Selita Ebanks (born 17 February 1983) is a Cayman-born fashion model and actress. Ebanks has worked for high fashion brands Neiman Marcus and Ralph Lauren, and appeared in magazines such as the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, Vogue, and Glamour, but she is best known for her work with Victoria's Secret, as one of the brand's "Angels" from 2005 to early 2009.
Early life
Born of African descent to a Jamaican father and a Caymanian mother in George Town, Grand Cayman, Ebanks was raised in a large family that included seven brothers. Her family, her mother in particular, encouraged her development through extracurricular programs. She moved to the United States and settled on Staten Island, where she graduated from Curtis High School. She was accepted by Columbia University and New York University, but instead chose to pursue modeling. In 2000, at the age of 17, while walking through the turnstiles at Six Flags Great Adventure, Ebanks was scouted by an agent from Elite Model Management.
Career
Modeling
Ebanks made her debut in February 2001 at the fall show for Tuleh. After working for the likes of Catherine Malandrino, James Coviello, Abercrombie & Fitch, and DKNY, she signed a contract with Victoria's Secret in 2005.
Ebanks first modeled for Victoria's Secret for their Ipex Bra line, before being signed as an Angel. She and Izabel Goulart made their major débuts in the 2005 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, working as an Angel until 2008. In 2005, Tyra Banks said she was proud of Ebanks to be representing black women at Victoria's Secret.
In 2007, Ebanks was selected to wear the "Very Sexy" Holiday Fantasy Bra Set with a price tag of $4,500,000 dollars that contains diamonds, emeralds, rubies and yellow sapphiresâ€"which she wore in the Victoria's Secret "Christmas Dreams and Fantasies 2007" catalogue. She also wore the fantasy bra set during the Victoria's Secret fashion show on December 4, 2007.
Ebanks made a special guest appearance on How I Met Your Mother (episode: "The Yips") on 26 November 2007 with her fellow Victoria's Secret supermodels (Miranda Kerr, Heidi Klum, Adriana Lima, Marisa Miller, and Alessandra Ambrosio).
According to Forbes, Ebanks ranked the twelfth highest paid supermodel for 2008, earning $2.7 million.
She appeared in Sports Illustrated's 2007 Swimsuit Issue. She is now a reoccurring character in BET's Husband's of Hollywood where she plays the love interest of comedian Kevin Hart.
Beyond modeling
Ebanks appeared on the third season of Celebrity Apprentice, but was fired in week 5 on April 11, 2010, placing 9th. Previously, she recorded music and appeared on the UPN-series South Beach.
She is featured in The-Dream's music video for the single "Make Up Bag", as well as Kanye West's 2010 short film Runaway, playing a fallen phoenix with whom West's character falls in love.
Ebanks also appeared in a commercial for State Farm Insurance alongside actor/model Mehcad Brooks.
Ebanks also has her own line of swimwear,accessories and shoes called Sass which stands for Selita's Accessories Shoes and Swimwear. The line was seen on the BET Rip The Runway 2012 which she hosted alongside Pooch Hall.
Personal life
Ebanks has run her own talent school "Stardom Youth Foundation" since 2004 in her hometown Cayman Islands, providing career guidance for teenagers.
She also formed a charity organization, "Women’s Coalition for Empowerment and Opportunity", after a trip to Sierra Leone in 2008. The organization helps to support women’s educational and professional programs in the civil war-torn African nation.
She was engaged to comedian Nick Cannon for five months.
Filmography
References
External links
- Official website
- Selita Ebanks at the Fashion Model Directory
- Selita Ebanks on Internet Movie Database
