11 things you probably didn't know about Gigi Hadid

Jennifer HusseinJan 22, 2021, 20:22 IST

There is a lot that people don't know about Gigi Hadid.Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Gigi Hadid comes from a family of supermodels.
Her real name is Jelena — Gigi is a nickname.
She's a skilled equestrian who loves to cook.

Gigi Hadid is one of the most famed supermodels on the planet.

From walking the most coveted runways with her sister to shooting magazine covers, it seems like the model has a life that's very open to the public eye.

But there are a few things even her biggest fans may not know about her. Read on for some interesting fun facts about the model.

Her real name isn't Gigi.

Gigi Hadid's real name is Jelena. Stuart C. Wilson/Stringer/Getty Images

Gigi's real name is Jelena Noura Hadid. According to Vogue Paris, Gigi's mother gave her the nickname, which stuck over the years.

Her mother is a famous model too.

Yolanda Hadid is famous in her own right. Getty/Rob Kim

Her siblings Bella and Anwar are also successful models — and their mother actually started the business.

Gigi's mom is Yolanda Hadid, a successful Dutch-American model and former star on "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills."

Her siblings Bella and Anwar are also successful models — and their mother actually started the business.

Gigi's mom is Yolanda Hadid, a successful Dutch-American model and former star on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

Her modeling career began when she was a toddler.

Gigi Hadid has been modeling since she was two. Andreas Rentz/Getty Images

Hadid told Vanity Fair in 2014 that she was discovered by Paul Marciano when she was 2 years old. This lead to one of her first modeling gigs in a Baby Guess campaign.

She wanted to pursue a career in criminal psychology.

Gigi Hadid studied criminal psychology. Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

According to Elle, Hadid revealed in her Instagram story that if she never became a supermodel, she would've stuck to her college studies in criminal psychology.

But she also stated that she somehow would've found another path in a creative industry.

"I studied criminal psychology in college, and although I'm so intrigued by that field of work, I think that if I would have had a career in that, I would've still ended up working in something creative instead," she said in a 2018 Instagram story Q&A. "Even after I'm done modeling I think I'll always be a part of a creative process somehow."

According to Elle, Hadid revealed in her Instagram story that if she never became a supermodel, she would've stuck to her college studies in criminal psychology.

But she also stated that she somehow would've found another path in a creative industry.

I studied criminal psychology in college, and although I'm so intrigued by that field of work, I think that if I would have had a career in that, I would've still ended up working in something creative instead, she said in a 2018 Instagram story Q&A. Even after I'm done modeling I think I'll always be a part of a creative process somehow.

She loves to cook.

Gigi Hadid won an episode of Celebrity MasterChef. Food Network

The supermodel loves to cook and frequently posts her creations on social media.

She even impressed Gordon Ramsay with her cooking skills and won an episode of "Celebrity MasterChef."

The supermodel loves to cook and frequently posts her creations on social media.

She even impressed Gordon Ramsay with her cooking skills and won an episode of Celebrity MasterChef.

She's a skilled equestrian and volleyball player.

Gigi Hadid has always been very athletic. Jason Kempin/Getty Images

According to a 2015 Vogue interview, Hadid was a very ambitious athlete when she was in high school.

"I stopped because I was a really competitive horseback rider and a club volleyball player," she said. "I went to Junior Olympic qualifiers for volleyball. So, I kind of stopped modeling. I just wanted to have a normal childhood and go to high school."

She also noted that she stopped playing sports competitively, but gets her exercise in through boxing.

According to a 2015 Vogue interview, Hadid was a very ambitious athlete when she was in high school.

I stopped because I was a really competitive horseback rider and a club volleyball player, she said. I went to Junior Olympic qualifiers for volleyball. So, I kind of stopped modeling. I just wanted to have a normal childhood and go to high school.

She also noted that she stopped playing sports competitively, but gets her exercise in through boxing.

Gigi has a few half siblings.

Gigi is also the big sister to Bella and Anwar. Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Global Lyme Alliance)

While she's known to be the oldest sibling of Bella and Anwar Hadid, she actually has two older half-sisters — personal shopper and stylist, Alana Hadid, and owner of Hadid Eyewear, Marielle Hadid.

Gigi is a Taurus.

Gigi Hadid was born in April. Jamie McCarthy/GettyImages

She was born on April 23, 1995.

Gigi has been the cover star of over 20 issues of Vogue.

Gigi Hadid has graced their covers many times. John Nacion/STAR MAX

This includes covering the front pages of Vogue, British Vogue, Vogue Paris, and Vogue Australia.

She believes in aliens.

Gigi thinks there is life out there. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

She said that she and boyfriend Zayn Malik believe in the existence of aliens.

She's also a photographer.

Gigi Hadid has stepped behind the camera. Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

The model stepped behind the camera to shoot her boyfriend Malik and supermodel Adwoa Aboah for Versus Versace.

I tried Gigi Hadid's equipment-free workout, and it was easier than I thought

I ate like Gigi Hadid for a week — and it didn't exactly feel like a typical model diet