Devon Aoki Bio

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

Devon Aoki: 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 American father, Rocky Aoki, a former Olympic wrestler, was the founder and owner of the Benihana restaurant chain until his death on July 10, 2008. Her mother, Pamela Hilburger, is a jewelry designer of German and English heritage.

Aoki was discovered in New York at a Rancid concert she had gatecrashed. 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 Devon under her wing. She was signed onto Storm Model Management at age 14.

In 1998, at the age of 16, Devon replaced Naomi Campbell as the face of Versace. An A-grade student at school, Devon chose not to go on to college, believing that working and traveling offered her a "broader and deeper education" than a degree.

Devon Aoki: Career

Aoki has modeled for the fashion houses Lancí´me, Chanel, and Versace. Aoki is 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) - an almost unheard of height for runway models, who are usually at least 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) height. Aoki has done ad campaigns for Chanel Ready to Wear, Chanel Couture by Karl Lagerfeld, Versace by Steven Meisel, YSL by Juergen Teller, Alessandro Del Aqua, Hugo Boss, Moschino, Ungaro, Fendi, Junko Shimada by Bettina Kimenda and Baby Phat by Kimora Lee Simmons.

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", Ginuwine's "In Those Jeans" video and, later, in Ludacris' "Act a Fool". Music from this video was featured in the soundtrack of 2 Fast 2 Furious, which Ludacris and Aoki both appeared in. In 2006, she made an appearance in The Killers' video "Bones". Aoki has made a cameo appearance in the short films accompanying the new 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.

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 jeans line for Levi's, although the line was only available in Asia.

Aoki recently made a return to the runway, walking for the Chanel Pre-Fall 2008 show in London. She is signed to 1/One Management New York (owned by her mother), d-Management Milan, and City Paris.

Devon Aoki: Personal Life

Aoki lives on her own in Los Angeles, and keeps her personal life private. She is interested in writing poetry, playing the drums and hanging out with her two pet snakes. In 2006, Aoki's father, Hiroaki Aoki, sued four of his seven children for attempting to take control of the companies he founded. Devon, uninvolved in the family business, was not one of the four. Her half-brother, Steve Aoki, is a Los Angeles DJ and the founder of Dim Mak Records. Aoki also has three sisters-Ellie, Grace, and Echo-and three other brothers-Kyle, Kevin, and Cole Price.