How Vanessa Bryant Became ‘Queen Mamba’

Vanessa Urbieta Cornejo Laine was born on May 5, 1982, in Los Angeles. She was a happy but quiet kid, whose friends describe as ‘deeply family-orientated’. Her family was also pretty protective and didn’t let her date much as a teenager. Vanessa lived with her mom and sister Sophie. Her parents divorced when she was a baby, her dad then moving to Baja, Mexico. After her mom remarried, Vanessa started using her step-dad’s surname Laine, which she changed to legally in high school.

Vanessa always had something magnetic about her, and during the summer of 1999, just before she began her senior year of high school, she was spotted at a concert and asked to appear in a music video. Vanessa was called to appear in a music video alongside rappers Snoop Dogg and Tha Eastsidaz for their song “G’d Up” and wore a metallic bikini for her debut as a video vixen. She was already turning heads back in 1999!

In 1999, the same year that 17-year-old Vanessa appeared in the video for “G’d Up,” she met 19-year-old Kobe Bryant. Vanessa shared this photo on Instagram in 2019, saying, “The day we met 20 years ago. K.o.b.e I love YOU,” marking the date as 11/27/99. The pair met on the set of another music video, but it wasn’t until the following day that Kobe plucked up the courage to ask Vanessa for her phone number, and she obliged!

Vanessa and Kobe’s first official date was a trip to Disneyland. Kobe was already a big star, and bodyguards followed them around the park to make sure the couple was safe and to ward off paparazzi. This would become a regular occurrence as the couple dated, with security slipping them into previously blocked-off streets after a movie a the local Cineplex. Reporters ever waited at the doorstep of her grandfather’s house, which irritated the family girl, who wanted to shield her relatives from the press.

The couple’s relationship was public from very early on, and their relationship caused quite a commotion while she was attending her senior year at Marina High School in Huntington Beach, California, as reporters tried to interview her classmates. “She’d bring pictures of Kobe to school, and we’d all be like ‘Oh My God!'” Vanessa’s former classmate Monica Squadrilli told the Los Angeles Times. “I remember there was one of him playing with her puppies, and she would only let us look at it, we couldn’t touch it.”

Right from the start, Vanessa was seen courtside during Kobe’s games, and she was happy to accompany the Lakers star to celebrity events and red carpets. Kobe proposed to her on her 18th birthday, just six months after they met. The couple famously did not sign a prenuptial agreement. Stephen Laine, Vanessa’s stepfather, told reporters after that, “she just came home one day and said something to the effect that Kobe didn’t want a prenup — that he loved her too much.”

Vanessa and Kobe were married in April 2001 at St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church in Southern California’s Dana Point. The ceremony was very small, with only 12 guests, because Kobe’s family disapproved of him being married so young. According to the LA Times, Kobe’s family also disapproved of him marrying someone who was not African American. Years later, Kobe would describe the rift this caused in his family, although his father Joe later said it had all been smoothed out.

The controversy with Kobe’s family didn’t dent the young couple’s dedication to one another, and Vanessa stepped out with Kobe at celebrity events on a regular basis. Fans and reporters alike always commented on how comfortable the couple seemed together. Vanessa was happy to play the part of arm candy, but sources close to her stated that her focus was a family from very early on, so it wouldn’t be long before the couple tried for a baby.

Lakers player Kobe became steadily more famous in the early 2000s and Vanessa was always by his side. Fans were delighted when the couple announced in September 2002 that they were expecting their first child together, a daughter. Sources close to the family said the couple was very much in love and couldn’t wait to bring a child into the world together. They were very financially stable, as Kobe had signed a 6-year endorsement contract with Adidas that was worth $48million.

On January 19, 2003, Vanessa and Kobe Bryant bought their first daughter into the world and named her Natalia Diamante Bryant. According to an LA Times article, her middle name was a reference to Vanessa’s love of diamonds. Natalia was apparently a very energetic baby, and although she wouldn’t grow up to follow her father’s footsteps on the basketball court, she showed great promise at volleyball from a young age. Rumor has it, Natalia is currently being scouted by the USA Olympic team.

