She posed for Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue while 18 weeks pregnant, and the shoot went viral almost immediately. That’s Christen Harper — a model who never really plays it safe.
Christen Harper is an American model, actress, and public figure who rose to mainstream attention after her relationship with Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff became public. But there’s far more to her story than her high-profile marriage. This article covers her full biography, verified net worth figures, career highlights, and why searches for her name keep turning up alongside 1980s legend Lisa Lisa (Lisa Velez) — including everything you need to know about Lisa Lisa’s husband, marriage history, and life today.
Who Is Christen Harper?
Christen Harper was born on May 28, 1993, in Valencia, California, to Michael and Daria Harper. She grew up in a household that took sport seriously. Her older brother Shane is a former professional ice-hockey left winger who spent time in the NHL and Sweden, and his discipline in training camps directly shaped her early morning workout routine.
She didn’t set out to be a model. It wasn’t until she was in college that she seriously considered modeling as a career. She attended California State University, Northridge, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in communications with a minor in psychology. She was paying her own tuition — modeling became the way she made it work.
Her acting career started earlier. Harper began her career in entertainment at age 11, appearing in the 2004 short film Seven’s Eleven and later making a cameo in an episode of HBO’s Entourage in 2006.
Christen Harper’s Modeling Career
The Sports Illustrated Breakthrough
The moment that changed everything came in 2021. Harper’s breakthrough came when she co-won the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Swim Search, earning a feature in the 2022 issue and the co-Rookie of the Year title.
She didn’t stop there. She has since appeared in five consecutive SI Swimsuit issues, including shoots in Atlantic City (2021), Barbados (2022), Dominica (2023), Portugal (2024), and Jamaica (2025), where she modeled while 18 weeks pregnant.
She co-designed a bikini line with B Swim and starred in the web series Women of the League, which pushed back against the “NFL wife” stereotype by focusing on the real professional lives of athletes’ partners.
Brand Work and Agency Representation
Her income primarily comes from modeling contracts, notably with Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, and brand endorsements with companies like Monday Swimwear, REVOLVE, and Abercrombie. She’s also worked with Guess and Savage x Fenty. She is represented by LA Models for fashion and CAA for entertainment.
Acting Roles
Beyond modeling, she has a genuine screen résumé. She has appeared in the indie sci-fi film Auggie (2019) and The Obituary of Tunde Johnson (2019). She mentors young girls through workshops at the Detroit Lions Academy in partnership with the Pure Heart Foundation and volunteers with organizations like Girls Inc.
Christen Harper’s Marriage to Jared Goff
How They Met
The couple met in 2019 on an exclusive dating app. Five years of dating followed before things became official in a major way.
Engagement and Wedding
After getting engaged in Mexico in 2022, Christen Harper and Jared Goff got married on June 22, 2024. The wedding took place in Ojai, California. Harper said of the rehearsal dinner: “We laughed, we cried, and we drank lots of Hugo spritzes.” She wore an elegant strapless column wedding dress with a sleek train and carried a minimal bouquet with airy baby’s breath.
Their Family
Jared Goff and his wife Christen welcomed their first child, daughter Romy, in July 2025. The pregnancy was already public knowledge — the Jamaica SI Swimsuit shoot made sure of that.
Christen Harper Net Worth 2026
Net worth estimates for Christen vary across sources. Her estimated net worth sits at $1.5 million, with income from modeling contracts, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit appearances, and brand endorsements. Some sources place the figure slightly higher at $1.6 million as of 2024, accounting for new partnerships and increased social media reach following her wedding.
Her following of over 500,000 on Instagram also contributes to income through paid partnerships and sponsored posts. With a daughter, a high-profile marriage, and an ongoing SI relationship, her public profile is only growing.
Lisa Lisa (Lisa Velez): Husband, Marriages, and Life Today
Many searches for Christen Harper also surface results about Lisa Lisa — the legendary 1980s singer whose real name is Lisa Velez. That overlap likely comes from shared keyword traffic around public figures named Harper and the ongoing wave of interest following Lisa Lisa’s 2025 Lifetime biopic.
