Patricia Velasquez was
born in Guajira, Venezuela, on January 31, 1971.
Raised by her educator parents in a third world country,
not to mention the
fifth child of six, Patricia's life was far from
luxurious or glamorous. She
attended San Vicente de Paul High School, and after her
graduation in 1987,
Patricia headed for college to study engineering and
accounting.
Although she was being raised to go into the Venezuelan
oil industry, which
is practically the only choice for Indian children from
Venezuela
(Patricia's mother is of native heritage, from the Wayu
tribe in the
Amazon), a chance event led her to switch her plans.
A friend of hers wanted to become a model, and one of the
pictures that she
sent to a casting call in Caracas included Patricia. As
fate would have it,
the agency wanted exotic Patricia. After a year of
college studies, she left
for Milan in pursuit of a modeling career. Up until that
point, the closest
Patricia came to a modeling experience was her
participation in beauty
pageants in her native Venezuela, which didn't affect her
upcoming modeling
gigs.
In 1998, Patricia strutted down catwalks in ready to wear
fashion shows for
designers such as Antonio Berardi, Bella Freud, Corinne
Cobson, Claude
Montana, Jean Paul Gaultier, Salvatore Ferragamo, Dolce
& Gabbana, and Owen
Gaster. As for print, Patricia appeared in ads for
Chanel's Allure, Monsoon,
Roberto Verino's Verino fragrance, as well as everyone's
favorite,
Victoria's Secret.
She even donned swimsuits for Sports Illustrated's
Swimsuit Edition in 1994.
Signed with Ford in New York, IMG in Paris and Models 1
in London, Patricia
extended her resume from appearing in the pages of Vogue
and Elle, to
appearing on the big screen.
Her debut role was as Maya in the 1996 film Le Jaguar,
which she followed up
with a role in Eruption (aka Volcano Run) a year later.
1999 was a huge year
for Patricia, as she appeared in Beowulf and No Vacancy;
broke out despite a
small role, as Anck-Su-Namun in the sleeper hit, The
Mummy; and finally
appeared in Façade (aka Death Valley).
Patricia stole the spotlight from cutey Heather Graham in
Committed, in a
comedic turn as a waitress -- she was especially noticed
during the
screening at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival.
That same year, she appeared with Pras and Ja Rule in
Turn It Up, and then
starred in Saint Bernard. Even with the glamour and glitz
of Hollywood,
Patricia never forgets the struggling days of poverty
growing up in
Venezuela.
After her first few modeling gigs, she bought her family
a new home, made
sure her 3 brothers received a college education, and
still supports causes
such as the advancement of Hispanics, fair treatment of
indigenous peoples,
and the fight against pediatric AIDS. She also launched a
foundation to help
Venezuelans.
Patricia will next be seen in the anticipated sequel to
The Mummy, The Mummy
Returns, as the Pharaoh's untouchable wife. She may be
evil in the film, but
it's surely her beauty that makes her untouchable.
Actor Credits:
The Mummy Returns (2001)
Turn It Up (2000)
Committed (2000)
The Mummy (1999)
Facade (1999)
The Jaguar (1996)
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