Bar Refaeli

Bar Refaeli

Refaeli in 2011
Born (1985-06-04) 4 June 1985
Hod HaSharon, Israel
Occupation
  • Model
  • TV host
  • Actress
  • Businesswoman
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 8.9 in)
Spouse(s) Arik Weinstein (m. 2003; div. 2005)[1]
Adi Ezra (m. 2015)
Children 1

Bar Refaeli (Hebrew: בר רפאלי‎‎; born 4 June 1985) is an Israeli model, television host, actress and businesswoman.

Considered among the most internationally successful models to come from Israel, alongside models such as Nina Brosh[2] and Michaela Bercu. According to Forbes Israel, she was the highest paid model in Israel in 2013, ahead of the combined modeling income of other Israeli models such as Esti Ginzburg, Gal Gadot, and Shlomit Malka.[3]

She was the cover model of the 2009 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and was voted #1 on Maxim magazine's Hot 100 list of 2012. Since 2013, she has been the host of The X Factor Israel.[4]

Early life

Bar Refaeli's mother Tzipi Levine, with a 5-year old Bar Refaeli in 1990

Refaeli was born and raised in Hod HaSharon, Israel, to a secular Jewish family.[5] Her parents, Rafi Refaeli and Tzipi (née Levine), own a horse ranch. Her parents were both born in Israel, and her grandparents were immigrants from Europe (Italian Jewish, Lithuanian Jewish, and Polish Jewish).[5] Her mother was a successful model in the 1970s under her maiden name, Tzipi Levine.[6]

Modeling career

Refaeli at age eighteen

Refaeli began modeling at the age of eight months, when she first appeared in commercials. Orthodonture at twelve interrupted her modeling until she was fifteen,[7] when an Israeli beauty pageant awarded Refaeli "Model of the Year" (2000).[8] She played prominently in campaigns for the fashion brands Castro and Pilpel, and she starred in a Milky pudding commercial.

She has appeared in editorials for French, American, Italian, Spanish, Russian, and Ukrainian Elle, Spanish Vogue, British, Russian, Australian, and Vietnamese Harper's Bazaar, V, French and Dutch L'Officiel, American, British, Italian, German, Spanish, and Indian GQ, i-D, and Allure. She has appeared on the covers of French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Russian, Belgian, Danish, Swedish, Australian, Latvian, Norwegian, Polish, Bulgarian, Romanian, Slovenian, Croatian, and Turkish Elle, French, Spanish, and Russian Marie Claire, British, Italian, Spanish, German, Portuguese, and Mexican GQ, American, British, Australian, and Serbian Maxim, and Esquire.

Refaeli has appeared in advertising campaigns for Chanel, Escada, Ralph Lauren, Desigual, Andrew Marc, Victoria's Secret, Marks and Spencer, Gap, Moët & Chandon, Hurley, Rampage, True Religion, Lucky Brand, Accessorize, Passionata, Fox, Reebok, Sears, Arrow, Besni, Marco Bicego, and Agua Bendita. She also has appeared in advertising campaigns for non-fashion brands such as Garnier Fructis, Samsung, and Subaru.

Refaeli became the second Israeli model to appear in Sports Illustrated magazine (after Michaela Bercu), in her 2007 debut in its Swimsuit Issue, where she posed with the rock band, Aerosmith.[9][10] Refaeli was the cover model for the 2009 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.[11] Southwest Airlines painted a bikini-clad Refaeli from that shoot on the side of its Boeing 737,[12][13] which led some passengers to criticize the airline for what they regarded as prurient, and hence "offensive to families."[14]

Refaeli has modeled for Subaru, Accessorize,[15] Brazilian clothing line Besni, Italian jewelry line Marco Bicego, and Rampage. In 2009 she modeled for Garnier International.[16]

On 5 March 2009, Refaeli received the World Style Award presented by the Women's World Awards for her "natural elegance, sense of style and compassion."[17] In October of the same year, Refaeli co-hosted Fashionable Istanbul's press conference, announced its October 2009 fashion event, and appeared in its advèrtisements.[18] FHM voted Refaeli #42 in 2008, #57 in 2010, and #97 in 2011, in its lists of the "100 Sexiest Women."[19] Maxim placed Refaeli at the very top of its Hot 100 list in 2012.[20] In April, 2012, Shalom Life ranked her fourth on its list of the "50 most talented, intelligent, funny, and gorgeous Jewish women in the world."[21] Refaeli has been referred to as a supermodel by Maxim Magazine, The Hollywood Reporter, the Dailymail, The Algemeiner, Jpost, The Independent and others.

