The Models

May Andersen

AGE: 21 PLACE OF BIRTH: Copenhagen NOW LIVES IN: New York City
MAJOR AD CAMPAIGNS: Victoria's Secret, Matrix Biolage, BCBG and
J. Crew SI RESUME: This is May's second appearance (2003) in the
Swimsuit Issue. CURRENTLY ON MY CD PLAYER: The Cure and David
Gray. CAN'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT: My dog, Bailey (a Cavalier King
Charge Spaniel), because he doesn't like to be alone. MY BIGGEST
VICE: Mochi, a Japanese ice cream. I'm addicted to it. ROOTS FOR:
Allen Iverson, but I'm becoming a Lakers fan. THIS YEAR I PLAN
TO: Take singing lessons again. My mother always wanted me to
play piano because my fingers are so long--she said I had piano
hands--but I took up singing instead. IN 10 YEARS: I'll wake up
at my beach house in Denmark and walk into my living room, where
my two kids will have my breakfast ready for me. My husband will
be outside, gardening. QUOTE: Americans should know that Danes
are very friendly and open and liberal and love foreign people.
It's worth going to Denmark because you walk down the street and
notice that everyone is gorgeous.

Ana Beatriz Barros

AGE: 23 PLACE OF BIRTH: Itabira, Brazil NOW LIVES IN: New York
City MAJOR AD CAMPAIGNS: Chanel, Victoria's Secret, Guess and
Sisley SI RESUME: This is Ana's third appearance (2002 and 2003)
in the Swimsuit Issue. CAN'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT: A Brazilian
book. I love reading in my native language. ON MY CD PLAYER: A
lot of hip-hop--Jay-Z, Ja Rule, Snoop Dogg and Missy Elliott. MY
BIGGEST VICE IS: Housecleaning. I clean a lot. I cannot stand a
dirty house. My mom calls me the Witch when she sees me with a
broom and vacuum. TEN YEARS FROM NOW: I would like to have my own
business, but I don't know in what field yet so I think I'll go
study at a university. PERSON I WOULD LOVE TO MEET: Johnny Depp,
because he's a great actor and so cute. IF I WAS NOT A MODEL: I'd
be a veterinarian. ROOTS FOR: Clube Atletico Mineiro [a Brazilian
soccer club]. I've never been to a baseball or basketball game in
the U.S., but I really want to go to one. QUOTE: For fun I love
to bowl. I go all the time, but I am terrible. I still haven't
broken 100. I have no coordination. None. Even when I was young,
I would always break glasses ... and everything else. My family
calls me Destrada. Disaster.

Elsa Benitez

AGE: 28 PLACE OF BIRTH: Hermosillo, Mexico NOW LIVES IN: Miami
and New York City MAJOR AD CAMPAIGNS: Cover Girl, Jones New York
and Ferragamo SI RESUME: This is Elsa's fourth appearance
(2000-2002) in the Swimsuit Issue. She was on the cover in 2001.
EVER TEASE YOUR HUSBAND (RETIRED NBA PLAYER RONY SEIKALY) BECAUSE
YOU'VE BEEN ON SI'S COVER MORE TIMES (1 TO 0) THAN HE HAS? I'd
never do that. MY BIGGEST VICE: I eat a lot of things I should
not eat, like hamburgers and pizza. QUOTE: I was scheduled to be
on TWA Flight 800 [a Boeing 747 bound for Paris that exploded
shortly after takeoff from JFK Airport in July 1996]. I got to
the airport and I just had a bad feeling. I started crying, and I
couldn't stop. I called my husband and said, "I feel something is
going to happen on the flight." He said, "Don't worry." I said,
"No, something is going to happen." He told me to wait 10 minutes
and if I still had the same feeling, I should change the ticket.
I couldn't stop crying, so I bought a ticket for another flight
and took off 10 minutes after that flight did. It made me
appreciate so much that just being alive is a gift.