Here’s everything verified about Lisa Velez’s marriage history.
Who Is Lisa Lisa?
Lisa Velez, born January 15, 1966, is an American singer who rose to fame as one-third of the band Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam. She was born in Hell’s Kitchen in New York City, the youngest of ten children, and is of Puerto Rican descent.
She became the first Latina artist to hit multiple music Billboard charts, with songs including “Can You Feel the Beat,” “All Cried Out,” and “Lost in Emotion.” She was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma while on tour when she was 21 and underwent chemotherapy during the tour, keeping her diagnosis private from her bandmates and family.
Lisa Lisa’s First Husband: John Yulfo
Lisa Lisa’s first husband was John Yulfo, whom she married at 21 in 1988. In a January 2025 interview, she revealed that she married John “for all the wrong reasons,” primarily a desire to be loved by a man — something she connected to her difficult relationship with her father. She described their married life as “pretty dark.”
According to reports, they finalized their divorce in 1991. In the Lifetime biopic, this relationship is depicted through the fictional character Javi — an insecure partner whose jealousy contributed to the collapse of the marriage. John Yulfo has since kept an entirely private life.
Lisa Lisa’s Second Husband: Antonimar Mello
Antonimar Mello is best known as the former husband of Lisa Lisa, the lead singer of Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam. Their relationship lasted nearly 18 years, from 2004 to 2022.
Antonimar reportedly works in event management, organizing entertainment events and performances behind the scenes. They are believed to have met during one of Lisa Lisa’s performance events, where Antonimar was working backstage. He has maintained an extremely low public profile throughout and since the marriage.
Lisa Lisa’s Life Today
In February 2025, Lifetime premiered the biopic of her life, Can You Feel the Beat: The Lisa Lisa Story, with Lisa serving as an executive producer. She also played her own mother in the film. Lisa turned down the role of “Lisa” in Eddie Murphy’s Coming to America — reportedly at the insistence of her then-husband, who was aware of Murphy’s reported interest in her.
Lisa Velez has two children and has continued touring and releasing music. She remains one of the defining voices of the freestyle and Latin pop era.
FAQ
Who is Christen Harper? Christen Harper is an American model and actress born on May 28, 1993, in Valencia, California. She is best known for her work with Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, where she was named co-Rookie of the Year in 2022, and for being married to Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff.
What is Christen Harper’s net worth in 2026? Her net worth is estimated at approximately $1.5 million, earned through modeling contracts, brand endorsements with companies like Monday Swimwear and REVOLVE, acting roles, and social media partnerships.
Who did Christen Harper marry? She married Jared Goff, the Detroit Lions quarterback, on June 22, 2024, at the Ojai Valley Inn in California. The couple met on the dating app Raya in 2019 and got engaged in Mexico in 2022. Their daughter Romy was born in July 2025.
Who is Lisa Lisa’s husband now? Lisa Lisa (Lisa Velez) was most recently married to Antonimar Mello, whom she wed in 2004. The marriage is reported to have ended around 2022. Her first husband was John Yulfo, whom she married in 1988 and divorced in 1991.
How many times has Lisa Lisa been married? Lisa Lisa has been married twice — first to John Yulfo (1988–1991), who is depicted as “Javi” in the 2025 Lifetime biopic, and second to Antonimar Mello (2004–approximately 2022).
Does Lisa Lisa have children? Yes. Lisa Velez is a mother of two children, though she has kept their identities largely private over the years.
Both Christen Harper and Lisa Lisa represent women who built their identities well outside the roles the world handed them. Harper is still early in what looks like a long public career — with an SI legacy, a growing family, and expanding brand work, there’s no obvious ceiling in sight.
This article covers publicly verified information sourced from Sports Illustrated, IMDb, Billboard, People magazine, The Knot, Deadline, and verified press coverage. Unverified or speculative claims are labeled accordingly.
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