Later on in 2003, a 19-year-old woman accused Kobe of sexually assaulting her in Denver. After the allegations, Vanessa stood by Kobe and said that she believed he would make amends in their marriage and to their new family. The Lakers decided to hold a press conference in July 2003 to address the accusation, in which Kobe acknowledged his infidelity, although he said that the sexual encounter was consensual. Vanessa was literally and figuratively by his side, holding his hand.

Kobe Bryant’s accuser didn’t testify, and the case was eventually dropped in September 2004, with a civil suit settled out of court the following year. The image of Vanessa and Kobe’s Lakers press conference during the scandal became iconic. Saturday Night Live filmed a skit mocking the infamous image, with Maya Rudolph playing Vanessa Bryant and Finesse Mitchell as Kobe Bryant. Vanessa wasn’t affected by what the media said, preferring to focus on strengthening the marriage once more.

To get away from all of the drama and pressure surrounding Kobe and Vanessa Bryant after the allegations of sexual assault against Kobe went public, the Lakers player decided to take Vanessa and baby Natalia to Europe on vacation. The young family snapped this photo on a disposable camera while in Rome in the spring of 2004. A little bit of rest and relaxation seemed to do the couple a lot of good, as they appear relaxed and very close.

The months following the sexual assault allegation were rough on Vanessa and Kobe, with a lot of attention directed towards the young mother. Many papers published articles suggesting the couple was going to divorce, although that turned out to be untrue. Keen photographers spotted a new piece of jewelry on Vanessa’s hand during that time. Vanessa was proud to display a $4million 8-carat purple diamond ring which was supposedly a token of apology from the Lakers player to his wife.

In October 2003, Kobe also showed off a new tattoo, which was reportedly another symbol of his repentance for his infidelity and his dedication to Vanessa. Kobe showed off the newly inked tattoo to reporters post-game on October 6th. The large tattoo which covered Kobe Bryant’s entire right bicep featured Vanessa’s name above a pair of angel wings. The tattoo seemed to work towards getting Kobe back in his wife’s favor, and Vanessa was said to be touched by the tribute.

In a 2015 documentary on Showtime, Kobe revealed that Vanessa had a miscarriage while they were expected their second child. The Lakers star blamed himself, citing that he knew that the cheating scandal had brought Vanessa a lot of emotional stress. “It’s something I have a real hard time dealing with because I felt like it was just my fault,” said Kobe. “The reality is it happened because of me. That’s something I have to deal with. Something I gotta carry forever.”

Vanessa’s second pregnancy, which sadly ended in miscarriage, wasn’t publicized until years later. After many difficult months, the couple gave it another shot, and Vanessa was delighted to share her pregnancy with the world in early 2006. Vanessa Bryant looked glowing in this yellow waterfall dress in a photo dated April 2006, just a month away from the birth of baby number two. Kobe looked every part the proud father with a smile that stretched from ear to ear.

Three years after Kobe and Vanessa’s first child was born, they welcomed another daughter into the world, named Gianna. Kobe said the birth was an incredible blessing for the entire family, and that they were full of beautiful emotions. Vanessa began attending Lakers matches with both Natalia and Gianna, who were happy and proud to see their father play with the team. Kobe continued to pay penance to Vanessa and the marriage seemed to be back on track.

Kobe and Vanessa began their philanthropic work in 2007 when they created the Vivo Foundation, which was later named the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Foundation, with the aim of giving back to the community in Los Angeles. The couple continued this generous streak throughout their marriage, founding a homelessness charity focused on youth outreach in the Los Angeles area in 2011. They also made many monetary donations to Stand Up to Cancer and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Vanessa and Kobe Bryant were seemingly on top of the world in 2008, as Kobe saw unparalleled success on and off the court. Kobe won five NBA championships and the title of MVP. Vanessa was a proud wife and mother and was always by Kobe’s side, although rumors were swirling that their marriage was on the rocks, perhaps due to the pressures of Kobe’s ever-advancing career, and the cheating allegations that dogged the couple years earlier.

