Heidi Klum has been dazzling audiences since she beat out thousands of contestants and won a modeling contest on the German talk show Gottschalk’s Late Night Show.

When she won she was just 18 and nothing like the grunge waifs who were the supermodel standard of the time.

“I wasn’t tall enough.

My face wasn’t weird enough for what they wanted. I was too happy for everybody,” she told Good Housekeeping.

Yet from there, even with her happiness, Klum was swept up to work in Milan, Paris and London and modeled nonstop. Within six years, she would appear on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. Since then, this America’s Got Talent judge, who was raised in Bergisch Gladbach, a city near Cologne, Germany, has been a force as an Emmy-winning television host, producer and entrepreneur.

With all her success, she is a devoted and fiercely protective mom to four children, Leni, 20, Henry, 19, Johan, 18, and Lou, 14. Admitting to be a helicopter parent who wants to keep her kids little as long as possible, she limits TV watching and doesn’t let her younger ones post on social media. On Live With Kelli and Ryan, Heidi shared with Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest that her kids say, “I’m not allowed to do this. Can’t do that.” She also rarely shows photos of them and when she does, they can only be seen from the back or with their faces covered by emojis.

“I’m more old-fashioned. I don’t believe in just sitting your kids in front of a TV,” she once told this reporter. “They should be outside, playing with dogs or getting dirty. When I grew up, I was outside.”

For Thanksgiving 2022, the supermodel followed tradition and shared a family pic with her kids’ faces covered by emojis.

In January 2024, all four of Klum’s children were photographed with their father, Seal, as they walked the red carpet at the premiere of The Book of Clarence, which was directed by Seal’s brother Jeymes Samuel.

Following in her mother’s footsteps, Leni is getting attention in her own right as a model. When she was just 16, she appeared on the cover of Vogue Germany and later walked the runway for Dolce & Gabbana’s Alta Moda show in Venice.

“She has wanted to model for quite some time,” the America’s Got Talent judge previously told Parade. “I finally said yes because I thought, ‘Now, she’s old enough. She’s 16.’ ”

Related: Heidi Klum Reveals Why She Finally Said “Yes” to Letting Her Daughter Become a Model

What is next for Heidi? Known as the “Queen of Halloween,” she has hosted an epic Halloween bash since October 2000. She always manages to top herself with pull-out-all-the stops costumes becoming Princess Fiona from Shrek, a cadaver on a stretcher (from the touring Bodies exhibit), a 95-year-old version of herself and a creepy worm.

Related: See Every One of Heidi Klum’s Amazing Halloween Costumes Ranked

In 2022, Heidi joined forces with Snoop Dogg and released “Chai Tea with Heidi,” a dance track, her first music release since her 2006 holiday hit “Wonderland.”

“Sometimes you just cook something up or you voice your dreams or the goals and things that you wanna do,” Klum told Us Weekly. “It just shows you that you have to voice them. You have to speak up because if you don’t, how are people supposed to know you’re even into that? … Anything is possible. You just have to try and go after it.”

More recently, the model judged two new America’s Got Talent spinoffs—All-Stars in 2023 and Fantasy League in 2024.

As if Heidi’s life could get any better, Klum says her new husband, Tom Kaulitz, is “amazing” with her four children.

“I’m sure it’s not easy to step into an immediate family, having all of a sudden four kids and teenagers,” Klum said. “They were easier when they were younger, for sure. Every age comes with its challenges.”

How many kids does Heidi Klum have?

Heidi Klum has four children: Leni, 20, Henry, 19, Johan, 18, and Lou, 14.

Who are the fathers of Heidi Klum’s children?

Flavio Briatore

Italian entrepreneur Flavio Briatore is the biological father of Heidi Klum’s eldest daughter, Helene “Leni” Boshoven. Flavio began dating Heidi in March 2003. By December of the same year, it was announced that Heidi was pregnant, and the couple split soon after. The two never married.

Seal

Seal is the father of all of Heidi Klum’s children. The British-born singer/songwriter, who has known Leni since she was born and raised her as his own, adopted her when she was 5 years old. Seal, who got engaged to Heidi in 2004, adopted Leni in 2009 and changed her name. When asked about his connection to her, Seal said, “It’s everything and it has always been like that, from the day I met her mother,” he told E! “She was two weeks pregnant with this beautiful lady. We have always had that bond.”

Who is Heidi Klum’s husband?

Heidi Klum was married to celebrity hairdresser Ric Pipino from 1997 to 2002.

