BAR REFAELI

 Bar Refaeli: A Comprehensive Biography of the Israeli Supermodel

Early Life and Background

Bar Refaeli was born on June 4, 1985, in Hod HaSharon, Israel, into a secular Jewish family. Her parents, Rafi Refaeli and Tzipi Levine, managed a horse ranch; her mother was also a successful model in the 1970s. Bar has two younger brothers, Dor and On Refaeli, and an older half-brother, Neil Ben-Porat, from her mother's previous marriage. Her grandparents were Jewish immigrants from Italy, Lithuania, and Poland, with some being Holocaust survivors. 

Bar began modeling at eight months old, appearing in commercials. She paused her modeling career between ages 12 and 15 due to orthodontic treatment. At 15, she returned to modeling and won the title "Model of the Year" in an Israeli beauty contest in 2000. ​

Modeling Career

Bar Refaeli's modeling career includes campaigns for brands such as Castro, Pilpel, Chanel, Escada, Ralph Lauren, Desigual, Andrew Marc, Victoria's Secret, Marks & Spencer, Gap, Moët & Chandon, Hurley, Rampage, True Religion, Lucky Brand, Accessorize, Passionata, Fox, Reebok, Sears, Arrow, Besni, Marco Bicego, and Agua Bendita. ​

She has graced the covers of numerous magazines, including Elle, Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, GQ, Maxim, Esquire, and Sports Illustrated. In 2009, she was the cover model for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. ​

In 2012, Maxim magazine ranked her No. 1 on its Hot 100 list. ​

Television and Film

Bar has hosted several television programs, including "The X Factor Israel" since 2013 and co-hosted the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 in Tel Aviv. ​

Her acting credits include roles in films such as "Session" (2011) and "Kidon" (2013), as well as appearances in television series like "Pick Up" (2005) and "Eretz Nehederet" (2005). ​

Business Ventures

Beyond modeling, Bar Refaeli is a successful entrepreneur. She co-founded the e-commerce company Under.me, which sells designer underwear, and has invested in various Israeli startups, including the payment app MyCheck and the fashion app Mika Look. ​

She also holds an ownership stake in the Israeli fashion company Carolina Lemke and has appeared in promotional campaigns alongside Kim Kardashian. ​

Personal Life

In 2015, Bar married Israeli businessman Adi Ezra. The couple has three children: daughters Liv (born August 2016) and Elle (born October 2017), and son David (born January 2020). ​

Previously, she was in a relationship with actor Leonardo DiCaprio from 2005 to 2011. ​

Legal Issues

In 2020, Bar Refaeli was convicted of tax evasion by an Israeli court. She was sentenced to nine months of community service, while her mother, who acted as her agent, received a 16-month prison sentence. They were also ordered to pay a fine of £1.2 million and settle millions in back taxes. ​

Bar Refaeli's journey from a child model to an international supermodel and entrepreneur highlights her versatility and resilience. Despite facing legal challenges, she remains a prominent figure in the fashion industry and continues to influence both the modeling world and business ventures.​