Heidi Klum (pronounced "Kloom") was born June 1st, 1973, in Bergische Gladbach, a small city in Germany. 18 years old and still in high school, Heidi came across an ad for a model competition in her area while reading a magazine. Intrigued by the idea, she sent in some photos. What began as a "just for fun" contest, turned into a life-altering event for the beautiful brunette. Heidi immediately signed a contract with the Metropolitan modeling agency. Heidi's first modeling gigs were for the Petrol catalogue. Before heading to the other side of the Atlantic, she modeled in fashion capitals such as Paris and Milan.

As one of the Victoria's Secret Angels, Heidi made the transition from model to supermodel, but even this could not live up to the recognition Heidi received as 1998's Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover girl. Having made the move from supermodel to actress, Heidi has appeared as herself several times on the ABC comedy Spin City and hit the big screen with a minor appearance in the feature film 54. Heidi continues to model and pursue an acting career, which has blossomed in 2001. Known for her down-to-earth personality and her sense of humor, Heidi married celebrity hairstylist Ric Pipino in 1997. The couple announced their separation in November 2002.