2008/04/02

Ana Beatriz Barros

Ana Beatriz Barros

Ana Beatriz Barros (born May 29, 1982) is a Brazilian model. She is one of the most successful Brazilian supermodels. She has done advertisements for Guess?, for Victoria's Secret, Chanel cosmetics, and Jennifer Lopez's JLo fashion line.

Early life and career
She was born in a small town of Itabira, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Later, her family moved to Rio de Janeiro, where she spent her childhood. She is of Portuguese and Spanish descent, and is the youngest of three sisters; Patricia and Malu (Maria Luisa).

Modeling career
When she was 14, Barros and her older sister, Patricia (also a model), were walking on a Rio beach when they were spotted by a representative from Elite Model Management.Barros went to see Elite office in Rio and Sergio Mattos - art director of 40 Graus. They then encouraged Barros to participate in the Elite Model Look 1996, which she won. She subsequently competed for international Elite Model Look and placed second worldwide. Elite sent her portfolio, along with some recent Polaroid shots, to GUESS? which led her to do the Millennium GUESS? campaign along with her friend and fellow Brazilian supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio. She has done advertisements not only for Guess? but also for Christian Dior, Armani jeans, Oakley, L'Oreal, Naf Naf, Diesel, Ermanno Scervino, Victoria's Secret, Chanel cosmetics, and Jennifer Lopez's JLO fashion line, among others. In 2004 Jennifer Lopez selected Barros to be the face of her new lingerie line, JLO Lingerie. Lopez said, "I wanted someone young, sexy and urban, with a universal appeal." Barros has been in shows for the likes of Valentino, Missoni, Gucci, Christian Dior, Versace, Emporio Armani, BCBG, DKNY, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Dolce & Gabbana, Michael Kors ((Red Oak)) and many more prestigious fashion houses.

She has been on numerous covers of magazines such as Glamour, Vogue, Marie Claire, Allure; Brazilian magazines such as Capricho and Audi magazine, W, ELLE to name a few. Barros appeared seven times on Sports Illustrated in the Swimsuit Issue (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008).

Personal life
She currently lives in New York but is always traveling. She also has an apartment in Brazil and very often visits her family. After a hard day of work, she loves to go bicycle riding or going to the beach. She also likes to read about art, especially about painting.

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Ali Larter

Ali Larter
Alison Elizabeth "Ali" Larter (born February 28, 1976) is a Saturn Awards-nominated American actress and former fashion model best known for her screen roles aimed at teenage audiences. Larter is currently starring on the hit television series Heroes. She has also had roles in successful Hollywood films including, Varsity Blues (1999), House on Haunted Hill (1999), Final Destination (2000), Legally Blonde (2001), and most recently Resident Evil: Extinction (2007).

Career
In November 1996, Larter portrayed the hoax model Allegra Coleman in Esquire magazine. The article published in the magazine told of the fictional model's relationship with David Schwimmer, how Quentin Tarantino broke up with Mira Sorvino to date her, and Woody Allen's overhaul of a film to have her star. Even after the hoax had been revealed, its effects lingered, and various talent agencies sought to represent the non-existent Coleman.

Larter landed her first professional roles in 1997, in which she appeared for one episode in the Brooke Shields' television series, Suddenly Susan, and the short lived television series Chicago Sons. The roles were followed by a number of other appearances on Dawson's Creek with James Van Der Beek, Chicago Hope and Just Shoot Me!

In 1999, Larter began her film career with an appearance in Varsity Blues which re-united her with Dawson's Creek star Van Der Beek, and close friend Amy Smart. Varsity Blues drew a domestic box office gross of $53 million, making Larter's first film a commercial success. Afterwards, Larter appeared in teen comedies, Giving It Up and Drive Me Crazy. That year as well, Larter starred in the horror remake House on Haunted Hill. Made for around $20 million, the movie was panned by the critics but grossed $15 million on its opening weekend and went on to earn over $40 million.

