Christina Benitan was cast as a television reporter in the original Men in Black starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones; she played a military mom in a national TV commercial for AARP; and was featured as the "femme fatale" on the cover of Newsweek for its special issue, The Science of a Woman's Sexuality. These are just a few selected examples illustrating her uncommonly wide range of role portrayal which she has displayed throughout her remarkable career.Christina is a native New Yorker. After a successful career in Fashion Marketing and Public Relations, where she attended the prestigious pret-a-porter fashion collections in Paris and worked for Bloomingdales, it was while awaiting the arrival of her second child that an unexpected event changed her career path. During her ninth month of pregnancy, she was approached by a model agent; Dreft Laundry Detergent was conducting a model search for a "pregnant beauty" to appear in their new ad campaign. When Christina arrived at the casting, she was shocked to find a room full of pregnant models from top agencies like Ford and Wilhelmina, yet she booked the job, shooting just three days before giving birth! So, along with the arrival of her son, a new career was born!By her 30s, Christina had carved out a niche for herself as a top lifestyle model. Her versatile look, combined with a natural affinity for the camera has enabled her to book a wide range of billboards, print campaigns, and TV commercials. Lens Crafters, Advil PM, Blistex, Best Buy, Nestle, Microsoft, Verizon, Lipton Tea and Royal Caribbean are just a few of the many companies she's worked with. She has also been featured on many covers, such as Newsweek, Businessweek, Remedy MD, Parade, Vibrant Life, Prevention, and Working Women. Christina has done editorial work for MORE, Self, Real Simple, Good Housekeeping, Red Book, Ladies Home Journal, Glamour, and most recently, OPRAH's O Magazine.Christina's first prominent acting job came when she was cast as a TV reporter in the box office hit, Men in Black (1997) starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. In the crime-thriller, Empire (2002), she played the role of Sandy in a scene opposite award winning actors, John Leguizamo and Peter Sarsgaard. Christina also captivated audiences when she appeared as a guest star for an undercover segment of ABC's Iyanla (2001) in which she examined gender equality issues by disguising herself as a man. She then shared her experience with the self-help guru, Iyanlya Vanzant for this Barbara Walters produced TV talk show.With a modeling career that took off unexpectedly, Christina has achieved solid success in her print and TV career. With her extensive and versatile resume, a willingness to stretch herself, and pure camera appeal, we plan to see a lot more of this commercial star.
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