After a decade together, Kobe and Vanessa’s marriage appeared to be in trouble again in 2011, Vanessa filed for divorce in Orange County Superior Court. Fans were shocked and saddened that the couple was separating. Despite the filing which cited “irreconcilable differences,” the pair were spotted often together and in January 2013 they announced on social media that they were working things out, with Vanessa sharing a snap of them on Instagram with the caption, “We are looking forward to our future together.”

After Vanessa and Kobe Bryant reconciled, Vanessa returned courtside during Lakers games, accompanied by the couple’s daughters. Gianna and Natalia were old enough to understand the game and loved giving Kobe high fives when he scored. Sitting courtside was one of the many perks that Vanessa and the girls could take advantage of when Kobe was the highest-paid player in the NBA. In fact, Kobe’s highest salary was during this time, coming in at a whopping $30.5 million.

The smiles say it all in this photo shared by Kobe Bryant on Instagram of the couple on a vacation in Greece in 2014. Their body language is relaxed and they seem as if they don’t have a care in the world. Vanessa reportedly loved visiting Europe with Kobe. Even though he was a household name over there, they were less likely to be swamped by photographers, allowing them to enjoy their time together and feel like normal people for a while.

Vanessa Bryant is very close to her older sister Sophie who, like Vanessa, took their stepfather’s surname, Laine, when their mom remarried. Sophie does not have any social media accounts, and little is known about her own family, although she appears in many of Vanessa’s photos. Vanessa always sends her sister, who she nicknamed Fofi, a shout out on her birthday, and continuously thanks her for being such a great aunt to her four daughters.

2016 was a busy year for Kobe and Vanessa, with the family welcoming yet another daughter into the world. They named the little girl Bianka. Three years later, the couple would welcome a fourth daughter named Capri. After Bianka’s birth, Kobe decided that it was finally the moment to spend more time with his family. The Lakers star announced his retirement in 2016 in order to help Vanessa bring up the girls and continue with their philanthropic projects.

Vanessa was radiant at Kobe’s side at the Oscar’s afterparty hosted by Vanity Fair in 2018. Kobe took home the trophy for best animated short film at the ceremony, along with Glen Keane, who animated the short named Dear Basketball. Dear Basketball is a short film illustrating the poem that the Kobe Bryant wrote to announce his retirement in November 2015. The poem highlighted Kobe’s love for the game, stating, “I fell in love with you. A love so deep I gave you my all. From my mind and body to my spirit and soul.”

Vanessa was always a mama’s girl, especially as her birth father was out of the picture. Her mother was ever-present in Kobe and Vanessa’s life, including spending vacations with the family and helping out with childcare. Vanessa shared this photo of the two together on her mom’s birthday, writing, “Happy birthday mama! We love you so much. Thank you for being the best mom and the best grandma we could ever dream of/hope for. May god bless you today and always.”

Vanessa’s family were always very private people which the press, for the most part, respected. Despite Kobe’s worldwide acclaim, which attracted a lot of media attention, Vanessa shied away from the camera and rarely granted interviews. After Kobe retired in 2016, Vanessa Bryant did provide the press with a statement to be published, saying, “I’m so excited to see what God has in store for us as a family now that one chapter is closing and new ones are opening.”

Vanessa was a pro by the time her fourth pregnancy came around, as she posted this glamorous photo on Instagram. She remarked that she enjoyed being pregnant and felt strong and beautiful with each and every pregnancy. The couple decided to learn the gender of the baby early on and were delighted to know that they would have another little girl. Having four girls in a row is quite rare, with only 12.5% of couples with four-children doing so.

The entire Bryant family looked proud and excited, dressed in matching pastel colors, at Vanessa’s baby shower in anticipation of their fourth daughter. Kobe shared this photo of the family in May 2019 to give his wife a shout out for Mother’s Day. “Happy Mother’s Day @vanessabryant we love you and thank you for all that you do for our family. You are the foundation of all that we hold dear. I love you #mybaby #lioness #mamabear #queenmamba,” he wrote.