According to Forbes Israel, in 2013 she was the highest paid model in Israel, ahead of the combined modelling income of such other Israeli models as Esti Ginzburg, Gal Gadot, and Shlomit Malka.[3]

Film and television career

Refaeli at the Marchesa Spring 2012 show in New York City

Refaeli co-starred in the Israeli TV drama series Pick Up in 2005. In October 2008, she co-hosted the Bravo special program Tommy Hilfiger Presents Ironic Iconic America,[22] based on the book Ironic Iconic America written by George Lois. She returned as a program host in 2009, this time for MTV's brief revival of House of Style.[23]

In 2011, Refaeli starred in American-Israeli film Session directed by Haim Bouzaglo. The film is a psychological thriller that tells the story of a manipulative psychiatrist who becomes obsessed with a new young patient.[24] She also served as a guest judge on cycle four of Germany's Next Topmodel hosted by Heidi Klum. In November 2012 she started her own model casting show Million Dollar Shootingstar on German TV Channel Sat.1.[25]

In January 2013, Refaeli appeared in Go Daddy's Super Bowl XLVII commercial, acting with Jesse Heiman (with whom she intimately kisses) and NASCAR driver and perennial Go Daddy pitchwoman Danica Patrick.[26][27] In 2013, Refaeli also hosted the first season of The X Factor Israel, which became the most popular music show in Israel,[28] leading to them bringing her back in 2015 for season two. In 2013, Refaeli played a starring role in the French-Israeli crime-caper film Kidon, a comedy in which she stars as a Mossad assassin involved in liquidating a terrorist.[29]

Business and investment career

Video clips of Refaeli (Israeli News Company)

Refaeli invests in a variety of business ventures in Israel, and has also launched her own.

Bar Refaeli has an ownership stake in a number of fashion companies, such as in the designer glasses manufacturer Carolina Lemke.[30]

In 2011 Refaeli and Dudi Balsar, an attorney and former male model, set up an E-commerce company called Under.me,[31] to sell designer underwear. As well as its investor, Refaeli runs business development for the venture.[32] By November 2011, the company had raised $1 million in venture capital funds.[33]

In 2013, her startup 'Mika Look', which is an iPad app that allows users to purchase the items that models are wearing, raised $1.2 million in its first financing round.[34]

Refaeli is one of the main investors behind MyCheck, which processes payments behind smart phones, and which raised $1.7 million in its first financing round.[35] In its second financing round, it raised $4.2 million.[36]

On December 16, 2015, Israeli tax authorities in Tel Aviv detained Bar Refaeli and her mother overnight for questioning related to potential tax evasion; she is accused of failing to pay income tax on two vehicles that she received as compensation for posing in pictures with the vehicles, and for evading taxes by disguising her Israeli residency by renting a luxury apartment in Tel Aviv through relatives.[37]

Charitable activities

She led a free campaign under the slogan "One Bag Less" to reduce the use of plastic bags in Israel.[38] In 2009, she led an unpaid campaign on behalf of the Israel Water Authority, to educate the public about water use and conservation.[39]

On 7 June 2013, Refaeli hosted a beach party in Tel Aviv for participants of the city's gay pride parade.[40] In November 2013, Refaeli spoke out in support of legislation for civil marriages in Israel, as part of a campaign for the proposed Knesset bill.[41]

Personal life

Refaeli once dated Baywatch actor David Charvet. In November 2005, she began a relationship with Leonardo DiCaprio after meeting him at a party in Las Vegas thrown for members of U2.[42] In the course of their trip to Israel in March 2007, the couple met with Israeli president Shimon Peres and visited Refaeli's hometown of Hod HaSharon.[43] The relationship ended in June 2009.[44] In 2010, numerous reports indicated that their romance had been rekindled,[45][46][47] but in May 2011, it was reported that the couple had ended their romantic relationship, although they would remain friends.[48]

Refaeli got engaged to Israeli businessman Adi Ezra in March 2015. She has stated she plans to raise "a big Jewish family" with him. The couple were married in Israel on September 24, 2015.[49][50] Refaeli publicly revealed on December 31, 2015 that she was pregnant.[51] In 2016 she gave birth to a daughter named Liv Ezra.[52][53][54]

Military service

As early as 2004, Refaeli received criticism in Israel for evading service in the army. Model Agam Rodberg stated then: "The way Bar Rafaeli [sic] evaded army service wasn't right. It's worth trying to serve in the army, and only if you don't feel good there to try and do something."[55]

In 2007 it was reported that Refaeli had evaded the draft by marrying family acquaintance Arik Weinstein in 2003,[56] and divorcing him soon afterwards to avoid military service in the Israel Defense Forces,[57] which is mandatory in Israel for unmarried secular Jewish women over the age of 18.[58]

