Heidi Klum (IPA /klUm/) (born June 1, 1973) is a German supermodel,
actress, fashion designer, television producer and artist born in
Bergisch Gladbach, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Klum speaks both
English and German.
Career
Klum became known for her appearances in the Sports Illustrated
Swimsuit Issue and the Victoria's Secret catalog. In addition to
modeling, she has appeared in several TV shows, including Spin City
and Sex and the City. She had a role as an ill-tempered hair model in
the movie Blow Dry, played a giantess in the movie version of Ella
Enchanted and was cast as Ursula Andress in The Life and Death of
Peter Sellers.
In December of 2004, she became the host of the reality show Project
Runway on the U.S. cable television channel Bravo, in which fashion
designers compete for the opportunity to show their line at New York
Fashion Week and receive money to launch their own fashion line.
In December of 2005, in addition to hosting the second season of
Project Runway, she became the host of Germany's Next Top Model, the
German version of America's Next Top Model, which aired on the German
network ProSieben. The show was a ratings success, but was not without
controversy. German feminist groups encouraged boycotts of the show
after one of the contestants was eliminated after being told she was
"too big". Several politicians also accused the show of promoting
anorexia and other eating disorders.
Heidi Klum created her own clothing lines (including one for infants)
that were featured in the German mail-order catalog "Otto". She also
has designed shoes for Birkenstock, jewelry for Mouawad, and swimsuits
- featured in the 2002 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue - that, for a
limited time, were available for sale through her personal website.
She also produced her own fragrance, called "Heidi", which is
currently available for sale through her own website. She is an avid
painter and has had several of her paintings appear in various art
magazines in the U.S. On September 27, 2002 she dedicated a sculpture
she painted called "Dog With Butterflies" to commemorate the role of
rescue dogs in the aftermath of September 11. She has also had a rose
named after her, known as the Heidi Klum rose. Heidi Klum is featured
in the 2004 James Bond video game Everything or Nothing, where she
plays a villain Dr. Katya Nadanova.
Family
Klum has a daughter, Leni, named after Klum's grandmother, who was
born on May 4, 2004. The father is Flavio Briatore. Klum's husband,
British musician Seal, is helping her raise the child. In the earlier
stages of their relationship, Klum said Seal treated Leni as if she
were his own child. Klum and Seal were wed on May 10, 2005, on a beach
in Mexico. Klum gave birth to their son, Henry G?nther Ademola Dashtu
Samuel, in Los Angeles on September 12, 2005. He is named after his
father, whose birthname is Henry, Heidi's father G?nther, Seal's
father Ademola and after a Navy jet, the Dash Two. As the Dash Two
watches over the main jet, Henry is supposed to watch over his sister.
Klum revealed the meanings of her son's several names on her TV show,
Germany's Next Top Model. In June 2006, Klum and Seal announced that
they are expecting another child. Seal told People, "It gives me great
joy to announce that Heidi, Leni, Henry and I are expecting a new
addition to our ever increasing family. We all feel both excited and
fortunate to be able to share this experience once again."