Johanna Selhorst Maran aka Josie biography

Real biography: Model and actress Josie Maran is so beautiful, she even makes an ugly middle name like “Selhorst” seem sweet.

Life Story

Born Johanna Selhorst Maran in Bay area ’hood Menlo Park, Josie began modeling at age 12, after a woman at a barbecue asked her to be in a fashion show (sure, that old line). Since then, Josie has used her Russian/Polish/Dutch/French/German awesomeness to land on the cover of magazines like Glamour (firstly in 1998), appear in tiny bikinis for Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue (2000-2002) and help sell jeans, makeup and panties for Guess?, Maybelline and Victoria’s Secret.Crossing over to moving pictures, Josie played the title character in the 2002 indie The Mallory Effect—which is not, as we initially suspected, the story of Justine Bateman’s character on Family Ties from the perspective of awkward neighbor Skippy. Before, during and after a long-term relationship with magician David Blaine (are you thinking what we’re thinking?...She was so lucky!), Josie has had smaller roles in movies like Van Helsing (Kate Beckinsale), Little Black Book (Brittany Murphy, Holly Hunter) and The Aviator (Gwen Stefani). In 2006, she ran from axe-wielding ghosts in the horror film The Gravedancers (Clare Kramer). And speaking of dancing, Josie has been in two half-assed rock bands, Darling (with Nicole Richie) and Hollywood 2000 (without Nicole Richie). Apart from appearing in movies, she was recruited by EA Games to appear as a main character in the street-racing computer and video game, Need for Speed: Most Wanted, which was released on November 17, 2005. She plays the game's second lead Mia Townsend, who guides the lead character through the game.

These days, Josie has sort of put the whole acting thing aside. She’s teaching kids in Hawaii (and raising her daughter, Rumi Joon Alborzi, with photographer boyfriend Ali Alborzi). We see this as a good thing; anybody who looks that good in a swimsuit belongs in Hawaii. Well, either there or our apartment.