MARISA MILLER

Biography

Born on August 6, 1978, in the coastal city of Santa Cruz, California, Marisa Miller was a star volleyball player in high school. In fact, in her junior year, thanks to her position as outside hitter, her team never lost a game.

marisa miller in perfect 10

Marisa Miller's first modeling gig was in 1998 when she appeared nude in Perfect 10 magazine. Although she did several other spreads in the magazine after that, her modeling career didn't seem to be going anywhere.

That is, until a chance meeting changed the course of her life forever. In 2001, she drove to Manhattan Beach, California, to surf, and famous fashion photographer Mario Testino happened to be on the beach.

Mesmerized by Marisa Miller and her singular appeal, he took some pictures of her. Just like Rebecca Romijn, who was discovered in the same manner, Marisa was offered a chance to become a model. Her mother, Krista, encouraged her to pursue this profession, saying, "You can always go back to school, but you can't always model." Stimulated by these words, Marisa Miller took the plunge.

marisa miller in sports illustrated

Soon thereafter, she was offered the opportunity to appear within the pages of the 2001 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. Obviously, this secured Marisa Miller's place within the modeling industry. As a result, Victoria's Secret hired her to model lingerie for its catalogs.

Many other companies also noticed Marisa Miller, and she was soon appearing in publicity campaigns for Tommy Hilfiger, J.Crew and Nordstrom.

With her stock rising, her face was seen on the cover of magazines like Vogue, Fitness and Shape. It's no wonder Sports Illustrated called her back for the 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007 Swimsuit Issues.

marisa miller on manhunt

In 2004, Marisa Miller made her television debut as a modeling judge on the short-lived reality show Manhunt: The Search for America's Most Gorgeous Male Model. That same year, she showed off her surfing skills to the world when she came in second place at the celebrity edition of the Kelly Slater Invitational in Fiji.

Marisa Miller also proved that she has a big heart when she participated in the Fashion for Relief benefit show in September 2005. Along with many other celebrities, including Nicole Richie, Beyonce, Naomi Campbell, Kelly Osbourne, and Rachel Hunter, Marisa Miller helped raise funds for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

marisa miller in the victoria's secret fashion show
In addition to all of her modeling work with big names like Sports Illustrated, Marisa Miller made her debut in the coveted 2007 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Among some of the most celebrated and illustrious models in the world, Marisa strutted her oh-so-fine stuff down the catwalk.

marisa miller is named no. 9 in 2008 top 99
Also in 2007, Marisa Miller appeared on the hit TV shows Entourage and How I Met Your Mother. Her legions of fans continued to grow as she placed No. 9 in AskMen.com's list of the Top 99 Most Desirable Women of 2008.