Yamila Diaz-Rahi

AGE: 27 PLACE OF BIRTH: Buenos Aires NOW LIVES IN: New York City
MAJOR AD CAMPAIGNS: Davidoff Cool Water, Victoria's Secret,
Cover Girl, GE SI RESUME: This is Yamila's sixth consecutive
appearance in the Swimsuit Issue. She was on the cover in '02.
CAN'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT MY: Alarm clock and CD player. ON MY
CD: Astor Piazzolla [an Argentine tango composer] and Brazilian
music, such as samba and bossa nova. IF I WEREN'T A MODEL I'D
BE: Teaching children dance or art. YOU WERE IN A TV AD FOR GE
LAST YEAR IN WHICH YOU MEET A GEEKY PROFESSOR OF NANOTECHNOLOGY
IN A LAUNDRY ROOM, FALL IN LOVE AND MARRY, AND WIND UP IN A
PICTURE-PERFECT HOME WITH A BABY AND A GE WASHER AND DRYER. ANY
CHANCE THIS COULD HAPPEN IN REAL LIFE? Yes, of course. Models
are like any other girls. There is no limit for love. In fact,
after the commercial ran, many people thought that guy was my
real husband and the baby was my baby. People I work with said,
"Congratulations!" TO RELIEVE STRESS: I do yoga. QUOTE: My
biggest vice is that I love water. I can take a bath for three
hours. I light candles all over the place and put music on, and
I read or talk on the phone. But sometimes I fall asleep. So I
guess this is kind of dangerous.

Bridget Hall

AGE: 26 PLACE OF BIRTH: Springdale, Ark. NOW LIVES IN: Brooklyn
MAJOR AD CAMPAIGNS: Ralph Lauren, Victoria's Secret, Gucci, Anne
Klein SI RESUME: This is Bridget's third consecutive appearance
in the Swimsuit Issue. ON MY CD PLAYER: The White Stripes, Robert
Randolph and Ben Harper. I'D LIKE TO MEET: Tom Brady of the New
England Patriots. MY BIGGEST VICE: Video games. I like Tony
Hawk's skateboarding games and all the snowboarding games. THE
ONE MOVIE I WISH I'D HAD A PART IN: Fatal Attraction, and I'd
play the Glenn Close character. It seems like a fun part and a
good way to get the anger out. BEST (NONMODELING) JOB: Before I
was modeling I was babysitting. I still do it every now and then
for friends, and I do it for free. It's good practice for my
future. FOR FUN, I: Go wakeboarding and ride my bike a lot around
New York City in the summer. In the winter you'll find me
snowboarding. ROOTS FOR: The Dallas Cowboys, the New York Jets
and the New York Knicks. QUOTE: I picked NFL games for SI.com
this year, and it got me really involved in the season. I have
Sunday Ticket because I can't miss seeing my Cowboys play. I was
shocked at how well they did this year, but that's what you get
by having a good coach.

Melissa Keller

AGE: 25 PLACE OF BIRTH: Long Lake, Minn. NOW LIVES IN: Los
Angeles MAJOR AD CAMPAIGNS: Revlon, Gap, L'Oreal SI RESUME: This
is Melissa's third appearance (2002, '03) in the Swimsuit Issue.
ON MY IPOD: Anything from country to hip-hop. TATTOOS: Nine, the
most recent being an electric green lightning bolt on my leg.
PETS: Two cats: Beans and French Omelet. ROOTS FOR: the Minnesota
Vikings. After this year's season finale, my dad was in the
bedroom pouting, and I've never heard my mom swear so much in my
life. IF I WEREN'T A MODEL, I'D BE: An actor or teaching
Photography To Underprivileged Children. Best (nonmodeling) job:
Well, I've only really been a model. But I did work as a waitress
at the Pannekoeken Huis (a restaurant chain in Minnesota). I had
to wear a Dutch outfit and yell "Pannekoeken!" whenever people
ordered pancakes. QUOTE: I really want to concentrate on acting.
In Something's Gotta Give I play one of Jack Nicholson's
girlfriends. I was only on the set for a day, and I had just one
scene with him, but I did kiss him. That was my second on-screen
kiss. My first was when I kissed one of the Ducks in Mighty Ducks
3.

