Who is Bar Refaeli?

Who is Bar Refaeli? Refaeli is an Israeli model, known for her modeling work and for her relationship with American actor Leonardo DiCaprio. She is the 2009 covermodel of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.

Bar Refaeli was born born June 4, 1985 into a Jewish Israeli family in Hod HaSharon, Israel. Her parents, Tsipi and Rafael, own a horse ranch.[3] She began a modeling career at the age of eight months, appearing in commercials.[4] She had to wear braces in her early years, postponing her modeling. At age 15, Refaeli returned to modeling where she was represented by Irene Marie Models.


Refaeli began her modeling career before the age of 8 months for a baby commercial.[5] By age 15, she was featured in campaigns for the fashion brands Castro and Pilpel, also starring in a commercial for Milki. Refaeli won the title "Model of The Year" in a beauty contest in 2000 and 2001. She was also chosen to be the home model of Renuar fashion network and appeared in their summer 2002 and winter 2003 catalogues.
Refaeli appeared in ELLE (France), Maxim, and GQ (Italy). She debuted in the 2007 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, becoming the first Israeli model to appear in the magazine.[6] In the issue, she posed with rock band

Aerosmith.[7]
She has been the spokesperson for fashion brand Luisa Cerano. She has modeled for Subaru, Accessorize, Brazilian clothing line, Besni, and Italian jewelry line Marco Bicego.[8] She is signed to Storm Model Management in London, and 1/One Management in New York City. Refaeli will be the co-host of a Bravo special program Tommy Hilfiger Presents Ironic Iconic America which will premiere in early October.[9] The program is based on book Ironic Iconic America written by George Lois.

In 2008, Refaeli has become the face of clothing line Hurley, and the new Diddy cologne, "I Am King. [10]
On February 9th, 2009 it was announced that Refaeli is the 2009 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover model.[11][12]

In 2009, Rafaeli will star in an English language film Session directed by Israeli Haim Bouzaglo. The film is a psychological thriller that tells the story of a manipulative psychiatrist, Josh Tellman, who becomes obsessed with a new young patient named "Jibbs."[13]

Refaeli volunteers for Project Sunshine,[14] a non-profit organization providing free services and programs for children facing life-threatening illnesses. She has also volunteered for organization Ahava, which has been caring for pets abandoned in Northern Israel during the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict.[15]

Bar Rafaeli and film director Shahar Segal have agreed to do a gratis campaign under the slogan "One Bag Less" to reduce the use of plastic bags.[16]

Previously linked to Baywatch actor David Charvet and Uri El-Natan, Rafaeli began a relationship with American actor Leonardo DiCaprio in November 2005 after meeting him at a Las Vegas party thrown for members of U2.[17] In the course of their trip to Israel in March 2007, the couple met with Israeli president Shimon Peres and visited Refaeli's hometown Hod HaSharon.[18]

In 2007, Refaeli became a source of controversy when it became known that she had evaded military service, mandatory for Israeli citizens over 18-years-old, by marrying a family acquaintance and divorcing him soon after.[19] Refaeli stated in an interview with Yedioth Ahronoth, "I really wanted to serve in the IDF, but I don't regret not enlisting, because it paid off big-time," further adding, "Why is it good to die for our country? What, isn't it better to live in New York City?"[19] Refaeli has since said the interview didn't accurately reflect her statements and threatened to file a lawsuit for libel.[20] Consequently, the Israeli Forum for the Promotion of Equal Share in the Burden threatened to boycott the fashion chain Fox if they hired Refaeli, but the two sides reached a compromise in which the model agreed to visit injured IDF soldiers on visits to Israel and encourage enlistment in the army.[21] more