Elsa Benitez was born in Sonora, Mexico in 1977, and stands at a statuesque 6 feet. She got her modeling start after winning a model search in Costa Rica in 1995. With Linda Evangelista as one of her childhood idols, Elsa would also have a chance to follow her dreams. Modeling gigs poured in for Elsa soon after, first in Mexico, where she started out her career, and then in the United States and Europe. In 1996, Elsa appeared on the cover of Vogue Italy three times -- in April, August and September.

Elsa appeared in the 1999 Pirelli Calendar that featured "Women Through the Decades". She was photographed as representative of the groovy '70s in the exclusive issue.

Elsa may not be as recognized as fellow models Cindy Crawford and Elle MacPherson as of yet, but she is bound to become the next Latin supermodel of the millennium, especially after being selected to grace the cover of the 2001 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition.

Although Elsa's star is definitely on the rise, she plans to enter the world of film. With acting lessons under her belt and beauty that is sure to melt the screen, Elsa hopes to work in both Spanish and English films.