American model, social media influencer, and burgeoning actress Christen Harper, garnered considerable media spotlight upon entering a relationship with Jared Goff, the American Football quarterback for the Detroit Lions in the National Football League (NFL). The couple became engaged in 2022. In 2021, she gained recognition as the co-winner of the annual Sports Illustrated Swim Search, and subsequently graced the pages of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue.
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Early Life and Family
Christen Harper, born on 28 May 1993, in Valencia, California, is the daughter of Michael and Daria Harper. Her older brother, Shane Harper, is a professional ice hockey player with experience in the American Hockey League and the National Hockey League, as well as representing Russia and Sweden.
She was a cheerleader, but not particularly into sports. However, due to her brother’s involvement, she often found herself immersed in the sports world, reluctantly attending hockey games and completing homework in the car en route to those events. Hailing from Southern California, she supported the Kings but cheered for her brother as he played for different teams. In a 2016 Instagram post, she extended her congratulations to Shane on his NHL debut, expressing her joy in witnessing him achieve his dreams and pursue his passion.
With a four-year age gap, Shane played the role of an exceptional big brother in her life. As they grew older, he became increasingly protective of her, displaying brotherly concern when it came to the way she dressed, and her interactions with his friends, wanted or not!
Education
Christen earned her bachelor’s degree from California State University, Northridge in 2015.
Career
Christen began her modeling career at the age of nine and continued until she turned 14, at which point she ‘sized out’—no longer fitting into the standard sample sizes. She describes this period as a tough lesson to grasp at such a young age. Recalling a specific shoot, she remembers the discomfort of having the back of her pants cut open and held together with safety pins because they didn’t fit. Walking around the set all day with these open pants was not only uncomfortable but also embarrassing.
According to Christen, her re-hiring wasn’t solely based on being ‘cute’; she was valued for her niceness, agreeable nature, and for efficiently handling tasks on set without complaining; she’d been conditioned to adopt this approach in life. However, as she matured, she realized that she had the right to have a voice and say no to certain situations. This realization has given her the confidence and power to feel good about herself, beyond her physical appearance.
In 2014, Christen became a part of LA Model Management, the largest modeling agency on the West Coast. Renowned for its personalized approach, LA Models actively engages with the journeys of aspiring models, promptly assessing their potential for success. This pivotal move marked a promising start to Christen’s modeling career. By the end of the year, she reflected on an amazing journey, filled with a profound sense of accomplishment, love, and immense happiness.
Building on this momentum, Christen Harper extended her professional reach by joining Wilhelmina Models, a globally recognized modeling and talent agency. Her career continued to ascend as she graced magazine spreads and was featured in prominent ad campaigns, further solidifying her position in the competitive world of modeling.
Made it to Sports Illustrated
Being featured in Sports Illustrated had always been a dream of Christen’s. She was in high school when she first laid hands on the magazine, distinctly remembering seeing Kate Upton, one of the iconic models featured in it. She was inspired by Kate’s confidence and looked up to her, finding in her everything she aspired to be at that time. In high school, she felt insecure and uncertain about her life’s direction, while in contrast, Kate appeared to have it all. Reflecting on it now, that experience was a significant factor not only in her decision to become a model but also in learning to love herself and feel confident in her own skin. Sports Illustrated played a crucial role in shaping her journey in this regard.
Despite harboring this dream throughout her formative years, Christen faced challenges breaking into the industry. Despite being with agencies for years, she never secured a casting with Sports Illustrated, let alone an interview. Determined, she took matters into her own hands through Swim Search—an annual casting call by SI Swimsuit. This decision turned out to be the best she ever made, fostering significant personal growth by stepping outside her comfort zone. Overcoming initial shyness and fear of failure, she submitted a video that resonated with the SI Swimsuit team.
In the video, filmed on a beach, she authentically shared her background, aspirations, and the significance of achieving this goal. The authenticity and honesty she conveyed seemed to strike a chord with the SI Swimsuit team. Christen recognized that, in an industry where she didn’t always conform to the standard size, Sports Illustrated had been a trailblazer, emphasizing the diverse range of women – she wanted to contribute to that narrative.
Her efforts paid off as she was chosen as the co-winner of the Sports Illustrated Swim Search. Christen Harper and Katie Austin were honored as Sports Illustrated Swimsuit’s first-ever co-rookies of 2022.
