Vida Guerra : More Than Just A Pretty Face

Living life to the fullest is Vida Guerra’s mantra. And why shouldn’t it be? Her first name does mean "life" in Spanish. But this model, actress and soon to be singer doesn’t just want to go down in history for having a generous backside; she wants to be known for her generous efforts towards humanity.

"I want to be remembered as a positive role model for young girls that have self-esteem issues," Vida said. "I want girls to know that they don’t have to look a certain way. I think it’s disgusting to see models so thin and agree with what Tyra Banks says about how girls should feel good about themselves."

As she helps girls across America embrace their womanly curves, Vida’s positive body image has not gone unnoticed by her male fans as she continuously does calendars, magazine covers and special appearances that feature her best assets. The Cuban-born model’s career began when an ex-boyfriend sent in photos to FHM Magazine, which then shot her in a lingerie spread in December 2002.

"He kept telling me to send them in, and when I didn’t, he took the initiative," Vida said modestly. “I thought it was just going to be something I could later show my kids, and not turn into a career.”

Boy, was she wrong. After the magazine received tons of reader requests to see more of her, she was called in for more shoots and later became "FHM’s Model of the Year" in 2004. Vida and her notorious behind were now famous, and she was on her way to being a "sex symbol." She was recently voted Number 21 in the magazine’s 2006 "100 Sexiest Women In the World."

The world was also lucky to see Vida au natural as she posed nude in the July 2006 issue of "Playboy," which she said would be the only time her fans would get to see her in the flesh, because in April 2005, someone hacked into her phone and retrieved naked photos that were then leaked on the Internet. "I only did it to prove to my fans that the pictures that were supposedly stolen from my phone weren’t of me," she said. However, being wanted solely for your looks was a catch-22 for Vida. "It’s like a double-edged sword," she described. "It sucks because it affects personal relationships and people just see me for my body and nothing else."

Vida wants people to see past her beauty as she expands her career to include acting and singing. Besides being featured in various music videos that include Kanye West’s "The New Workout Plan" and Nelly’s "Shake Your Tailfeather," Vida has also done a couple of sketches on Comedy Central’s "Chappelle’s Show" and was on ESPN2’s "Cold Pizza." Her movie credits include "National Lampoon’s Dorm Daze 2" (Hill & Brand Entertainment, 2006) and the short film "Writer’s Block" (Movie Talking Picture, 2003) where she played a writer’s muse. She also lent her voice to the video game "Scarface: The World is Yours" (Radical Entertainment, 2006).

The cover model is currently working on her debut album, which she said would be a mix of R&B and Hip-Hop, with a blend of Spanish undertones. With music in her blood, it was only a matter of time when Vida would transition over to music. "My dad played the guitar when I was little," she said. "In Cuba, there was only radio, so I did nothing else but listen to music. Growing up, all my friends thought I was going to be a singer."

Proving she has the Midas touch with the rest of her projects, Vida wants to build an empire. "I want to be the Cuban Oprah," she said. "I just don’t want to be rich, but wealthy, and invest mymoney in different businesses." It seems like at the tender age of 27, Vida is already building her dynasty with a clothing line and a cosmetic brand in the works. But don’t worry guys—she’s still going to be around to entertain you. "I’m still going to model, act and sing, but want to also be an entrepreneur in the future," she explained.

Vida has come a long way from her humble beginnings in New Jersey, and her cars prove it. She has a 2005 Range Rover she drives in L.A. and a BMW 5-series back home and, she is seen posing here with this special Jeep Wrangler DUB Edition, which features a Borla Performance exhaust system, tinted taillights, custom grille and limousine tinted windows. It rides on 26-inch Dropstars DS01 wheels with Pirelli PZero Nero 305/35R26 tires and a 4-inch lift. The interior of the Wrangler features a suede headliner with crocodile trim.

Now, she has fans tattooing her curvaceous behind on their bodies. "There’s a guy that works at LAX [airport] that asked for my autograph, and a few months later he ended up getting the autograph tattooed on his arm," Vida said laughing. "I don’t think his girlfriend appreciated it." Well, we bet he’ll cherish it for the rest of his vida.

A look into the life of Vida…

1. What’s your favorite movie?
It would have to be The Notebook (New Line Cinema, 2004).
2. What’s your dream car?
A Bentley Coupe.
3. What was your fist car and what was its fate?
My first car was a Honda Accord that I just gave away.
4. What’s the craziest thing you’ve done in a car?
Driving even though I had too much to drink.
5. If you could have dinner with three people in the world, who would they be?
Oprah, Denzel Washington and Marilyn Monroe.
6. What’s one thing you can’t stand eating?
Lamb.
7. What annoys you the most?
I hate waiting for people who are late.
8. What are you secretly afraid of?
I can’t stand rats.
9. What’s your favorite road trip destination?
Driving from New Jersey down to Miami.