Noemie Lenoir

AGE: 24 PLACE OF BIRTH: Les Ulis, France NOW LIVES IN: Paris
MAJOR AD CAMPAIGNS: L'Oreal, Ralph Lauren, The Gap, Victoria's
Secret, Gucci SI RESUME: This is Noemie's fourth appearance in
the swimsuit issue (2000, 2001 and 2003). WHO IS YOUR IDOL? I
used to say my mom, but now I'll say Angelina Jolie. She says the
truth even when people say bad things about her. I think she is
an amazing natural talent. She is very real. IF I WEREN'T A
MODEL: I'd be a veterinarian. I love animals. PETS: I have two
Chihuahuas--Nikita and Puma--and a ferret. CAN'T LEAVE HOME
WITHOUT: My passport, my credit cards and my CD player. HOW I WAS
DISCOVERED: Buying stamps at a post office in my hometown when I
was 17. ON MY HEADPHONES: Norah Jones and Shaolin. QUOTE: I love
to lie down and listen to old music--especially French artists
from the 1950s like Edith Piaf. This is the way for me to calm
down. I used to do yoga in New York, but that's not popular in
France. With my job I always have to do some kind of sport to
stay in shape. I used to say two years ago, "No, I don't like to
exercise or diet. I can eat whatever I want." But that is now
over. Now I'm running once a week. I know that's not a lot, but
it is a start.

Marisa Miller

AGE: 24 PLACE OF BIRTH: Santa Cruz, Calif. NOW LIVES IN:
Calabasas, Calif. MAJOR AD CAMPAIGN: Tommy Hilfiger SI RESUME:
This is Marisa's third appearance (2001, '02) in the Swimsuit
Issue. IF I WEREN'T A MODEL: I'd be a sportscaster. ON MY
HEADPHONES: Dashboard Confessional and the Ataris, but I love Led
Zeppelin. THE FIRST THING I DO EVERY MORNING IS: Go online to
check the surf. If the waves are good, I'll go surf. The beach is
10 minutes away. I'M MOST PROUD OF: My mom, Krista. She just went
back to school and became a nurse, and now she works in
pediatrics with preemies. She always tells me, "You can always go
back to school, but you can't always model." I would love to go
back to school as soon as this whole modeling thing is over.
QUOTE: I'm very athletic. I was an outside hitter on my
volleyball team in high school, and I don't think we lost a game
my junior year. We just kicked ass. In junior high I played
basketball. There's a basketball court close to my house, and my
family and I played three-on-three on Thanksgiving. I can pick up
any sport pretty quickly--believe me, I know how to throw a
football.

Angela Lindvall

AGE: 25 PLACE OF BIRTH: Midwest City, Okla. NOW LIVES IN: A
95-foot tugboat docked on the Hudson River, just north of New
York City MAJOR AD CAMPAIGNS: Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci SI
Resume: This is Angela's debut in the Swimsuit Issue. IF I WERE
NOT A MODEL: I'd be a National Geographic photographer or
enrolled at the Kansas City Art Institute. DOES HAVING A
TWO-YEAR-OLD HURT YOUR MODELING CAREER? No. Having a son has been
the most amazing experience--that pregnancy was like the birth of
myself. BEST (NONMODELING) JOB: I was 17 when I started modeling,
but my first job was working in the mall for a fast-food place
called Orange Julius. IN 10 YEARS I'LL BE: I'd love to have a
shacklike bar on a beach, with my kids running around naked and
people playing chess and weird games from around the world.
QUOTE: I grew up in the middle of America and was completely
unaware of what was going on in the rest of the world. I was
overwhelmed when I started reading about the degradation of the
planet and about people who are less fortunate. Stuff like that
can make you feel helpless, so it's important that people realize
that each individual can make a difference. It's about everybody
getting involved.