Modeling as a labor-intensive work
Initially, Christen embarked on what she humorously refers to as the ‘nine-to-five version of modeling,’ which was far from glamorous. This phase involved spending long hours in a warehouse in East LA, engaged in e-commerce shoots for 12 hours a day, Monday through Friday, changing into approximately 100 outfits, a routine that persisted for the next four years.
Christen openly shares the physical toll she experienced after her Sports Illustrated Swimsuit shoot, shedding light on the often-underestimated labor-intensive nature of photo shoots. Collaborating with Sports Illustrated pushed her to the limits, given the magazine’s reputation for breaking boundaries and experimenting with innovative approaches. This included contorting her body to capture unique and striking shots, leading to physical soreness and fatigue from holding specific positions for extended periods.
Christen Harper pic.twitter.com/cRGlX8DoqK
— Woman Crush (@womancrush421) August 22, 2017
These shoots extended well beyond brief sessions, spanning the entire day from sunrise to sunset. Christen’s day began at 4 AM with a makeup session before heading to the beach. Impressively, she wore a total of 17 bikinis for the shoot, yet only a select few—typically two or three—made it into the magazine, with the rest featured on the website. Despite the physical demands, Christen acknowledges that her background in cheerleading proved invaluable in mastering the challenging poses required for these intense shoots.
On body image
Christen reminisced about a photoshoot for a popular brand when she was around 10 or 12 years old. She was filled with excitement until someone commented that she should suck in her belly. That moment marked a turning point for her, as she’d never given much thought to the appearance of her belly before. From then on, she became hyper-aware of her body image.
This newfound consciousness about her physical appearance took a toll on her self-esteem. She candidly shared that during middle school and high school, she refrained from attending pool parties or beach days due to concerns about her body image. Over time, she has learned to recognize her intrinsic value. Regardless of her size, she now embraces a positive self-image, understanding that her physical appearance is the least important aspect of who she is. She confidently acknowledges that she has more to offer and discuss beyond her appearance.
Social media presence
Over the years, Christen’s social media presence has significantly expanded. Her inaugural post dates back to 2012, and presently, she boasts over 500,000 followers on Instagram. Reflecting on the early days of social media, Christen recalled that agencies disapproved of models on the platform, deeming them unserious. The stereotype persisted, making her hesitant to embrace it initially. However, she eventually decided to be authentic and engage with the platform in a way that resonated with her. Her presence organically grew, creating an enjoyable space for connection and meaningful conversations.
Navigating through the evolving landscape, Christen extended her reach to TikTok in March 2020. With nearly 200,000 followers and over two million likes for her videos, she offers glimpses into her life, seamlessly blending personal moments with the ubiquitous lip-synching and dancing to music. This platform, she notes, provides her the freedom to share what matters to her, in contrast to the modeling sets where she typically lacks influence over the narrative.
What’s next for Christen Harper
Sports Illustrated had been Christen’s ultimate goal, and now that she’s accomplished it, she’s eager to explore new and exciting ventures, taking a temporary detour from modeling. She initiated this new chapter by delving into the launch of a swimsuit line alongside her best friend and fashion model Elizabeth Turner. Taking a hands-on approach, they were involved in every aspect, from designing to sourcing patterns. Collaborating with a company, they successfully brought their vision to life, and met with a positive reception on their first project.
Personal Life
Christen and the American Football quarterback Jared Goff first connected on the exclusive, membership-based app Raya. At the time she wasn’t actively seeking a relationship, having recently come out of a long-term commitment and intending to stay single for a year. However, fate had other plans, and she met Jared while he was still with the Los Angeles Rams. Their relationship went public in July 2019 when Christen shared a photo of them at the ESPY Awards red carpet, marking their Instagram official moment.
Over the years, their relationship deepened, culminating in an engagement in June 2022. The proposal took place during a vacation in Los Cabos, Mexico, with Jared expressing his happiness on Instagram, proclaiming Christen as the love of his life. The blissful moment was shared by Christen through a video capturing a kiss amidst red roses and white candles on the sandy shores.
Initially, the couple chose to keep their social media presence separate, avoiding the creation of a ‘brand’ as a couple. This decision stemmed from Christen’s concern that people might attribute her achievements to her relationship. They maintained privacy for a significant period, with the understanding that relationships are complex and unpredictable. However, as they embraced their engagement, they became more comfortable sharing their journey publicly. Christen values both their shared experiences and maintaining individual pursuits, recognizing that intertwining everything can sometimes complicate matters, even though some people successfully navigate such dynamics.
