Born | Vanessa Cornejo Urbieta May 5 1982 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Residence | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Education | Marina High School |
Occupation | Model |
Years active | 1999–present |
Height | 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) |
Spouse | Kobe Bryant (m. 2001) |
Children | 3 |
Website | Vanessa Bryant Instagram |
Vanessa Marie Bryant (born Vanessa Cornejo Urbieta, formerly Laine; May 5, 1982) is an American model, video vixen, business woman and is the wife of former Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant. Beginning her career as a teenager, Bryant has appeared in numerous television music videos.
Biography
Bryant was born Vanessa Cornejo Urbieta; her name was legally changed to Vanessa Laine in 2000 when she took her step-dad's last name even though he never adopted her. After she got married she changed her name to Vanessa Marie Bryant. Her mother, Sofia Urbieta, formerly Laine; who is of Mexican and Irish ancestry was married to Stephen Laine, but filed for divorced in July of 2002. She has an older sister Sophie. Her parents divorced when Bryant was three years old. Her mother raised her daughters alone in Orange County while attending two jobs.
Bryant and her family lived in Anaheim and Temecula before moving to West Garden Grove. Bryant graduated from St. Boniface Parochial School in 1996, and was a member of the varsity cheerleading squad. Bryant attended Marina High School using her ex-stepfather’s dad’s home address. She graduated with honors in 2000 and graduated with her class.
Personal Life
In 1999, she met her future husband Kobe Bryant. Their relationship continued while she was still a senior at Marina High School. She completed high school via home program due to the pandemonium with her dating Kobe Bryant.
On April 18, 2001, 18-year-old Vanessa married Kobe Bryant at St. Edward Roman Catholic Church, in Dana Point, California. Kobe’s parents were not on the list of guests invited to attend the wedding. The couple have three daughters: Natalia Diamante (b. 2003), Gianna Maria-Onore (b. 2006), and Bianka Bella (b. 2016). In April 2005, Vanessa suffered a miscarriage due to an ectopic pregnancy.
On December 16, 2011, she filed for divorce from her husband of 10 years Kobe Bryant citing irreconcilable differences, and requested joint custody of her daughters. On January 11, 2013, both announced via social media that they had called off their divorce.