When Adriana Lima was a child dreaming of one day working with local orphans in Brazil, being the face of Maybelline probably was not a thought that entered her mind. It was an act of camaraderie that led her, at the age of 13, to enter a local competition with a girlfriend who wanted to be a model but couldn’t face the contest alone. This act of friendship catapulted her into second place at the Ford Supermodel of Brazil Contest and a career as one of the world's highest-paid and most celebrated supermodels.

Adriana was born in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil on June 12, 1981. In 1997, at the age of 16, she signed with Elite Model Management and moved to New York to pursue her career. It wasn't long before the curvy Brazilian was taking the fashion world by storm. Guess?, Alexander McQueen, John Galliano, Mossimo, Armani, Bulgari, Intimissimi, and Versace, to name a few, all clamored to work with Adriana. Yet it was her work as a Victoria's Secret Angel that really put Adriana on the map. She not only became a Victoria's Secret catalog/runway/print/television-commercial regular, but also costarred with Bob Dylan in the brand's memorable 2004 commercial set in Venice and even appeared solo in the infamous Super Bowl ad of 2008.

Adriana's fans extend way beyond the world of fashion. In 2006, she appeared on the cover of GQ (their top-selling issue that year) and ranked among People's 100 Most Beautiful People in the World, FHM's Sexiest Women, and Maxim's Hot 100.

Adriana has been romantically linked to Lenny Kravitz, Derek Jeter, and Prince Wenzeslaus of Liechtenstein. But it was basketball player Marko Jaric (of the Memphis Grizzlies) who ultimately won her heart: Adriana accepted his proposal of marriage in June 2008. The couple got married in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, in February 2009 in a tiny, discreet ceremony and are expecting their first child in the winter. 

Despite all her successes, Adriana has remained dedicated to the cause she dreamed of as a child, and today she generously gives her time and resources to assist orphaned children in Brazil.

Adriana speaks fluent English, Spanish, and Portuguese. When she's not in front of the camera modeling or testing out her skills as an actress, Adriana loves to relax on the beaches of Bahia and read books by her favorite author, Gabriel Garcia Marquez.