Kobe and Vanessa Bryant are known for being a couple that has stuck together through thick and thin, and fans were ecstatic to see this photo of the couple together celebrating their 18th wedding anniversary. Kobe proudly posted the gorgeous photo on Instagram in April 2019, with the caption, “Happy 18th Wedding Anniversary baby! Ti Amo per Sempre.” The phrase means ‘I love your forever’ in Italian, showing the Lakers star’s romantic side.

In 2019, Kobe Bryant shared this sweet photo of himself and wife Vanessa at Disneyland, the place where he took her on their first date and where their love story began. At this point, they had been together for over 20 years. Despite the trials and tribulations, Vanessa and Kobe remained ever strong during their later years. Their four daughters gave them plenty to handle, but they took everything in stride, managing to balance family life, philanthropic work, and fun!

With four children in the house, Vanessa and Kobe Bryant always knew they had to do Halloween in a big way. The kids loved dressing up with the couple, who would go all out with their costumes and face paint. In 2019, Vanessa kept it spooky by dressing up as the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard Of Oz, while Kobe was transformed into a dapper-looking turtle. The couple loved the holiday and made it as magical as possible for their children.

Inspired by Vanessa and their four beautiful daughters, the next stage of Kobe’s career expanded the family’s previous charity work focused on sports for young people. Kobe wanted a break from basketball, but he was pulled back to the sport when his daughter Gianna showed interest and great ability for the sport. Kobe Bryant coached his daughter’s team, the Mambas, and started the Mamba Sports Academy, which hosts a wide variety of athletes for holistic training, practices, and tournaments alongside NBA players.

Kobe Bryant put his love out into the world for everyone to see once more on Vanessa’s birthday in May 2019. He shared a snap of the couple together, in which Vanessa appears quite heavily pregnant. Kobe captioned the cute photo with a celebratory message that read, “Happy Birthday to my beautiful baby @vanessabryant you are like fine wine baby,” suggesting that she only gets better with age. It’s certainly true that Vanessa continues to look stunning throughout the years.

On January 26, 2020, the Bryant family suffered a great loss when Kobe and 13-year-old Gianna were killed in a shocking and tragic helicopter crash. Sadly, there were 9 victims in total who were traveling to the Thousand Oaks, California, Mamba training facility. Tributes poured in as fans, athletes, and sports journalists mourned the loss of one of basketball’s greatest icons and a promising future athlete. Celebrities rallied to support Vanessa, with Jessica Simpsons writing, “Vanessa, you are the woman and wife that championed your husband to greatness.”

After a period away from social media, Vanessa shared a touching tribute to Gianna and Kobe, from herself and three surviving daughters. Vanessa said that she and her family were “devastated” by the sudden loss of Kobe and Gianna. Vanessa described them as “our beautiful blessings taken from us too soon,” but she vowed they would continue despite their pain. She said, “But we wake up each day, trying to keep pushing because Kobe, and our baby girl, Gigi, are shining on us to light the way.”

As part of the tribute, Vanessa acted as Kobe would have wanted by announcing a generous fund to support the families of the other seven people killed in the helicopter crash. Vanessa’s heartbreaking message went on to thank fans for their continued thoughts and prayers. Basketball fans and fans of the family shared in their mourning. She said, “Thank you for all the prayers, we definitely need them… I’m not sure what our life holds beyond today”.

Vanessa stood strong despite the terrible circumstances and courageously took the stage at the public memorial service held to honor her husband and daughter. She made a heartbreaking speech in which she said, “We will not be able to see Gigi go to high school,” she said. “We didn’t have the chance to teach her how to drive a car. I won’t be able to tell her how gorgeous she looks on her wedding day or see her walk down the aisle.”

Vanessa and Kobe Bryant shared this romantic photoshoot they had taken in late 2019. The beautiful black and white photos were shot by photography group The Collective You, who specializes in celebrity portraits, fashion editorial images, and events coverage. This would be their last photoshoot together. The couple looked into the camera with conviction in this photo which was intended to show their strength as a couple and their determination to face 2020 head-on as a strong family unit.