Alek Wek (born 16 April 1977) is a Sudanese model who first appeared on the catwalks at the age of 19 in 1995, sparking a career lasting to date. She is from the Dinka ethnic group in the Sudan, but in 1991 she and some family members fled to Britain to escape the civil war between the Muslim north and the Christian south of the Sudan.She later moved to the United States.
| Birth name | Alek Wek |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 16 April 1977 |
| Place of birth | Wau, Sudan |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Hair color | Dark Brown |
| Eye color | Brown |
She was born the seventh of nine children in Wau in Southern Sudan in 1977. The exact date is unknown. When she was preparing to emigrate from Sudan, her mother picked the date April 16, which occurs in the rainy season during which she was born. She says her name means "Black Spotted Cow".
Wek was discovered at an outdoor market in London in 1995 in Crystal Palace, south London,by a Models 1 scout. She first received attention when she appeared in the music video for "GoldenEye" by Tina Turner, in 1995 and from there entered the world of fashion as one of its top models. She was signed to Ford Models in 1996 and was also seen in the "Got 'Til It's Gone" music video by Janet Jackson that year. She was named "Model of the Year" in 1997 by MTV.
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