Shortly after, Lima moved to New York City, and eventually moved on from Ford, signing with Elite Model Management. Her early career consisted mostly of fashion editorial work (with early appearances in international editions of Vogue and Marie Claire in 1997/1998), as well as runway work (Christian Lacroix, Valentino, and others). Lima's first big break came when she was featured in a Vassarette billboard in Times Square. Her print career followed, and like many other famous names (Claudia Schiffer, Laetitia Casta, Eva Herzigova), Lima became a GUESS? Girl in their 2000 Costanoa and has face campaign.

Lima continued to build upon her entry, doing more print work (Maybelline, bebe, Mossimo, BCBG) and gracing the cover and editorials of more high fashion magazines (Harper's Bazaar, ELLE). Probably best known for her Victoria's Secret work and Angel status (along with Heidi Klum and Gisele Bündchen), Lima first graced the VS runway in 2000, and was the show opener for the 2003 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.

In 2001 Adriana Lima starred in BMW Films short, The Follow alongside actors Mickey Rourke, Clive Owen, and Forest Whitaker. In the film, Owen's character is hired to follow Lima's, who is suspected of cheating on her famous husband, played by Rourke. The film had a runtime of 8:47 including credits, was written by Andrew Kevin Walker, and directed by Wong Kar-Wai. Even though her performance received rave reveiws and she was offered other big parts for movies such as Kill Bill, Terminator III, and The Matrix Revolutions Lima made it clear that acting is not her priority and that she only did The Follow because it was a short film.

Adriana Lima is currently one of the most respected and in demand models in the buisness and is the third highest paid model in the world (behind Gisele Bunchen and Kate Moss). She is currently represented by New York's DNA Models, Brazil's Elite Models and the European Ford Models.

Lima has has been romantically linked to celebrities in this past, including a rumored engagement with rocker Lenny Kravitz and Major League Baseball player Derek Jeter. She is currently known to be dating Prince André Wenzeslaus of Liechtenstein. This relationship has been a relatively "hot" topic for the society spy columns and celebrity watchers, specifically Page 6, New York Post and Hola! online magazine.

Lima revealed in the April 2006 cover feature of GQ magazine that, because of her Catholic beliefs, she was still a virgin.

Lima gained a massive amount of fame in Italy after her mega contract with the Italian cellphone carrier TIM grew very popular. In total it earned her 6 million dollars and she has said she is not able to walk down the street in Italy:

"It's insane! Some people ask me for my autograph and a picture, but mostly they will follow me around. They follow me into bathrooms! They lack subtlety as well. Rome is the worst, I've had a group of about 30 people and then a load of photographers surround me in a circle while I'm trying to [walk] with André."

Lima does charitable work helping with an orphanage, "Caminhos da Luz" (Ways of Light), located in her hometown. She helps with construction to expand the orphanage, and buys clothes for poor children in Salvador, Bahia.

Source:Wikipedia

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