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 Refaeli agreed to visit injured IDF soldiers on visits to Israel and encourage enlistment in the army.[59] Refaeli later stated, "I don't regret not enlisting, because it paid off big time. That's just the way it is: celebrities have other needs. I hope my case has influenced the army."[60] She also said: "Israel or Uganda, what difference does it make? It makes no difference to me. Why is it good to die for our country? What, isn't it better to live in New York? Why should 18-year-old kids have to die? It's dumb that people have to die so that I can live in Israel."[57] In 2009 fellow Israeli model Esti Ginzburg, while speaking in support of enlisting, criticized Refaeli for her evasion of military service.[61][62] In 2011 Refaeli was featured on the cover of Italian GQ's war-themed May 2011 issue.[60] Refaeli's avoidance of military service was again raised when IDF Brigadier General Yoav Mordechai criticized the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for casting Refaeli in a 2013 advertisement, saying the use of her as an "official representative of Israel" sent a "negative message" to Israeli society.[63] In 2014, during Operation Protective Edge, Refaeli posted numerous times to her social network accounts, expressing solidarity and appreciation of her fellow Israeli countrymen serving in the Israeli Army and acknowledging a self-taken photo of Israeli troops smiling in front of her portrait.[64][65]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Bar Refaeli Slams Reports Saying She Can't Find a Man: "I'm Single, Happy and Loving It!"
  2. ↑ Vic likes to be anonymous Orit Merlin-Rosenzweig, 21.05.12 xnet
  3. 1 2 הדוגמניות המרוויחות ביותר בישראל Forbes Israel, June 2013
  4. ↑ Caspi, David. "Supermodel Bar Refaeli to Host 'X Factor' Israel". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  5. 1 2 "Isn't it better to live in New York? An Israeli Supermodel Speaks". InterfaithFamily.
  6. ↑ Burstein, Nathan (9 October 2007). "The 'uncomfortable' role model". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  7. ↑ "Pop Culture Q&A". Sports Illustrated. 7 March 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  8. ↑ "Bar Refaeli Model Profile". Retrieved 6 August 2010.
  9. ↑ "Supermodel Bar Refaeli – the first international Zionist celebrity".
  10. ↑ "SI.com – Bar Refaeli". Sports illustrated. 7 March 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  11. ↑ Markazi, Arash (10 February 2009). "For cover girl Bar Refaeli, life is about to change". FanNation. Archived from the original on 13 February 2009. Retrieved 10 February 2009.
  12. ↑ "Southwest Paints Swimsuit Model on Plane". PopSci.com.au. 12 February 2009. Archived from the original on 14 February 2009. Retrieved 12 February 2009.
  13. ↑ "Southwest's Sports Illustrated Plane". Fox News. Retrieved 2 May 2009.
  14. ↑ "Southwest's Sports Illustrated Plane Featuring Bar Refaeli Is Offending Passengers". Fox News. 7 April 2010. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  15. ↑ "Leonardo's girlfriend face of Accessorize". Marie Claire. 27 February 2008. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  16. ↑ "Bar Refaeli making her Canadian debut with Garnier Fructis Style". CNW. 25 February 2011. Archived from the original on 24 April 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  17. ↑ "Bar Refaeli to receive Women's World Style Award". Ynetnews. 20 June 1995. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  18. ↑ Istanbul meets the fashion world with Fashionable Istanbul. Istanbulview.com. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
  19. ↑ Bar Refaeli at FHM.com, 4 February 2011.
  20. ↑ Hughes, Sarah Anne (22 May 2012). "Bar Refaeli, Naya Rivera and Stephen Colbert make Maxim's 'Hot 100' list". The Washington Post. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
  21. ↑ Ashley Baylen (12 April 2012). "Top 50 Hottest Jewish Women (10–1) – Page2". Shalom Life. Archived from the original on 27 July 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  22. ↑ Thielman, Sam (24 June 2008). "Bravo for Tommy Hilfiger, Radical". Variety. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  23. ↑ "House of Style". MTV. Archived from the original on 11 February 2010. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  24. ↑ "Bar Refaeli Typecast as Sushi Waitress in First Feature Film!". forward.com. 19 January 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  25. ↑ "Million Dollar Shooting Star". www.sat1.de. 22 April 2014.
  26. ↑ Bates, Daniel (1 February 2013). "The luckiest nerd in the world: Geeky actor reveals how it took SIXTY-FIVE takes to film lingering kiss with supermodel Bar Refaeli in Super Bowl ad". Mail Online. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
  27. ↑ "He's eating her alive! Bar Refaeli kisses a geeky extra in cringe-inducing Super Bowl advert". Mail Online. 1 February 2013. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
