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Ella Halikas
American model and social media influencer From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Gabriella Athena Halikas is an American model, TikToker, and body positivity activist. A plus-size model, she appeared in advertisements for JCPenney and Snapchat before becoming a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue model in 2021. Halikas walked the runway at Miami Swim Week in 2020 and 2021.
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Early life and education
Halikas grew up in Walnut Creek, a town in the San Francisco Bay Area.[1][2] She is Greek American and was raised in the Greek Orthodox faith.[3][4] She is a cousin of goalball player Eliana Mason.[4] Halikas studied at Washington State University before transferring to the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, where she graduated in 2019.[1]
Career
In 2020, Halikas lost her job as a waitress at a restaurant in San Francisco due to the COVID-19 pandemic and moved to Los Angeles to pursue modelling and social media influencing.[1] She was scouted by a modeling agent on Instagram, based in San Francisco.[1] Halikas was featured in commercials for JCPenney and Snapchat.[1] Halikas later signed with Ford Models as a model and content creator.[5] In 2021, Halikas was featured in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.[6][2][7] She was photographed by Yu Tsai in Atlantic City, New Jersey for the magazine spread.[6][8] In July 2021, she walked the runway at Miami Swim Week for Berry Beachy Swimwear, Cupshe, and VDM The Label.[9][10] She had previously walked in Miami Swim Week in 2020.[10]
Halikas is a public speaker and activist for body positivity and confidence.[3][11][12] She uses her TikTok and Instagram accounts to promote body positivity.[13][14] She partnered with the Canadian company Pebbles & Palms to launch a plus-size swimwear line.[15]
In March 2023, Halikas was featured in Robbie Tripp's music video for his song Basic Bro.[3][16]
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Personal life
In 2022, Halikas and plus-size model Alexa Jay were reportedly barred entry from The Highlight Room, an exclusive club Los Angeles.[17][18] They posted about their experience on TikTok, claiming that they were denied entry because of their weight.[19] The video received over one million views.[20]
References
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