Hailey Bieber Facts And The Story Behind All That Rumored Drama

Hailey Bieber is one of the fashion and beauty industry's most popular talents. The model has walked in runway shows for Tommy Hilfiger, Dolce and Gabbana, and Moschino, in addition to appearing in all the coveted fashion publications. She's been lauded as a member of the new generation of supermodels and has amassed millions of followers on social media, thanks to her effortless style. That style sense has also landed the star her very own deals with fashion companies such as Public Desire. In 2022, the star took her immense beauty TikToks to the next level by launching a skincare brand, so her fans can achieve the same outrageously dewy skin that Hailey has become renowned for. 

Oh, and of course, there was one more little thing: She's also Mrs. Justin Bieber. In 2018, the model and her on-again-off-again friend with benefits shocked Tinseltown when they suddenly took their relationship to the next level.  After a whirlwind summer of PDA, Bieber popped the question with a gigantic diamond in the Bahamas. Since then, the two have endured the many ups and downs of marriage — including a rocky first year together and alleged online drama involving Hailey and her hubby's ex-girlfriend, Selena Gomez. 

There's clearly a lot more to this fashionista than meets the eye, and we've got the scoop on it all. 

Hailey Bieber's modeling career may continue to be red hot, but the highly-coveted and fiercely-competitive fashion industry wasn't even on her radar — she just sort of fell into it. "It's not something I always wanted to do," she told Yahoo Style (via the Daily Mail) in November 2014. "It was something that just started happening naturally, which I think is better because then you're in no way forced into it at all." But what would she be doing if she wasn't modeling? 

Well, for starters, Bieber may have pursued a career in ballet. She reportedly spent 12 years training as a ballerina until an injury halted her professional dance dreams. But don't feel bad for her just yet. In 2017, Bieber told Footwear News that she never would have excelled as a model if it weren't for her ballet training — she even flaunts her dancing skills on social media sometimes.

During an episode of "The Early Late Night Show," the model also shared that she'd once considered dabbling in acting as a teenager and that she'd actually optioned attending a performing arts high school in New York — an idea immediately nixed by her parents. During an appearance on "That Was Fun?" Bieber added that while she attended a Summer acting program, the art form just never quite clicked for her. "I never felt super comfortable in it ... it's not my comfort zone [but] maybe one day, it will be," she explained.

Hailey Bieber's parents, Stephen and Kennya Baldwin, were pretty strict when it came to how she received her education. On an episode of "The Early Late Night Show," Hailey explained to host Dixie D'Amelio that she was given a choice of schooling options, stating, "My parents either said you go to Christian school or you home school ... they wouldn't let me go to public school." Naturally, she picked the home-schooling option, insisting that she just didn't want to have to deal with the long commute involved in the alternative. 

Still, Hailey credits the time she spent studying ballet every day for ensuring that she still made friends and wasn't too isolated. "All my friends were from my dance school, so I didn't feel like I was socially awkward in any way," she said. While she clearly had a social life, there was one aspect of high school that she didn't get a chance to experience — boys! We think that marrying Justin Bieber more than made up for the lack of high school crushes.

The modeling industry has its perks and its pitfalls, and apparently, the latter for Hailey Bieber is posing nude. The star bared her convictions in a 2016 interview with Yahoo's Be (via People) while discussing her dream job — starring in the annual lingerie-clad Victoria Secret runway show. "I can't say that for sure I'll ever get it in my life, but I think it's definitely a dream of every model," she said. Bieber noted that she would only walk in the show under one condition, stating, "I would never pose topless ... I don't like nipple."

Don't expect her to negotiate that point anytime soon. She reinforced her position in a May 2018 interview with The Times, where she reiterated, "I have serious morals that are instilled in me because of how I was raised. There are some things that will never leave my structure ... It's just who I am," she said.

Since then, of course, Victoria's Secret has undergone its own transformation. In 2018, the lingerie brand televised its final runway show, and effectively rebranded itself three years later minus its signature posse of half-dressed Angels. In doing so, the company launched The VS Collective, which promoted a more inclusive approach to underwear — and the people who model it. Bieber joined The VS Collective in 2021, with the company sharing a sultry snap of the model on Instagram posing in a nude push-up bodysuit with nary a nipple in sight, no less. 