Gets death threats from fans
Lions fans can be quite passionate, and sometimes the ‘noise’ can get a bit overwhelming, but Christen has learned to block it out. While the game is essential and holds significance for them, she understands that, for fans, it’s a form of entertainment. She’s chosen not to let the external noise affect her, instead focusing on enjoying the moment because it’s fleeting. However, there are instances when some fans take things too far, and Christen has faced the unfortunate reality of receiving death threats whenever her fiance’s team experiences a loss, leading to her DMs blowing up.
Despite Jared being a significant part of her life, Christen emphasizes that she has her own successful career, and doesn’t flaunt her relationship in everyone’s faces on social media. She recalled a particular incident in Barbados while shooting for Sports Illustrated when the Detroit Lions, Jared’s team, won after a 15-game losing streak, and a video capturing her reaction went viral. Interestingly, the comments on the video criticized her for not being at the game if she was a real fan. This criticism left her in a catch-22 situation, as she realized that no matter what she did, there would always be opposing opinions. If she attended the game, people might accuse her of being too invested or label her a gold-digger following her boyfriend around.
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Despite the negativity, there were people who recognized her sincerity and understood that she genuinely wanted to support Jared. Christen acknowledges that both she and Jared are living out their respective dreams, even if they take different paths to achieve them.
Ventured into acting
There was a time when becoming an actress was a significant goal for Christen. She invested a considerable amount of time in acting lessons during her formative years, finding genuine enjoyment in the craft. Acting, for her, offers the opportunity to infuse her unique perspective into a character, making it a more enjoyable experience compared to modeling in which she often follows directives without much input.
Christen’s foray into acting began at a young age. In 2003, she performed a sketch entitled “Realistic Barbie” on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” She appeared in the 2004 short film “Seven’s Eleven” at just 10 years old, and a few years later, she featured as a teenage girl in the “One Day in the Valley” episode of the HBO series “Entourage.” In 2019, she took on the role of an augmented reality companion, essentially a virtual reality hologram, in the science-fiction drama “Auggie.” Additionally, she made a cameo appearance in “Hard Knocks,” a reality sports documentary television series produced by HBO and NFL Films. This particular appearance was during Jared Goff’s feature in the series, showcasing the couple together during his time as the Los Angeles Rams quarterback.
Interesting Facts
- In December 2015, Christen announced on Instagram that she’d chosen to foster an orphaned elephant named Roi. The photograph she shared was taken before Roi’s mother fell victim to violent poaching. She revealed that Little Roi faced the risk of starvation without her mother’s milk, but fortunately, she was rescued. She actively collaborates with an organization to ensure Roi’s well-being. Upon achieving stability, the plan is for Roi to be returned to her natural habitat in Kenya.
- In her spare time in 2021, she collaborated with an organization contributing to the assembly of more than 600 COVID-19 care kits, intended for children residing in overcrowded conditions or facing homelessness.
- In honor of Women’s History Month, she organized a fundraising event for Girls Inc. of Los Angeles, a nonprofit organization dedicated to mentoring girls and fostering their confidence while empowering them to make positive decisions concerning their personal goals, academics, and health. She shared her experience of spending a few weeks in class with the girls, actively engaging them in subjects such as Math and Science. Christen, having started her modeling career at the age of nine, understands the impact of societal expectations on self-worth. Growing up, she felt her value was primarily associated with her appearance, receiving little acknowledgment for her intelligence, strength, and confidence. Through her involvement with the organization, she aspires to instill confidence in these girls, ensuring they grow up with the belief that they are capable of pursuing their aspirations.
- When she and another model, both around 19 or 20 years old at the time, were sent by their agency for a photo shoot in St. Barts, they soon discovered that no actual photo shoot had been planned. Instead, they found out that they had been hired by some individuals through the agency. It later became clear that the agency was well aware of the dubious nature of this arrangement. This realization left them scared. Fortunately, nothing untoward happened, and they both emerged from the situation unharmed.
- She is a vegetarian.
Appearance
Christen Harper stands at a height of 5ft 9ins (180cms) and weighs about 121lbs (55kgs), boasting a figure with vital statistics of 34-27-35. She has dark brown hair and hazel eyes.
Net Worth
As of January 2024, Christen Harper’s estimated net worth is close to $1 million, as reported by authoritative sources.