Fernanda Motta

AGE: 22 PLACE OF BIRTH: Rio de Janeiro NOW LIVES IN: New York
City. MAJOR AD CAMPAIGNS: Pantene, Victoria's Secret SI RESUME:
This is Fernanda's debut in the Swimsuit Issue. CAN'T LEAVE HOME
WITHOUT: My cellphone and laptop. CURRENTLY PLAYING ON MY LAPTOP:
Plenty of hip-hop. I like Ja Rule, Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent.
DISCOVERED: At 16, by a modeling scout on Guarapari Beach, just
north of Rio. ROOTS FOR: Fluminense [a Brazilian soccer club]. MY
FAVORITE HOBBY: Shopping. BEST THING ABOUT MY HOMETOWN: Life is
really easy in Rio. Everybody works until four and then goes to
the beach. HOW DID YOU MEET YOUR HUSBAND? We were best friends
for a long time, like sister and brother. Then we got married. I
don't know what happened! IN 10 YEARS: I think I'll be a mother,
living in Brazil. And I would not mind selling something with my
name on it. QUOTE: I come from a big family. When everyone gets
together, there are maybe 100 people. It's like a concert--we
barbecue, play music, football and tennis. I'm the baby of my
family, which is good because everybody really cares about me. My
mother still calls me her "baby," and when I go back home, I
sleep on the floor in the same room with my father and mother. I
left home when I was young, so I like being close to them when I
am back home.

Carolyn Murphy

AGE: 30 PLACE OF BIRTH: Panama City, Fla. NOW LIVES IN: Malibu,
Calif. MAJOR AD CAMPAIGNS: Estee Lauder, Prada SI RESUME: This is
Carolyn's debut in the Swimsuit Issue. PERSON I'D MOST LIKE TO
MEET: Jane Goodall or Jacques Cousteau. ON MY HEADPHONES: I know
I'm going to sound dorky when I say this, but I'm listening to my
boyfriend's (Brandon Boyd, lead singer of rock band Incubus) new
album. It's good, I swear. WHAT ARE YOU READING? I have a couple
of different rooms in the house that are packed with books. I
collect rare first editions--I have the first edition of
Charlotte's Web. One of my favorite books is The Prophet by
Kahlil Gibran. That opened doors for me spiritually. QUOTE: My
priorities shifted three years ago when I had my daughter. Being
in the world of fashion you have to be very self-absorbed, and
you are surrounded by people who are very self-absorbed. Having a
child keeps you very grounded. So when I decided to have a child,
I made it clear to the people I work with that my job was no
longer my priority. I know that's not very common in our
industry, but my daughter comes first. Period.

Petra Nemcova

AGE: 25 PLACE OF BIRTH: Karvina, Czech Republic NOW LIVES IN: New
York City MAJOR AD CAMPAIGNS: Pantene, Max Factor, Cartier and La
Perla SI RESUME: This is Petra's fourth appearance (2001-03) in
the Swimsuit Issue. She appeared on the cover last year. ON MY
IPOD: Anything from hip-hop to Broadway show tunes. CURRENTLY
READING: Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist. It is such a beautiful
book that when I got to the last pages, I forced myself to read
only one part a day because I did not want it to end. FAVORITE
PHRASE IN MY NATIVE TONGUE: Slunicko Moje. It means "My
Sunshine." I always say this to my friends. PERSON I'D MOST LIKE
TO MEET: Audrey Hepburn, because she was a beautiful person who
helped people. IN 10 YEARS I'LL BE: I would love to be doing
something to help children. FOR FUN: I go scuba diving, read
books and walk in the forest. This year I finally had time to
cook. I'm really bad at it, but I love it. QUOTE: In the Czech
Republic I was called Kvetinka (Little Flower). Some version of
that has followed me everywhere. When I moved to Italy, they
called me Special Flower. Then I moved to Paris, and they just
called me le Fleur (the Flower).