Hailey Bieber's Christian faith has always been a big part of her life. In fact, she credits her religion with bringing she and Justin together and keeping their marriage strong. Bieber has several tattoos that are inspired by Christianity, including the word "pray" which can be seen on the outside of her hands when they are in a prayer position. It's clear Bieber is dedicated to her religion, but there have been times when she has questioned whether her modeling career was at odds with her own beliefs.

During a YouTube conversation with "Insecure" actor Yvonne Orji, Bieber revealed that she had allowed other people's prejudices regarding sex to make her feel bad about her choice of lifestyle. "I've met Christian people that are just super judgmental and made me feel like I'm a bad person because I don't live my life the way they think I should live my life," she said. "And I felt weird about posting certain photos of myself or feeling like, 'People in the church are gonna see this. Am I doing something wrong? Am I setting a bad example?' And the reality is no!"

Hailey Bieber grew up surrounded by notoriety. Her father is actor Stephen Baldwin, the younger brother of Alec Baldwin. Papa Stephen is probably best known for his movie role in 1995's "The Usual Suspects," but he attempted to shield his daughter from the spotlight during her childhood. Alas, the dark side of fame found Hailey anyway. "There are people much older than me saying horrible things who have no business paying attention to what [I do]," she told the Evening Standard (via CNN) in 2016. "It's not the best feeling in the world. It comes with the job so you just have to accept it and move on."

Her battles with the backlash are likely why Hailey intends to follow her father's lead when she starts her own family. "When I have kids, they will not grow up around all this," she said. "It's so easy to become spoiled and pretentious and to have the wrong attitude. You have money and access to things the average person doesn't, and you're constantly surrounded by people trying to kiss your a**."

Hailey and Justin Bieber got engaged in July 2018, in what came as a serious surprise to die-hard Beliebers. However, these two have reportedly been friends since 2009, after being introduced by Hailey's father during a seemingly awkward red-carpet exchange.

What followed after their initial meeting was a slew of ups and downs and breakups and makeups. But upon closer inspection, signs indicated that marriage may have been on the cards for this unexpected couple for a long time. In fact, the singer toyed with the possibility of marrying his gal pal during a 2016 interview with GQ. In an attempt to explain why he didn't want to commit to her at the time, Bieber said, "What if Hailey ends up being the girl I'm gonna marry, right? If I rush into anything, if I damage her, then it's always gonna be damaged. It's really hard to fix wounds like that. It's so hard. I just don't want to hurt her ... I'm just more so looking at the future, making sure I'm not damaging them." Yep, that's right, folks. Fate is real, and the future is now.

Before there was Hailey Bieber and Justin Bieber, there was reportedly Hailey and Drake. Dishing to People, an eyewitness claimed that the two had looked extremely loved up together at the rapper's Memorial Day party in 2016. Things apparently got so serious between the two that the "Hotline Bling" star was even snapped rocking the model's signature "H" necklace while he was out and about. 

Some sources did attempt to dispel the relationship rumors, insisting to People (via Perez Hilton) that the couple was keeping things strictly casual between them. But to onlookers, such comments felt like more of a cover-up than the actual truth.

We'll probably never really know how serious Hailey and Drake really were. In 2016, she told E! News that she prefers to keep her relationships private. "It really is my personal business," she said. "And I like to think my relationships are not between me the person and the whole entire world. It's hard. I don't think people are really able to understand if they're not in that position."

In September 2018, Hailey Bieber and Justin Bieber were married in a courthouse ceremony just months after getting engaged. Hailey, who was 22 years old at the time, told The Cut, "My sister was 24 when she got married, and my parents also got married when they were young, too. I see no reason to wait. When you know it's right, it's right."

A year later, the happy couple had a second wedding where they exchanged vows in a religious ceremony with family and friends in attendance. The nuptials took place in South Carolina at the fabulous Montage Palmetto Bluff resort. Among the guests at the wedding were Jaden Smith, models Joan Smalls and Camila Morrone, and Kris, Kendall, and Kylie Jenner. 

