Josie Maran

About Josie Maran

Johanna Selhorst "Josie" Maran, born on May 8, 1978, is a model and actress hailing from Menlo Park, San Francisco, California. She received her education at Castilleja School, a private all-girls institution in Palo Alto. Maran launched her modeling career at the young age of 12, after being discovered by an agent while dining at a local barbecue restaurant and began modeling part-time. She graduated from Castilleja School and decided to pursue the modeling profession with greater dedication. Due to her height of 5'6", which some in the fashion world consider short for runway work, Maran primarily engages in editorial and advertising modeling.

At 17, she signed with the Elite modeling agency in Los Angeles and graced her first cover of Glamour magazine in 1998. Maran also starred as the featured Guess? Girl in their summer and fall campaigns that same year. Over the years, she built an impressive portfolio consisting of over 25 commercials and ad campaigns, including a memorable appearance as Howie D's love interest in the Backstreet Boys' music video "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)," where she was playfully bitten by Count Dracula, portrayed by Howie D. She later relocated to New York City to work with Elite.

In 1999, Maran secured a multi-year contract with Maybelline and appeared in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue from 2000 to 2002. Additionally, she is represented by London’s Storm Model Management and New York’s 1/One Management. An ardent arts enthusiast, Maran also dedicates her time to various forms of training, including dance, violin, and speech classes, as she desires to expand her artistic abilities. Her musical pursuits led her to play in two bands: Darling, alongside socialite Nicole Richie, and Hollywood 2000, where she provided vocals and played the violin.

Maran made her acting debut in the independent film The Mallory Effect in 2001, portraying the lead role of Mallory. She continued her film work with a role as Susan in Swatters (2002) and in 2004 appeared in three movies: as a French model in Little Black Book, as one of Dracula's brides, Marishka, in Van Helsing, and briefly as a cigarette girl in The Aviator. In 2005, she starred with Wentworth Miller in a short film titled "The Confession" and portrayed Kira Hayden in The Gravedancers in 2006. Originally cast as Polly Hudson in The Final Season, set for release in 2007, Maran's role ultimately went to Rachael Leigh Cook. In 2005, she was featured as a key character in the video game Need for Speed: Most Wanted, as Mia Townsend, who assists the main character throughout the game.

In June 2007, she launched her own line of natural cosmetics,