Daniela Pestova

AGE: 33 PLACE OF BIRTH: Teplice, Czech Republic NOW LIVES IN: New
York City SI RESUME: This is Daniela's eighth appearance in the
Swimsuit Issue; she has been on the cover twice (1995, 2000)
MAJOR AD CAMPAIGNS: Victoria's Secret, H&M Lingerie, L'Oreal,
Guess. CURRENTLY LISTENING TO: All I hear is "Mommy!" from all
over the house [she has a seven-year-old son, Yanick, and an
18-month daughter, Ella], so I'm happy to tune in the radio while
taking them to school. ROOTS FOR: Unfortunately, I'm a New York
Rangers fan. IF I WEREN'T A MODEL I'D BE: An elementary school
teacher. MY PERFECT DAY: It's a Sunday morning--I get a cup of
coffee, a bagel, The New York Times, and I don't have to get up
to make everybody breakfast. The last time that happened? It
hasn't happened in seven years. YOU SPEAK SIX LANGUAGES--CZECH,
ENGLISH, ITALIAN, FRENCH, RUSSIAN AND SLOVAK. WHICH DO YOU PREFER
TO USE WHEN YOU'RE REALLY MAD? It's good to curse in English
because I can say things I would not say in my native language.
QUOTE: Being a mother is the only thing for which I kind of pat
myself on the back and say 'You do a good job.' My son
appreciates anything I prepare, which is very rewarding. I can
pour him glass of water and he'll say, "What a good glass of
water, Mom!"

Frankie Rayder

AGE: 29 PLACE OF BIRTH: River Falls, Wis. NOW LIVES IN: New York
City MAJOR AD CAMPAIGNS: Givenchy, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana,
Celine, the Gap SI RESUME: This is Frankie's DEBUT IN THE
SWIMSUIT ISSUE. Person I'd most like to meet: Brett Favre. IF I
WEREN'T A MODEL: I'd be a sportscaster ... but I'm afraid I'd
curse too much. I grew up watching the Final Four, and I'm a huge
Packers and Red Sox fan. BEST (NONMODELING) JOB: Detassling corn
for three summers for Jake Seeds in Wisconsin. ON MY HEADPHONES:
Talking Heads and sports radio. YOU HAD A CAMEO IN ZOOLANDER.
RATE YOURSELF AS AN ACTRESS: I would say a negative 50. Put a
motion picture camera in front of me, and I turn into a moron.
PETS: Zero. I couldn't have one of those yappy little model dogs.
I need a big dog. QUOTE: I feel most at home at a sports
bar--preferably Emma's Bar in River Falls--where I regularly risk
getting my butt kicked by rooting for the Red Sox. I don't
believe in the Curse, by the way. We lost this year because of a
bonehead play. Grady Little handed that game to the Yankees. And
don't get me started on Don Zimmer charging Pedro Martinez. Are
you going to let some fat, old bald guy beat you up because you
feel sorry for him? If there was a fat man coming at me, I'd push
him down too.

Molly Sims

AGE: 27 PLACE OF BIRTH: Murray, Ky. NOW LIVES IN: New York City
and Los Angeles MAJOR AD CAMPAIGNS: Cover Girl, Old Navy,
Victoria's Secret, M&M's SI RESUME: This is Molly's fifth
consecutive appearance in the Swimsuit Issue. ON MY IPOD: Sarah
McLachlan and 3 Doors Down. THE BEST THING ABOUT MURRAY, KY.: You
can eat at the Cracker Barrel for $24--and that's for a family of
four! IF I WERE NOT A MODEL: I'd be a defense attorney. YOU PLAY
DELINDA DELINE ON THE NBC DRAMA LAS VEGAS. HOW ARE YOU LIKE YOUR
CHARACTER? Like her, I'm fun, happy, crazy ... and a little
manipulative. TEN YEARS FROM NOW: I see myself making breakfast
for my two babies before heading out to a yoga class. Then I'm
working on a set for a couple of hours before coming home to make
dinner for my husband. QUOTE: People ask if I was surprised I got
the part in Las Vegas. Surprised is an understatement--I'm pretty
green as an actress. So much of it is luck and being in the right
place at the right time. It's been a great transition for me,
though. I did modeling. I did hosting [MTV's House of Style]. Now
I'm acting.

