About
Katherine Elizabeth Upton, born June 10, 1992, in St. Joseph, Michigan, leaped from swimsuit rookie to global sensation with her 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover at nineteen. She repeated the feat in 2013 and 2017, then headlined the magazine’s 60th-anniversary issue in 2024.
Beyond the beach, Upton has starred in fashion editorials for Vogue, Vanity Fair, and Harper’s Bazaar and moved into film with roles in Tower Heist (2011), The Other Woman (2014), and The Layover (2017). Over the last decade she has used that visibility to champion inclusive sizing, share unretouched images, and remind fans that confidence has no single shape. She co-created Strong4Me Fitness, invests in the ready-to-drink label Vosa Spirits, and hosts wellness Q&As that feel more like friendly chats than formal lectures.
Philanthropy runs parallel with her business ventures. Upton joins husband Justin Verlander on USO tours, backs the Wins for Warriors Foundation’s mental-health programs for military families, and donated livestream workout proceeds to food banks during the pandemic. In 2023 she even auctioned favorite wardrobe pieces to aid Gulf-Coast hurricane recovery, showing that glamour and giving can go hand in hand.
Before Fame
Horses came first. After her family settled in Melbourne, Florida, young Kate spent afternoons at Hidden Palms Ranch grooming her paint mare, Roanie. She entered her first American Paint Horse Association show at eight, and by thirteen had earned three APHA world titles and two reserve championships. Dawn rides and show-ring pressure built the poise she would later bring to giant photo sets.
At fifteen she accompanied friends to an open casting in Miami. Elite Model Management offered a contract that afternoon. A move to New York soon followed, and within a year she was booking campaigns for Dooney & Bourke and Garage—momentum that culminated in her breakout SI cover.
Trivia
- Horsepower – She still rides and supports therapeutic riding centers.
- Cat Daddy dance – A playful 2012 backstage clip went viral, rocketing her follower count.
- Strength first – In 2024 she said she ignores strict calorie math and relies on weight training plus clean ingredients.
- Screen cred – Early cameos in Tower Heist and Entourage led to larger roles on the big screen.
- Jiu-jitsu hobby – A Tonight Show demo proved she can land a textbook chokehold.
- Digital defender – Late in 2024 she used Instagram Stories to flag a custody crisis involving her niece, sparking debate on child safety.
- Astros superfan – She’s often spotted cheering Verlander from the stands.
- Gamer at heart – She once fronted ads for the mobile title Game of War, modeling fantasy armor.
Family Life
Parents Jeff (a high-school athletics director) and Shelley (a former tennis champ) encouraged equal parts sports, study, and humor for their four children, giving Upton the confidence to chase bold goals.
She and MLB ace Justin Verlander crossed paths during a 2012 video-game shoot. After juggling long-distance schedules—and a brief split in 2013—they reunited, and when Verlander helped the Astros win the 2017 World Series, the couple wed in Tuscany on November 4 that year. Their daughter, Genevieve, arrived November 7, 2018. Upton speaks candidly about breastfeeding struggles, postpartum changes, and adapting workouts to new motherhood.
The family splits time between Florida and Jupiter, Texas, weaving playground trips, spring training, and occasional SI events into a busy calendar. Together they support veterans’ charities, hurricane relief, and animal rescue; her boxer Harley (and Verlander’s dog Riley) frequently steal the spotlight. Low-key evenings—pasta-making, marathon card games, backyard campouts—keep them grounded amid awards and magazine covers.
Associated With
- Sports Illustrated team – Editors MJ Day and photographers Walter Iooss Jr. and Yu Tsai powered her early success.
- Fashion leaders – Anna Wintour, Karl Lagerfeld, Zac Posen, and Michael Kors booked her for campaigns that challenged the “sample-size only” rule.
- Comedy partners – Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann, and director Nick Cassavetes sharpened her timing on The Other Woman.
- Trainer Ben Bruno – Co-designed Strong4Me and still shapes her workouts.
- Justin Verlander – Husband, collaborator, and fellow philanthropist.
- SI legends – Christie Brinkley and Tyra Banks praise her as a torchbearer for body positivity.
- Houston Astros – Through Verlander, she supports the team’s charity drives and MLB programs that invite more girls into sports.