorable one, was appearing alongside the legendary rock musician Bob Dylan in 2003 Victoria's Secret Angel in Venice commercial which received both praise and criticism. She is currently a contract "Angel" and spokesperson for the brand. She appeared in Victoria's Secret's Super Bowl XLII ad.

Lima is also a spokesperson for cosmetics giant Maybelline New York. She is the world's fourth highest paid supermodel as of 2007.

Adriana Lima Hot Pics

Adriana Lima Personal life:

Lima is fluent in three languages – Portuguese, Spanish, and English. In her free time, she loves reading a novel by her favorite author, Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

Lima has admitted that she was shy around boys when she was younger, not receiving her first kiss until she was 17 years old. In an interview with GQ April 2006 issue, Lima told the magazine that she is a devoted Catholic who attends church every Sunday and is a virgin. "Sex is for after marriage," she explained. "They (men) have to respect that this is my choice. If there's no respect, that means they don't want me." US GQ dubbed her as "The World's Most Voluptuous Virgin."

Lima has been romantically linked to other celebrities in the past, including rocker Lenny Kravitz, New York Yankees superstar Derek Jeter, Prince Wenzeslaus of Liechtenstein, and Denny of Timbalada.

Currently Lima is dating Serbian basketball player Marko Jarić of the NBA Minnesota Timberwolves.

Adriana Lima Hot Wallpapers

Adriana Lima in the media:

Victoria's Secret Angels Adriana Lima (left), Marisa Miller and Selita Ebanks ride in the Guantanamo Bay Christmas Parade Dec. 1, 2007

Since her rise to fame, Lima is often cited by popular media as one of the world's sexiest women. She ranked 7th on FHM 100 Sexiest Women 2007 and was chosen as one of People Magazine's annual 100 Most Beautiful People in the World, in May 2007. On June 13, 2007, she was awarded as "Hottest Girl on the Planet" at the first Spike TV Guys' Choice Awards but the category was not mentioned in the actual show. Lima was also voted on the Maxim Hot 100 2007 as number 53. She was voted as the Most Desirable Woman in 2005 by visitors of the largest men's lifestyle website, Askmen.com (she was placed 4th in 2006, also 4th in 2007 and 10th in 2008).

Adriana Lima Sexy Image

Lima does charitable work helping with an orphanage, "Caminhos da Luz" (Ways of Light), located in her hometown. She helps with construction to expand the orphanage, and buys clothes for poor children in Salvador, Bahia. She also stands for animal rights.

Adriana Lima Hot Pic

Trivia:

Spokesmodel of Guess?.

Spokesmodel of Victoria's Secret.

Ranked #57 in Maxim's Hot 100 2003, ahead of Naomi Watts and behind Salma Hayek.

Ethnicity is Native-Brazilian, African-Brazilian, Portuguese, French, Japanese and Caribbean.

Ranked #1 on Askmen.com's Most Desirable Women (2004).

Ranked #33 on Askmen.com's Most Desirable Women (2002).

Ranked #75 on Askmen.com's Most Desirable Women (2003).

One of the world's top fashion models.

A favorite model of photographer Ellen Von Unwerth, she appears prominently in Von Unwerth's 1998 book "Wicked."

Chosen as the most desirable woman by AskMen.com, leaving behind such starts as Angelina Jolie (#9), Halle Berry (#10), Monica Bellucci (#2) and Charlize Theron (#3). [2005]

Her favorite musician is Lenny Kravitz. She has also appeared in one of his music videos, "Yesterday Is Gone".

Measurements are 33-24-34.

Ranked #1 on Askmen.com's 99 Most Desirable Women (2005).

She has helped financially and worked with orphaned children in Brazil for several years.

Ranked and Voted #4 by AskMen.com's Top 99 Most Desirable Women of 2006

Named #39 in FHM's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2005" special supplement. (2005)

Named #27 in FHM magazine's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2006" supplement. (2006).

She's the second best paid Brazilian model. The first is Gisele Bündchen.

She was raised by her mother, Maria da Graça Lima (social worker).

Her father, Nelson Torres, abandoned his wife and Adriana when she was 6 months old.

Ranked #53 on the Maxim magazine Hot 100 of 2007 list.

Stated that she's of African, Swiss, and Indian ethnicity.

She lists "West Side Story" and "Central Station" among her favorite movies.

Adriana Lima Sexy Hot Picture

Adriana Lima Quotes:

"Modeling is a tough job, your co-workers are your rivals, it really puts a damper on your perspective of other girls."

"Fashion is about good energy. It's about feelings. That's what I have to give the people, good energy and good feelings."

"I want to be a child doctor. A pediatry...how do you call it, pediatrician? Do I like kids? No, not really."

--- Adriana Lima