Proud papa! Vanessa Bryant couldn’t help but gush about how pleased her late husband, Kobe Bryant, would be with daughter Natalia as she pursues a career in modeling.
Vanessa, 38, posted a photo of her daughter via Instagram on Saturday, March 6, praising her for chasing her dream.
“My baby (with makeup) 😁❤️,” she captioned the snapshot. “Daddy would be so happy that you’re pursuing your modeling career now that you’re 18. You’re beautiful inside and out. We love you.”
Vanessa shared a post from Natalia via her Instagram Story. In the post, the teen fawned over her mother, writing, “I love you.” Vanessa added, “You better! You stole my face with daddy’s lips.”
Natalia signed with IMG Models in February. She shared the exciting career move in a statement released via the agency’s Instagram account.
“I have always been interested in fashion since a very young age,” she wrote. “I have a love for the industry and ever since I can remember I wanted to model. There is a lot to learn but I feel this is a great opportunity for me to learn and express myself creatively.”
The model shared the statement on her own Instagram account, adding, “I am beyond thrilled and so honored to be a part of the IMG family!” Vanessa shared the announcement as well, captioning the post with a GIF that said, “I am so proud of you.”
Her burgeoning career isn’t the only thing Natalia has to celebrate. Last month, she was accepted into the University of Oregon. Her mom celebrated the milestone via social media, posting a screenshot of her daughter’s acceptance letter via her Instagram Story. “Congrats @nataliabryant,” the California native wrote.
Vanessa revealed her eldest daughter’s top college picks in January. “So cute. NYU is one of her top schools,” the retired model shared via social media. “@nataliabryant chose not to apply [early decision] to her top five schools. I will do my best to keep her in Cali just like I kept her daddy, [Kobe Bryant], here. #CaliGirlForever.” Vanessa revealed to a fan at the time that her college-bound daughter had “not yet” been accepted to either school.
Vanessa celebrated Natalia’s 18th birthday that same month, praising her daughter on behalf of herself and her late husband.
“Dear Natalia, Happy Birthday! Mommy and Daddy are so proud of the young lady that you are,” she wrote via Instagram at the time. “You have displayed so much strength and grace throughout the most difficult year of our lives. Thank you for stepping in to help me with your little sisters. You’re such an incredible big sister and a beautiful role model to so many people. Thank you for being kind, polite and gracious in everything that you do. You have no idea how happy and proud mommy and daddy are that you’re our daughter. We love you always and forever, forever and always. Happy 18th birthday to our first born, Natalia, our principessa! Love always, Mommy, Daddy, Gigi, BB and Koko.”
Vanessa also shares Bianka, 4, Capri, 20 months, and late daughter Gianna with Kobe. The NBA legend and Gianna died in January 2020 in a helicopter crash in California on their way to a basketball game.
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