Jarah-Evelyn Makalapua Mariano (born 23 November 1983) is an American model of Korean and Native Hawaiian descent, best known for appearing in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Editions of 2008 and 2009 and for her extensive catalogue work for Victoria’s Secret.
Discovered at fifteen, she built a career across swimwear, lingerie and commercial fashion lasting more than two decades, while completing a university degree at the same time — and, since marrying the actor Milo Ventimiglia in 2023, has become part of one of Hollywood’s most private couples.
This article sets out the documented record: her Hawaiian childhood, the scout who spotted her in Santa Monica, the campaigns and covers that followed, her screen appearances, and her family life today.
Early Life and Background
Mariano was born in Lihue, on the island of Kauai in Hawaii. When she was four, her family relocated to California, and she was raised in Mission Viejo, in Orange County, with her two older brothers.
Her heritage is Korean and Native Hawaiian, a background that would later make her a distinctive presence in an industry that, in the 2000s, featured relatively few models of Pacific Islander descent in mainstream campaigns.
At fifteen, she was discovered in Santa Monica by the model scout Corrie Caster. After graduating from Trabuco Hills High School, she moved to New York City to model full-time.
Unusually for a working model, she also studied full-time: she attended Pace University in New York and graduated with a degree in speech communications, with a media studies concentration.
Modeling Career
Mariano’s commercial portfolio is long: advertising work for Abercrombie & Fitch, MAC, Armani Exchange, Sephora, Roxy Quiksilver, Redken, H&M, Avon, Old Navy, Dereon, Levi’s, PacSun and Rock & Republic, among others.
Lingerie and swimwear became her signature areas. She appeared in numerous catalogues for Victoria’s Secret and walked in fashion shows in Miami and New York.
Her breakthrough in print came with the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition: she made her debut in the 2008 issue and returned in 2009 — the appearances for which she remains best known. She also covered the April/May 2007 fifth-anniversary issue of Complex magazine and appeared in Self, Taiwan Vogue, L’Uomo Vogue, Glamour, Elle and Italian Vanity Fair.
At 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m), she was marketed as a classic American commercial model, whose Hawaiian and Korean heritage gave her a look the swimwear market of the 2000s actively sought.
Acting and Media Appearances
Mariano has a scattering of screen credits alongside the modelling: minor roles in Steven Spielberg’s Minority Report and Hal Hartley’s The Girl from Monday, a recurring role in the firefighter drama Rescue Me, and a cameo in the NBC series Chuck.
She also appears uncredited in the title sequence of the James Bond film Skyfall (2012), and featured in Jay-Z’s comeback video ‘Show Me What You Got’ and in two 2009 videos by the Korean group Clazziquai Project, as well as several Old Navy commercials.
For most of her career she kept a comparatively low celebrity profile for a model of her level: interviews and magazine features rather than reality television or influencer-style self-promotion.
That privacy carried into her marriage. When she and Milo Ventimiglia married in September 2023, the news emerged only afterwards — People magazine reported the wedding in late October 2023 — and the couple have continued to keep their family life out of the spotlight.
Personal Life and Interests
In September 2023 Mariano married the actor Milo Ventimiglia, best known for This Is Us and Gilmore Girls. The ceremony was private, in keeping with both of their approaches to fame — the news was reported by People magazine only weeks later.
They have two children. Their first baby was born in January 2025 — days after the couple lost their home in the Los Angeles fires, a loss Ventimiglia spoke about publicly at the time — and their second child followed in 2026.
Beyond family, the interest best documented in Mariano’s own biography is education: she completed a degree while modelling full-time, something profiles of her have highlighted throughout her career.
Achievements and Legacy
Her headline achievements are the back-to-back Sports Illustrated Swimsuit appearances (2008 and 2009), the Complex fifth-anniversary cover of 2007, and a Victoria’s Secret catalogue career that ran for years — the kind of steady commercial success most models never reach.
Within the industry she is frequently cited among the most prominent models of Native Hawaiian heritage to work in mainstream American swim and lingerie markets, at a time when such representation was rare, and her Korean and Hawaiian background was part of her professional identity from the start.
Looking ahead, her public profile is now as much about family as fashion: marriage in 2023 and two children since mean her modelling work continues on her own terms rather than to an agency schedule.
Conclusion
Jarah Mariano’s career is a study in longevity: from a Kauai childhood and a Santa Monica scouting to Sports Illustrated, Victoria’s Secret and a degree earned along the way.
Married to Milo Ventimiglia since 2023 and a mother of two, she remains the rare swimsuit-era model whose life after the covers has been conducted deliberately — and successfully — out of the spotlight.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who is Jarah Mariano?Jarah-Evelyn Makalapua Mariano (born 23 November 1983) is an American model of Korean and Native Hawaiian descent, known for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Editions of 2008 and 2009 and for Victoria’s Secret catalogue work. She is married to the actor Milo Ventimiglia.
What is Jarah Mariano famous for?Modelling: back-to-back Sports Illustrated Swimsuit appearances (2008 and 2009), extensive Victoria’s Secret catalogues, campaigns for brands from Abercrombie & Fitch to Levi’s, and an uncredited appearance in the title sequence of the Bond film Skyfall (2012).
When and where was Jarah Mariano born?She was born on 23 November 1983 in Lihue, on the island of Kauai, Hawaii, and was raised in Mission Viejo, California, from the age of four.
How did Jarah Mariano start her modeling career?She was discovered at fifteen in Santa Monica by model scout Corrie Caster, moved to New York after graduating from Trabuco Hills High School, and modelled full-time while studying at Pace University.
Which brands and designers has Jarah Mariano worked with?Victoria’s Secret (numerous catalogues), Abercrombie & Fitch, MAC, Armani Exchange, Sephora, Roxy Quiksilver, Redken, H&M, Avon, Old Navy, Dereon, Levi’s, PacSun and Rock & Republic, among others.
Has Jarah Mariano acted in TV shows or movies?Yes: minor roles in Minority Report and The Girl from Monday, a recurring role in Rescue Me, a cameo in Chuck, an uncredited appearance in Skyfall’s title sequence, and music videos for Jay-Z and Clazziquai Project.
What are Jarah Mariano’s interests outside modeling?Her documented commitments are her education — a Pace University degree in speech communications — and her family life with Milo Ventimiglia and their two children. She has generally kept hobbies private, and profiles listing specific pastimes for her are usually unsourced.
Is Jarah Mariano involved in charity or social causes?No major charitable foundation or campaign fronted by Mariano is documented in reliable sources. In January 2025 she and her husband lost their home in the Los Angeles fires shortly before their first child was born — an experience they spoke about publicly; claims beyond that should be treated with caution.
What awards or recognition has Jarah Mariano received?Her recognition is professional rather than award-based: selection for consecutive Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Editions (2008 and 2009), a Complex magazine anniversary cover in 2007, and long-running Victoria’s Secret catalogue work are the milestones most often cited.
How can aspiring models learn from Jarah Mariano’s career journey?Her career shows the value of education alongside modelling — she earned a university degree while working full-time — and of longevity through commercial reliability: more than two decades across swim, lingerie and high-street brands rather than a single season of hype.
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