She and “Kiss from a Rose” singer Seal were married in 2005 and divorced in 2014.

Tom Kaulitz

Today, Heidi Klum is married to German-born composer and musician Tom Kaulitz, who is the guitarist for the rock band Tokio Hotel. The pair met at a party in February 2018.

“It was to the point so bad when I couldn’t even look at him …” she told Ellen DeGeneres. “You know when you’re attracted to someone so badly you’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, I can’t even look at him.'”

In December 2018, Klum announced her engagement on Instagram, writing “I SAID YES.” Then, in February 2019, they reportedly married in a secret ceremony in California. In August of that same year, they exchanged vows a second time beneath a canopy of pink and white roses on the deck of Aristotle Onassis’ 325-foot yacht, the Christina O, off the coast of Capri, Italy. A few months later Heidi told Extra that she was still on a honeymoon. “We’re going to be newlyweds hopefully for a long time,” she said.

Heidi Klum’s children

Leni Klum

Helene ‘Leni’ Olumi Klum, 20, was born May 4, 2004. Now in the spotlight, Leni is building a successful modeling career. In addition to appearing with her mother on the cover of Vogue Germany‘s January/February 2021 issue, Leni also opened Berlin Fashion Week. In a video for Vogue that Heidi and Leni did together, Leni talked about growing up going to shoots with her mother. “From the start, I’ve always gone to work with you,” said Leni. “And today, I was bringing you along for the first time.”

In a touching December 2020 Instagram post to her daughter, Heidi wrote, “I’m so proud of you. And it’s not because you’ve chosen your own path. I know, that no matter which path you were to go down, you would be your own woman. You always know exactly what you want and what you don’t want. You are my little mini me. And I’m so happy for you, that you now know who YOU are.”

Heidi added: “I know that being my daughter is not always easy. You never had the opportunity to grow up ‘normally.’ But what is normal? Growing up with three different daddies probably isn’t either.” Leni also teamed up with ABOUT YOU to present her first clothing collection.

Henry Samuel

Henry Günther Ademola Dashtu Samuel, 19, was born on Sept. 12, 2005. On her son’s 18th birthday, Klum posted a throwback photo of her giving baby Henry a bath.

“Henry Today you turn 18 🥳❤️ HAPPY BIRTHDAY 🎂 Look how small you were and now you are 6″3 WOW ❤️ I LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART ♥️,” the proud mother wrote on Instagram.

Two years ago, when Henry turned 17, Klum shared another adorable throwback photo of her holding a young, smiling Henry.

Johan Samuel

Johan Riley Fyodor Taiwo Samuel, 18, was born on Nov. 22, 2006. In December 2006, Heidi and baby Johan appeared on the cover of the German magazine Gala.

Asked about Johan’s name, Heidi explained that according to Nigerian tradition, people are given many names and that Seal, who has nine names and is of Nigerian descent, wanted to carry on the tradition.

“We thought Johan is a traditional and strong name with a wonderful ring to it. That is why we chose this name. Riley is just a name we really liked. Fyodor is the name of a close friend of Seal’s who died shortly before Johan’s birth,” Klum said. “And Taiwo was the name of Seal’s great-great-grandfather who founded the city of Lagos in Nigeria. His full name was ‘Chief Taiwo Owolow.’ So that makes Johan Riley Fyodor Taiwo Samuel all together.”

On Johan’s 17th birthday, Klum posted a cute throwback video of him singing along to “Firework” at a concert.

“Happy 17th Birthday Johan ❤️🥰🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳 Your even brighter than the moon. I love you sooooo much Riley Fyodor Taiwo ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ with all my heart 😍,” Klum wrote on Instagram.

Back in 2021, Klum shared an Instagram photo of her standing between Johan and Henry, writing, “How did i get so short?”

Lou Samuel

Lou Sulola Samuel, 14, was born Oct. 9, 2009, in Los Angeles, California. Understandably protective, Klum shares very few details about her younger children. When Lou was born, the baby’s father, Seal, wrote in a statement: “It’s difficult to imagine loving another child as much as you love your existing children. Anyone who has a family will tell you this. Where will one find that extra love? If you love your existing children with all of your heart, how then can one possibly find more heart with which to love another?”

Seal continued: “On Friday, Oct. 9, 2009, at 7:46 p.m., the answer to this question came in the form of our fourth child and second daughter. Lou Sulola Samuel was born, and from the moment she looked into both of our eyes, it was endless love at first sight. She is beautiful beyond words and we are happy that she chose us to watch her grow over the coming years.”

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