Veronica Varekova

AGE: 26 PLACE OF BIRTH: Olomouc, Czech Republic NOW LIVES IN: New
York City MAJOR AD CAMPAIGNS: Guess, Nivea, Pantene and
Victoria's Secret SI RESUME: This is Veronica's fifth appearance
(1999-2002) in the Swimsuit Issue. MY BIGGEST VICE: Every now and
then I pick up a cigarette. I wish I wouldn't. PERSON I WOULD
LIKE TO MEET: Charlie Rose. IF I WEREN'T A MODEL I'D BE: A
painter. I plan to go back to school and study art history. ON MY
IPOD: Sinead O'Connor and Crowded House. BEST (NONMODELING) JOB:
Being a pain in the butt. I've never had to work before. QUOTE: I
am nervous about my wedding. (She and the New York Rangers' Petr
Nedved [see page 210] are planning a July wedding in Prague.) I
think we're both nervous because it requires so much planning and
we haven't even started yet. He proposed to me on the Charles
Bridge in Prague. It's one of the most famous bridges in central
Europe, and it's beautiful. Anybody who walks across it feels for
a moment that they are in a magic place because it connects two
old parts of the town. TEN YEARS FROM NOW: I see myself living in
a house, maybe in Italy or Prague, with a little baby running
around me. A very easy life. It's not going to be Hollywood for
me, darling.

Jessica Van Der Steen

AGE: 20 PLACE OF BIRTH: Antwerp, Belgium NOW LIVES IN: Antwerp
Major ad campaign: Clarins SI RESUME: This is Jessica's debut in
the Swimsuit Issue. PERSON I'D MOST LIKE TO MEET: Heidi Klum.
BEST (NONMODELING) JOB: Ball girl at the age of seven for the
Royal Antwerp Football Club. IF I WEREN'T A MODEL: I'd have a
clothing shop. ROOTS FOR: The Real Madrid soccer club. I really
like David Beckham and Ronaldo. SPEAKS: Flemish, and I'm learning
English. I'm taking Berlitz classes, but it is difficult. I learn
from TV too--I watch Friends a lot. I was discovered: In a
shopping mall in Antwerp when I was 14. There was a big modeling
competition going on, and I was in the audience. A woman for the
modeling agency saw me and asked me to enter. I came in second,
and the agency sent me to Milan for a month. Things went very
fast after that. IN 10 YEARS: I would like to have a nice man,
children and a nice house. Maybe I will move to Montana or
someplace else in America where there are horses. QUOTE: When I
was growing up, my mom always told me I looked like Miss Piggy
from the Muppets because I was totally not photogenic. She'd tell
me, "You look like a boy." Then a real good photographer took
pictures of me, and they were very nice. Now I no longer look
like a boy.

Jessica White

AGE: 19 PLACE OF BIRTH: Buffalo NOW LIVES IN: New York City MAJOR
AD CAMPAIGNS: Tommy Hilfiger, Polo and Chloe SI RESUME: This is
Jessica's second appearance (2003) in the Swimsuit Issue. PERSON
I'D MOST LIKE TO MEET: Halle Berry, because I really admire her
for accomplishing everything that I hope to accomplish one day.
MY BIGGEST VICE IS: Chocolate, but I'm not trying to break that
habit! ON MY HEADPHONES: Old rhythm and blues groups like Martha
and the Vandellas and the Temptations. CAN'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT:
Praying ... and I know this may sound a little shallow, but my
lip gloss. IN 10 YEARS? I'll be married, probably be a mother,
and have 10 movies and an Academy Award under my belt. Maybe I'll
have even written a few books. I dream big. ROOTS FOR: L.A.
Lakers QUOTE: I love Buffalo. It's cold but it's also warm. Not
the weather, of course, but with my family there, I feel warm
when I'm there. And it's not like New York City, which is very
busy. People are a little more open in Buffalo. I come back
whenever I can, and when I'm in town people will ask me, "Why are
you here?" I tell them, "My family's here, and I'll always be
true to Buffalo."

TEN COLOR PHOTOS: DIANE SMITH

COLOR PHOTO: STEVEN ATURO

TWO COLOR PHOTOS: VICKY STECKEL

COLOR PHOTO: JEFF OLSON

THREE COLOR PHOTOS: STEWART SHINING

COLOR PHOTO: WALTER IOOSS JR.