  28. ↑ Krupnick, Ellie (29 May 2013). "Bar Refaeli 'X Factor' Host Gig Will Kick Off Show In Israel". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  29. ↑ They’d done it by Hannah Brown, Jerusalem Post, 7 November 2013
  30. ↑ Castro in Talks to Buy 50% of Hoodies Apparel Chain for $52m, Haaretz, Adi Dovrat-Meseritz Jul 21, 2016
  31. ↑ Under.me
  32. ↑ Feldman, Batya (24 October 2011). "Bar Refaeli's e-commerce lingerie co Undeez raises $1m". GLOBES. Archived from the original on 29 October 2011. Retrieved 14 November 2011.
  33. ↑ Bar Refaeli's e-commerce lingerie company raises $1 million, Jerusalem Post, By BATYA FELDMAN 25 October 2011
  34. ↑ Bar Refaeli’s Startup Mika Look Raises $1.2M nocamels.com, 23 July 2013
  35. ↑ Bar Refaeli invests in smartphone payment co MyCheck by Tzahi Hoffman, Globes, 3 September 12
  36. ↑ Israeli startups on way to second record-breaking quarter in row Inbal Orpaz, 18 October 2013, Haaretz
  37. ↑ "Bar Refaeli suspected of tax evasion in Israel". Fox News. 17 December 2015. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
  38. ↑ Fay, Greer (17 January 2008). "Market Wise". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  39. ↑ How Israel beat the drought by David Horowitz, Times of Israel, February 2013
  40. ↑ "Refaeli stands up for gays... at a urinal". The Times of Israel.
  41. ↑ Bar Refaeli supports civil marriage bill by Ashley Baylen Published: 11.20.13, 15:24
  42. ↑ "Leo and Bar. What's Going On?". Retrieved 15 August 2008.
  43. ↑ ""Israeli Leader Asks Leonardo DiCaprio for Help". People. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
  44. ↑ Leonardo DiCaprio is a Model Man Archived 3 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine.
  45. ↑ "It really is a Happy New Year for Leonardo DiCaprio and Bar Refaeli as the couple rekindle their on/off relationship". Daily Mail. London. 2 January 2010. Archived from the original on 5 January 2010. Retrieved 6 January 2010. Last year they called a halt to their relationship, apparently, it seemed, for good. But, if these new photographs are anything to go by, Leonardo DiCaprio and Bar Refaeli appear to be back on track.
  46. ↑ "Leonardo DiCaprio, Bar Refaeli getting serious?". The Indian Express. Delhi. 6 January 2010. Retrieved 6 January 2010. The couple, who had been dating on and off for the past three years, was spotted canoodling together over New Year's weekend in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, which topped off a week-long getaway.
  47. ↑ Miller, Tracy (2 January 2010). "Leonardo DiCaprio and Sports Illustrated model Bar Refaeli hook up again for New Year's". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on 5 January 2010. Retrieved 6 January 2010. Leo and Bar also enjoyed a 'secret' romantic getaway in the Bahamas in late November, according to multiple reports, sparking rumors they'd decided to work it out.
  48. ↑ "Bar Refaeli back on the single market". Fashion Model Directory. 12 May 2011. Retrieved 20 May 2011.
  49. ↑ http://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-supermodels-wedding-set-for-september/
  50. ↑ http://ca.eonline.com/news/679428/bar-refaeli-s-wedding-date-revealed-plus-details-on-her-super-fancy-nuptials-get-the-scoop
  51. ↑ Corriston, Michele (January 1, 2016). "Bar Refaeli Expecting First Child". People.
  52. ↑ http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/culture/1.736450
  53. ↑ http://celebritybabies.people.com/2016/08/11/bar-refaeli-welcomes-daughter-liv/
  54. ↑ http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2016/08/12/bar-refaeli-gives-birth-to-baby-girl.html
  55. ↑ Overheard, March 2004, Haaretz
  56. ↑ Bar Refaeli to get married in September
  57. 1 2 "Dodging IDF paid off big time". Archived from the original on 21 August 2008. Retrieved 15 August 2008.
  58. ↑ The Encyclopedia of the Arab-Israeli Conflict: A Political, Social, and Military History, Spencer C. Tucker, Priscilla Roberts, (ABC-CLIO, May 12, 2008) page 508
  59. ↑ "Bar Refaeli: IDF's new 'enlistment officer'". Retrieved 15 August 2008.
  60. 1 2 Weiss, Shari (5 May 2011). "Bar Refaeli topless in GQ Italia's military-themed issue: Israeli model once labeled a draft-dodger". New York Daily News. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
  61. ↑ Israeli models Refaeli and Ginzburg at war over IDF Archived 5 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine.
  62. ↑ "Israeli supermodels in catwalk spat over draft-dodging". The Independent.
  63. ↑ Bergin, Olivia. "Israel's Defense Forces take issue with Bar Refaeli's new role". The Telegraph. Retrieved 21 September 2014.
  64. ↑ "Rihanna, Joey Barton and Wonder Woman: the celebrities who have taken sides over Gaza". Telegraph.co.uk. 30 July 2014.
  65. ↑ "Gal Gadot, Bar Refaeli express support for IDF troops in Gaza". The Jerusalem Post - JPost.com.

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