In 2000, Larter starred in the teenage audience aimed horror film Final Destination as the "final girl" Clear Rivers. The following year in 2001, she appeared in the comedy Legally Blonde with Reese Witherspoon, western American Outlaws with Colin Farrell and the Kevin Smith film Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. That year as well, Larter performed in the stage play The Vagina Monologues in New York City. The next year in 2002, Larter was ranked #40 in Stuff magazine's "102 Sexiest Women in the World". In 2003, Larter reprised her role as Clear Rivers in the sequel to Final Destination, Final Destination 2. In 2005, Larter appeared in the independent film Confess and the romantic comedy A Lot Like Love alongside Amanda Peet and Ashton Kutcher.

2006 saw Larter in the biographical film Crazy based on guitarist Hank Garland. As of September 2006, Larter has been portraying Niki Sanders on the NBC Emmy Award-nominated science fiction drama television series Heroes, created by Tim Kring. The show includes an ensemble cast including Hayden Panettiere, Milo Ventimiglia, Leonard Roberts, Masi Oka and Greg Grunberg. Larter's character Niki Sanders, who is a wife and mother, is a former internet stripper from Las Vegas who exhibits superhuman strength and an alternate personality who goes by the name of Jessica. After completing half its first season, Heroes had already collected an assortment of honors and accolades, and Larter had been nominated for "Best Supporting Actress" for the 33rd Saturn Awards.

In 2007, Larter starred in the Bollywood Marigold as the title character along side Salman Khan, which was released in August. She also joined the cast of the popular film franchise Resident Evil: Extinction portraying the character Claire Redfield in the horror film with Milla Jovovich. Her role sent her to Mexicali, Mexico for filming from May to late July in which she also dyed her hair a light red for the film. Larter explains on her character Claire, "She became the leader of this convoy. She's incredibly strong, patient. I think she serves a role for everyone within this convoy, let it be a mother to someone, a buddy, a best friend." Larter also attended the 2007 Comic Con International, her second appearance at the event, to promote the film, which was released in theaters on September 21, 2007. This year as well, she will appear in the comedy Homo Erectus. Larter was also featured as #6 in Maxim's Hot 100 for 2007.

In an interview for Resident Evil: Extinction, Larter had expressed interest in producing films in the future, saying, "I definitely have many ideas and different avenues that I want to take as my career goes on."

Larter has been revealed to be part of the cast of When Angels Fall, a film where 7 demons, each representing one of the deadly sins, are unleashed upon the world and enact their biblical vengeance for being banished to a prison-like dimension, it has been revealed that she will play Lustacia, the queen of lust and seduction.

In March 2008, it was announced that Larter would star opposite Beyonce Knowles and Idris Elba in the Screen Gems-produced film Obsessed, about an office worker (Elba) whose marriage to Knowles' character is threatened by the aggressive interests of a co-worker, to be portrayed by Larter. Shooting is expected to begin Summer 2008

Filmography

Year Title Role
1999 House on Haunted Hill Sara Wolfe
Varsity Blues Darcy Sears
Drive Me Crazy Dulcie
2000 Final Destination Clear Rivers
2001 American Outlaws Zerelda 'Zee' Mimms
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back Chrissy
Legally Blonde Brooke Taylor Windham
2003 Final Destination 2 Clear Rivers
2004 3-Way Isobel
2005 Confess Olivia Averill
A Lot Like Love Gina
2006-Present Heroes (TV series) Niki/Jessica Sanders/Gina
Crazy Evelyn Garland
2007 Marigold Marigold
Resident Evil: Extinction Claire Redfield
Homo Erectus Fardart
2008 When Angels Fall Lustacia
Obsessed Unknown Character

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Adriana Lima

Adriana Lima
Adriana Francesca Lima (born June 12 1981) is a Brazilian supermodel. Lima is best known for her modeling work with Victoria's Secret and Maybelline.

Early life and family
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.


Lima in the media
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).

Charity
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.

Adriana Lima, Adriana Lima, Adriana Lima, Adriana Lima