Marisa Miller

February 25, 2009

By cool-chicks.com

Marisa Miller (born August 6, 1978) is an American model best known for her appearances in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues, and her work for lingerie retailer Victoria’s Secret. After a stint shooting with photographer Mario Testino for fashion magazines like Vogue, Miller began working for both companies in 2002. As of late 2007, she is a Victoria’s Secret Angel, and graced the cover of the 2008 SI Swimsuit Issue to record-setting numbers, accomplishments that have led to her being dubbed the “return of the great American supermodel.”

She is also known for contracts with companies like Harley-Davidson and for taking the #1 spot on Maxim magazine’s 2008 “Hot 100″ list. Aside from modeling, she is an ambassador for the American Cancer Society.

Born Marisa Bertetta in Santa Cruz, California, she was first “discovered” at age 16 walking through a San Francisco café by two Italian modeling agents. After talking to her mother Krista Bertetta, she was on a plane to Italy with her mother a few months later, despite such a “shy and conservative” personality growing up that she had to put on all her clothes just to go to the trash can while at the beach. Miller says the most valuable thing her mom has ever told her was: “You can always go back to school, but you can’t always model.” Miller took her mom’s advice and soon gained attention when she appeared in a 1997 issue of Perfect 10 magazine. Although she came in third behind Ashley Degenford and Monica Hansen in Perfect 10 magazine’s first annual model search, she was repeatedly showcased in following issues, including the covers of the Winter 1998, Aug/Sept 1999, and Fall 2004 editions.

She has two sisters and attended Monte Vista Christian School in Watsonville, California.

Personal life

She married Jim Miller, a Los Angeles surfing contest promoter and lifeguard from California in 2000, and separated from him in 2002. They divorced soon after. She married Hollywood producer Griffin Guess on April 15, 2006. Miller enjoys football, muscle cars, cooking, and boxing. From an early age she loved surfing; in 2004, she placed second in the celebrity division of the Kelly Slater Surf Invitational behind Perry Farrell of Jane’s Addiction fame. She was a standout volleyball player on her high school team, and has long been a big sports fan in general. She has said that if she weren’t a model she would be a sportscaster.

Miller is currently an ambassador for the American Cancer Society, to which proceeds from her online store are donated. She also supports the Young Survival Coalition, which seeks to promote awareness of breast cancer in women under 40, as well as environmental organization The Surfrider Foundation, which aims to preserve the world’s oceans and beaches.