Amber Valletta
Amber Evangeline Valletta is a successful American model as well as a well-known actress. She was born on February 9, 1974 in Phoenix, Arizona. She began her modeling career at the age 18 when she scored her first of thirteen covers of American Vogue.
Early Life and Modeling
Valletta grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma with her mother who worked at a post office. She first made her way into the fashion industry after her mother enrolled her at the Linda Layman Agency at the age of 15. Just two years later she signed a contract with Calvin Klein's Eternity fragrance. In addition to becoming the face of Giorgio Armani in 1993, she also landed on the covers of several magazines, including Harper's Bazaar, Vogue and Elle.
As the years went by, Amber Valletta continued to accomplish great things in the world of modeling. She appeared in advertisements for a long line of the industry's top designers, including Versace, Calvin Klein, and Louis Vuitton. Valletta also hosted MTV's television show House of Style along with other models. Furthermore, she was presented as one of the “Modern Muses” on the November 1999 Millenium cover of American Vogue.
In addition, she was not a stranger to runways or magazine editorials. Amber Valletta walked the catwalk during a Valentino couture show in 1993, the Anna Sui fall show in New York and the Versace fall couture show in Paris in July of 2001. She was photographed for editorials in British Vogue, American Vogue, W, Italian Vogue and Marie Claire.
Acting
Amber Valletta's first role was in 2001 for the movie Drop Back Ten, a comedy starring James Le Gros. During the same year, she was landed a supporting role in the film What Lies Beneath. Valletta can also be seen in The Family Man, Duplex and Raising Helen.
Her first major role was as Allegra Cole in Hitch with Will Smith. She also appeared in Transport 2, The Last Time, Premonition, Gamer, and The Spy Next Door. In 2011, she began her role as Lydia Davis on Revenge, a television drama on ABC.
Personal Life
Amber Valletta married for the first time in 1994 to male model Hervé Le Bihan, but they divorced just two years later. She did not marry again until 2003 when she wed Olympic volleyball player Chip McCaw. Together, the had a son named Auden in 2000. Chip and Amber separated early in 2015 due to irreconcilable differences.
After a friend of hers became diagnosed with mercury poisoning, Amber Valletta began to feel very strongly on the issue. She now serves as the spokesperson for Oceana's Seafood Contamination Campaign. Valletta works to raise awareness to the people around the world of the risks of mercury poisoning in the different kinds of seafood.