Josie Maran

Infobox Model
name = Josie Maran
caption =
birthname = Johanna Selhorst Maran
birthdate = birth_date_and_age|1978|5|8
location = flagicon|United States Menlo Park, California
deathdate =
deathplace =
height = height|m=1.71
haircolor = Brown
eyecolor = Brown
measurements = (US) 34C-23-34 [http://josiemaran-world.com/ as of Jan 21 2007] ; (EU) 86.5-58.5-86.5
weight =
dress size = (US) 4 ; (EU) 34
shoesize = (US) 8 ; (EU) 39
homepage =
spouse =

Johanna Selhorst "Josie" Maran (born May 8, 1978) is an American supermodel and actress.

Biography

Early life

Maran was born in Menlo Park, California. She attended Castilleja School, an all-girls' school in Palo Alto, California. She is of Russian Jewish descent on her paternal side. [ [http://www.tvguide.com/news/dancing-stars-maran/070924-04 Dancing with the Stars Countdown! Josie Maran Q&A - Celebrity and Entertainment News | TVGuide.com ] ] Her first cover was Glamour in 1998.

Career

Maran's modeling career began at the age of 12; when an agent spotted her at a local barbecue restaurant, she began modeling part time. Maran graduated from the Castilleja School in Palo Alto, then began to pursue modeling more seriously. As those in the fashion industry consider her height of 5'7" to be too short for runway modeling, Maran works mainly in editorial modeling and advertising/image modeling.

Signed at age 17 with the Elite modeling agency of Los Angeles, Maran appeared on her first cover with "Glamour" magazine in 1998, and she was the featured Guess? Girl in their summer 1998 and fall 1998 campaigns. After building a résumé of over 25 commercials and advertisements, including playing Howie D's companion in the music video of Backstreet Boys hit "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)", in which she was bitten on the neck by Count Dracula (played by Howie D), Maran moved cross-country to join with Elite in New York City. In 1999, she landed a multi-year deal with Maybelline. Maran appeared in the annual "Sports Illustrated" Swimsuit Issue for three consecutive years; from 2000 to 2002. Maran is also signed with London agency Storm Model Management, and 1/One Management in New York City.

Josie's interest in the arts extends beyond film. When not in acting class, Josie is training herself in "dance classes... violin classes, speech classes, everything. I'm just trying to train myself in the arts, you know? Nobody else is gonna do it so I'm going to. I'm gonna take on the world". Her interest in music led her to play casually in two bands: "Darling", with socialite Nicole Richie, and "Hollywood 2000", where she sang and played violin.

In 2001, Maran appeared in an independent film, as title character Mallory in "The Mallory Effect". In 2002, Maran appeared as Susan in "Swatters". In 2004, she appeared in three films - as a French model in "Little Black Book", as one of Dracula's brides, Marishka, in "Van Helsing", and briefly as a cigarette girl in "The Aviator". Maran appeared in a short film "The Confession" alongside Wentworth Miller in 2005, and as Kira Hayden in "The Gravedancers" in 2006. Maran will not play Polly Hudson in "The Final Season", scheduled for release in 2007. This role is now played by Rachael Leigh Cook.

In 2005, she was recruited by EA Games to appear as a main character in the street-racing computer and video game, "", which was released on November 17, 2005. She plays the game's second lead Mia Townsend, who guides the lead character through the game.

In June 2007, Josie Maran launched her own natural cosmetics product line, named [http://www.JosieMaranCosmetics.com/ Josie Maran Cosmetics] . [ [http://www.greengirlguide.com/previous/07/september/beauty_090307.php GREEN GIRL LOVES: Josie Maran Cosmetics] Green Girl Guide.com. May 3 2008.] Beyond her business activities she commits herself to the protection and improvement of nature and the environment. [ [http://www.globalgreen.org/press/releases/2008_02_21_preoscars.htm Global Green USA] as of February 21, 2008]

On August 29, 2007 ABC announced Josie will compete on Dancing with the Stars. Josie and dance partner Alec Mazo took part in a chat session held at JosieAndAlec.com. They were the first couple eliminated from the show on September 26, 2007. Later that same night, Maran appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live and in reference to getting voted off first, said, "I should have cut my legs off".

Personal life

Maran was quoted as saying on "Jimmy Kimmel Live", August 12 2004: "I don't believe in marriage. I just don't think it's necessary in this day and age. I just think if you need to get married, then you're already distrusting the person. Why do you have to sign something to show your love? You just love, everyday." Maran talked about quitting modeling and acting to live in Hawaii and teach children, on "Jimmy Kimmel Live", 24 October 2005. She reported to have also started yoga at Kripalu, eating organic foods, and trying to quit smoking.

Maran was at one time in a relationship with David Blaine (magician). She is currently with photographer Ali Alborzi and the couple have one daughter, Rumi Joon, born on June 20, 2006, in the back yard of their Los Angeles home, as planned. [ [http://www.style.com/trends/blogs/style_file/2007/08/green-goddess.html www.style.com] article as of August 10 2007] . Her eldest cousin and only godson Dean Gaffney is also an up-and-coming model.

Work

Editorial

* "Cosmopolitan"
* "Cosmo Girl"
* "ELLE"
* "Esquire"
* "Estylo"
* "FHM"
* "Fitness"
* "Glamour" (6 time cover girl)
* "GQ"
* "Lucky"
* "Mademoiselle"
* "Marie Claire"
* "Maxim"
* "Rev"
* "Shape"
* "Surface"
* "Vogue"

Print

* "Allen Allen"
* American Eagle Outfitters
* Andrew Marc
* Ann Taylor
* Bebe
* Guess? (featured Guess? Girl in Summer 1998 and Fall 1998 campaigns)
* Intimissimi
* Levi's
* Maybelline ("face" of Maybelline cosmetics)
* Ocean Pacific
* Sisley
* "Sports Illustrated" Swimsuit Issue 2000, 2001, 2002
* Victoria's Secret

Filmography

* "Swatters" (2002): Susan
* "The Mallory Effect" (2002): Mallory
* "The Aviator" (2004): Thelma
* "Little Black Book" (2004): Lulu Fritz
* "Van Helsing" (2004): Marishka
* "The Confession" (2005): Wife
* "The Gravedancers" (2005): Kira Hastings
* "" (2005): Mia Townsend

Television and radio appearances

* "Karma Air" (2008) (Discussion regarding her career, make up line and personal life)
* "Dancing with the Stars" (2007) (Voted off after 1 episode)
* "Jimmy Kimmel Live" (2007) (2005) (2004) (2003)
* "" (2004)
* "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" (2004)
* "The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn" (2004) (2002)
* "The Howard Stern Show" (2000)
* "music video of Everybody (Backstreet's Back) by Backstreet Boys" (1997)
* "music video of Morning Light by Truman" (2004)

References

External links

* [http://www.JosieMaran.com/ JosieMaran.com - Josie Maran Cosmetics]
*myspace|josiemaran
* [http://JosieMaranCosmetics.Typepad.com/josie_maran_cosmetics/ Josie Maran's blog]
*imdb name|id=1036691|name=Josie Maran
*fashionmodel|id=Josie_Maran|name=Josie Maran
* [http://TeamMaran.com/ Group site for Dancing with the Stars Contestants Josie Maran & Alec Mazo]
* [http://www.FitnessMagazine.com/fitness/story.jhtml?storyid=/templatedata/fitness/story/data/1197647140565.xml Josie Maran's Fitness blog]
* [http://www.karmaair.com/showblog.aspx?episodeid=715 Josie Maran Interviewed on Karma Air]