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Biography

Chances are that by the time you saw model-turned-actress Devon Aoki step behind the wheel in 2 Fast 2 Furious you were already asking yourself, "where have I seen that face before?" With an impressive modeling background that has included campaigns for such world-famous designers as Chanel and Versace -- not to mention appearances on the covers of Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and Interview -- the answer to that question could be one of many. A seemingly ubiquitous presence in the world of modeling in the millennial changeover, Aoki has since gone on to craft an impressive career onscreen as well thanks to roles in such high-profile Hollywood features as the aforementioned Fast and the Furious sequel, the high-school secret agent comedy D.E.B.S., and director Robert Rodriguez's Sin City.

Devon Aoki was born in New York City to Benihana restaurant founder Rocky Aoki and Anglo-Bavarian jewelry designer Pamela Hilburger; the Aoki family subsequently settled briefly on the West Coast before returning back East when young Devon was 13 years old. It was shortly after their return to New York that Aoki was spotted by a photographer while attending a Rancid concert, and following a move to London shortly thereafter, Aoki's modeling career skyrocketed. A hot property on both the magazine scene and the runway circuit, Aoki soon began considering other means by which to expand her career. Already comfortable in front of the camera and a big fan of the movies, Aoki convinced filmmakers to give her a shot at the big screen, and despite the fact that she didn't have a driver's license and had never driven a car, the striking young model was soon cast in director John Singleton's 2 Fast 2 Furious. A role as a brainy schoolgirl who joins an elite national-defense group in D.E.B.S. was quick to follow in 2004, and the following year Aoki used the very sword that Uma Thurman wielded in the Kill Bill saga to air out Oscar-winner Benicio Del Toro in the brutally violent and visually vibrant comic book film Sin City. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Devon Aoki

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Devon Aoki

Devon Aoki, 2008
Born Devon Edwenna Aoki
(1982-08-10) August 10, 1982 (age 29)
New York City, New York, U.S.
Occupation Actress, Model
Height 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Hair color Light brown
Eye color Hazel
Measurements 33-23-33 in
84-58.5-84 cm
Dress size (US) 4; (EU) 34
Manager One Model Management New York, d-Management Milan and City Paris

Devon Edwenna Aoki (born August 10, 1982) is an American supermodel and actress.

Contents

Early life

Aoki was born in New York City, New York, and grew up in California and London, attending high school at The American School in London. Her Japanese father, Hiroaki "Rocky" Aoki, a former Olympic wrestler, was the founder of the Benihana restaurant chain and owned it until his death on July 10, 2008. Her mother, Pamela Hilburger, is a jewelry designer and a painter of German and English heritage.[1]

Aoki was discovered in New York at a Rancid concert she had gatecrashed.[citation needed] She started modeling when she was 13, the same year Aoki was introduced by her godmother to Kate Moss, who would later take the young model under her wing. She was signed to Storm Model Management at age 14. In 1998, at the age of 16, Aoki replaced Naomi Campbell as the face of Versace.[2]

Career

Aoki has modeled for the fashion houses Lancôme, Chanel, Versace, despite her relatively short height for a runway model. Aoki has done ad campaigns for Chanel Ready-to-Wear, Chanel Couture by Karl Lagerfeld, Versace by Steven Meisel, YSL by Juergen Teller, Alessandro Dell'Acqua, Hugo Boss, Moschino, Ungaro, Fendi, Junko Shimada by Bettina Kimenda, Baby Phat by Kimora Lee Simmons, Lancome, Tiffanys and co.

Early on in her career Aoki made cameo appearances in several music videos, including Duran Duran's "Electric Barbarella", Primal Scream's "Kowalski" (with Kate Moss), Elton John's "Something About the Way You Look Tonight"and, later, in Ludacris' "Act a Fool". Music from this video was featured in the soundtrack of 2 Fast 2 Furious, in which both Ludacris and Aoki appeared. In 2007, she made an appearance in The Killers' video "Bones". Aoki has made a cameo appearance in the short films accompanying the Sean Lennon album, Friendly Fire. She also played Anna in 'Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Undead.

Her acting career includes films like 2 Fast 2 Furious, D.E.B.S., Sin City, Dead or Alive, War and Mutant Chronicles. She did not have her driver's license prior to filming 2 Fast 2 Furious and had to learn to drive during filming.[3]

Aoki has joined L.A.'s International Creative Management for representation and The Firm for management.

Aoki has been on the cover of I-D magazine three times. She was also the face of Lancome cosmetics for four years. Aoki posed for renowned Singaporean photographer Leslie Kee for Kee's 2006 charity photo-book "Super Stars", dedicated to the victims of the 2004 Asian tsunami disaster, which consists of photographs of 300 Asian celebrities by Kee. The same year, Aoki posed for photographer Marc Baptiste’s book Nudes wearing a dress.

In September 2007, it was announced she was designing a jeans line for Levi's, although the line was only available in Asia.[4]

Aoki made a return to the runway, walking for the Chanel Pre-Fall 2008 show in London and the couture show in Paris where she was the bride. She is signed to 1/One Management New York, d-Management (Milan), and City (Paris).

Personal life

Aoki lives on her own in Los Angeles. Her hobbies include writing poetry, playing the drums and tending to her two pet snakes. Her half-brother, Steve Aoki, is a Los Angeles DJ and the founder of Dim Mak Records.

As of January 2011, Aoki is engaged to James Bailey.[5] She gave birth to their first child, Hunter, in June 2011.[6]

Filmography

Year Title Role
2003 Death of a Dynasty Picasso
2 Fast 2 Furious Suki
2004 D.E.B.S. Dominique
2005 Sin City Miho
2006 Sean Lennon's Friendly Fire a Mermaid (Wait For Me)
DOA: Dead or Alive Kasumi
2007 War Kira Yanagawa
2008 Mutant Chronicles Valerie Duval
2009 Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Undead Anna
2013 Sin City: A Dame To Kill For Miho

References

External links


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Mentioned in

Mutant Chronicles (2008 Science Fiction Film)
D.E.B.S. (2004 Comedy Film)
DOA: Dead or Alive (2007 Action Film)
Sin City (2005 Crime Film)