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Joanna Krupa Profile |
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Birth Date: April 23, 1981
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Birth Place: Warsaw, Poland
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Birth Name: Joanna Krupa
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Height: 5'7"
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Biography |
Joanna Krupa was born April 23, 1981, in Warsaw, Poland. The
daughter of prominent hotelier Steven Krupa, she and her
family moved to Chicago's Westside -- a huge Polish
community -- when she was only 5 years old. "I grew up with
the Polish food and even went to a Polish school for six
years," she recalls. "We followed our Polish traditions."
In addition to keeping in touch with her roots, Joanna also
followed her showbiz aspirations, keeping busy with ballet
and tap dancing classes. Following high school, Joanna
enrolled at a local community college in nearby Lombard,
Illinois. Despite her best intentions, she didn't stay there
long. "I was miserable," she now admits in retrospect. "I
wasn't that into school, because I always knew I wanted to
go to work." Deciding higher education wasn't for her,
Joanna left for the bright lights of L.A. to pursue a career
in modeling.
Joanna's move proved to be an immediate success as she
quickly began to build her portfolio with a number of
high-profile modeling assignments. "The jobs started coming
in and I got the right people around me," she says modestly.
Lucrative contracts for brands such as Skechers, Izod and Le
Coup soon followed as Joanna continued to assert herself on
the scene. "I worked my butt off," she admits. She also
showed it off -- repeatedly.
"The first time I did a sexy photo shoot, I was nervous that
all the girls in America would hate me for it and think I
was letting them down," she says. "It's really nice when a
woman comes up to me and says, 'Oh, I loved your picture in
such and such.'"
Joanna's modeling work naturally led to film and television
opportunities and, in 2000, she starred in an episode of the
Baywatch parody, Son of the Beach. Additional appearances on
The X Show and a small cameo in Tim Burton's Planet of the
Apes followed in 2001.
In 2002, Joanna continued her transition to TV by accepting
a year-long recurring role as a Juggy Dancer on Comedy
Central's The Man Show. "I knew it wasn't me," she admits,
"but they didn't make me feel degraded so it was actually
kind of fun. I dressed up in costumes and danced around to
music. But every job and every experience helps you get
something else and has a reason. Even though it was stupid,
it gave me a little bit of recognition."
That recognition and additional television experience helped
Joanna to advance to the semi-finals of Star Search's
spokesmodel competition in 2003. As exciting as her showing
may have been, it also proved to be somewhat disorienting.
"That period when I first left Star Search was hard," she
says. "I remember having to do a photoshoot with a really
famous photographer and I didn't know if I was coming or
going. Part of me still felt like a really young girl."
Nonetheless, that "young girl" was now jetting around the
world and appearing on magazine covers with increasing
regularity. Joanna became a familiar face to readers of
publications like FHM, Stuff, Men's Fitness, Trump World,
and many more.
Joanna built on her Star Search success in 2004 with an
appearance in the hit television series Las Vegas, as well
as a starring role in the David Carradine action film Max
Havoc: Curse of the Dragon. "At first I was scared to do a
major role," she admits, "but the scariest part was when I
found out they were giving me a lead role! It gave me more
confidence in my acting ability because I got good feedback
and was comfortable with the role."
Joanna's greatest exposure was yet to come, however, as the
Polish beauty appeared in the July 2005 issue of Play..boy.
TV Media -- a prominent Austrian men's magazine -- also
named her Model of the Year. Perhaps just as important,
Joanna also fell in love as she began dating Smallville
actor Jensen Ackles. "He's so not Hollywood and not into
being a star," Joanna raves. "He's absolutely amazing. I've
never been more attracted to anyone in my life."
Joanna was casted in major roles in the drama Ripple Effect
(2006), the horror film Skinner Box (2006) and the offbeat
comedy The Dog Problem (2006), starring Scott Caan and Don
Cheadle.
"I want to be in this business as long as I can and I want
to make smart decisions," she says. "Obviously right now I'm
gonna concentrate on modeling and traveling, and doing the
movies. I just want to be like a Brigitte Bardot, somebody
who has been in the business for a long time, somebody that
people will respect 20 years down the line, that would be my
goal." |
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Other
Information |
Was raised in Chicago, now lives in California.
Model.
Has a younger sister, Marta Krupa.
Has two dogs, Mickey and Jezzabelle
Named #78 on the Maxim magazine "Hot 100 of 2005" list. |
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