Heidi Samuel (nee Klum) (German pronunciation: [ˈklʊm], born June 1, 1973) is a German model who is an actress, television host, business woman, fashion designer, television producer, artist, and occasional singer. She is married to singer Seal.
Early life and discovery:Heidi was raised by her parents: Günther, a cosmetics-company executive; and Erna, a hairdresser; in Bergisch Gladbach, West Germany, a small city outside Cologne. A friend persuaded her to enroll in a national modeling contest called "Model 92". Out of 25,000 contestants, Klum was voted the winner on April 29, 1992 and offered a modeling contract worth US$300,000 by Thomas Zeumer, CEO of Metropolitan Models New York.
As the winner, she appeared on the Gottschalk Late Night Show, a top German television show with host Thomas Gottschalk. She accepted the contract a few months later after graduating from school and decided not to try for an apprentice position at a fashion design school. 
Acting and modeling:Klum has been on the cover of fashion magazines, including Vogue, ELLE and Marie Claire. She became known after appearing on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and for her work with Victoria's Secret as an "Angel." In addition to working with world class photographers on her Sports Illustrated shoots, she was the object and subject of Joanne Gair body painting works in several editions from 1999 to 2006. She wrote the foreword to Gair's book of body paint work.
She was a spokesmodel for McDonald's, Braun, H & M, and Liz Claiborne, among others. She is currently a celebrity spokesmodel for Jordache and Volkswagen. In addition to modeling, she has appeared in several TV shows, including Spin City, Sex and the City, Yes, Dear, and How I Met Your Mother. She had a role as an ill-tempered hair model in the movie Blow Dry, played a giantess in the movie Ella Enchanted and was cast as Ursula Andress in The Life and Death of Peter Sellers. She had cameo appearances in The Devil Wears Prada and Perfect Stranger.
In July 2007, having earned $8 million in the previous 12 months, Klum was named by Forbes as third on the list of the World's 15 Top-Earning Supermodels. In 2008, Forbes estimated her income at $14 million, putting Klum in second place. For 2009, Forbes estimated her income at $16 million. Klum is signed to IMG Models in New York City.
Personal life:Klum married stylist Ric Pipino in 1997; the couple divorced in 2002. Following the divorce, she dated Flavio Briatore. In the autumn of 2003, Klum announced she was pregnant by Briatore. The same day she made this announcement, Briatore was photographed kissing Fiona Swarovski, a jewelry heiress. Klum and Briatore split shortly thereafter.
Klum gave birth to her first child, Helene "Leni" Boshoven Klum on May 4, 2004 in New York City, New York. According to Klum, Briatore, Leni's biological father, is not involved in the child's life; she has stated emphatically that "Seal is Leni's father." 
In early 2004, while still pregnant, Klum began a relationship with musician Seal. Klum and Seal married on May 10, 2005, on a beach in Mexico. They have three biological children together: sons Henry Gunther Ademola Dashtu Samuel (born September 15, 2005) and Johan Riley Fyodor Taiwo Samuel (born November 22, 2006) and daughter Lou Sulola Samuel (born October 9, 2009). 
On hearing her family referred to as a "patchwork family," Klum said, "I'm not white, I'm a shade of brown," and added, "We're all different shades and we came together and we all love each other...it's actually kind of nice to have a 'patchwork family'." 
