Elsa Benítez

Elsa Benítez (born on December 8, 1977 in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico) is a Mexican model perhaps best known for her appearances in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, including appearing on the cover in 2001.

Career

Benítez participated in the 1992 Ford Supermodel of the World contest, finishing as a semifinalist. She rose to prominence after being chosen by photographer Steven Meisel and being featured many times in the American and Italian editions of Vogue for Meisel's layouts.

In 1996, she appeared on the cover of Vogue (Italy) three times, for the April, August and September covers. She has also appeared on the covers of ELLE, Glamour, Mademoiselle, Harper's Bazaar, and Marie Claire. Benítez has also done advertising campaign work for Dolce & Gabbana, Macy's, Episode, I-N-C, J.Crew, Óscar de la Renta, Rena Lange, Nine West, Valentino, and Jones New York, and has modeled for Victoria's Secret. Benítez appeared in the 1999 Pirelli Calendar that featured "Women Through the Decades."

She also appeared in Enrique Iglesias' music video "Love to See You Cry" in 2002. In 2003, she appeared in the ad for the perfume MahoraGuerlain, which was shot by Bruno Aveillan.

Benítez was selected to be on the cover of the 2001 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. She has appeared in the Swimsuit Edition five times since her debut in the magazine. Benítez was one of the judges for the Miss Universe 2004 competition. In the 2004 issue, Sports Illustrated reported Benítez's story of nearly boarding the doomed TWA Flight 800–a Boeing 747 that exploded over the Atlantic soon after takeoff.

On July 2009, Benitez was officially announced to be the host of Mexico's Next Top Model.

Personal life

She married former NBA player, Rony Seikaly, 12 years her senior, in September 1999, and she filed for divorce in August 2005. They have one daughter together, Mila, born February 2003. In April 2007, she started dating Italian movie producer Valerio Morabito.

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