Naturally, the couple looked gorgeous on their big day. Hailey's wedding gown was designed by Virgil Abloh and it was truly unforgettable. The lace confection was accessorized with a long veil with the words "Till Death Do Us Part" stitched into the bottom. Justin shared pics on Instagram of him and his bride, with the caption "Looking forward to forever with you [Hailey Bieber]" So sweet.

By all accounts, Hailey Bieber and Justin Bieber's relationship may not be perfect. But hey, whose is? Since marrying in 2018, the two have had to weather multiple obstacles such as chronic health issues, accusations of drama between Hailey and Selena Gomez, and even rumors that the Canadian pop star married his model wife simply to obtain U.S. citizenship, per Evie. As Justin explained on an episode of "The Ebro Show," getting hitched didn't exactly meet all his expectations. "I thought marriage was going to fix all my problems and it didn't," he said. Certainly, he and Hailey have endured multiple rifts with each other over the years. 

One of their most notable dust-ups occurred in 2016 when Justin was reportedly hooking up with fellow model Sofia Richie. He was even said to have unfollowed his future wife on social media — gasp! — a move that many speculated was actually Richie's doing. In a May 2018 interview with The Times, Hailey reflected that their many of their problems were likely a result of their youth. "I met him when I was really young and he was one of my best friends," she said. "... We went through a long period of time when we weren't friends. We didn't speak for quite some time and there was a lot of weirdness that went on. We've moved past that." Millions of online followers can now emit a collective sigh of relief.

Both Hailey Bieber and Selena Gomez dated Justin Bieber on and off in the 2010s. When Justin proposed to Hailey mere months after his final breakup with Gomez, fans began to speculate and take sides. But Hailey and Justin have been married since 2018, so are the girlies fighting in 2023? It seems the answer is yes, despite both parties denying any ill will toward the other.

The drama began in January 2023, when Bieber, Kendall Jenner, and Justine Skye posted a since-deleted TikTok lip-syncing the sample, "And I'm not saying she deserved it, but God's timing is always right," which fans interpreted to be a reference to recent internet body shaming of Gomez. Bieber responded to the suspected dig by saying, "We were just having a girls' night and did a random TikTok sound for fun. It's not directed at anyone."

Things escalated from there when Kylie Jenner, one of Hailey's besties, was accused of making fun of a TikTok posted by Gomez about her eyebrows. The "Only Murders in the Building" star tried to smooth things over in the comments, but the drama ultimately culminated in Gomez announcing a break from social media. But it didn't end there. After much shade being thrown back and forth, fans seemed to take Gomez's side — she gained millions of followers on social media while Bieber lost over one million. In March 2023 Justin Bieber made a surprise appearance at Rolling Loud and the crowd began chanting "F*** Hailey Bieber." Yikes!

When Hailey and Justin Bieber tied the knot in 2018, it seemed the pair was eager to start a family right away. In December of that year, Hailey told Vogue Arabia (via US Weekly), "I love kids and I can't wait to have my own. I would say now that's a closer reality." And it seems Justin was on board with the idea too. In November 2019, he shared an Instagram post for Hailey's birthday featuring a caption that read in part, "Next season — babies."

Alas, several years came and went without any mini Biebers joining the world, and it seemed as though Hailey had shifted her perspective a bit on welcoming children to her family. Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, the star shared that newly married young women can feel pressured to be in a hurry to get pregnant. Instead, Hailey explained that she had other goals and ambitions to achieve first — and there was still plenty of time to add babies to that equation. "What about all the things I want to accomplish in my business?" she reasoned. "I think I had it ingrained in my head that I was going to want to have kids right away and I was going to want to have kids super, super young. Then I turned 25 and [I was] like, 'I'm still super, super young!'"

In March 2022, Hailey Bieber had a very serious health scare. She detailed the experience in a YouTube video, explaining that she had suffered a mini-stroke, also called a transient ischemic attack (TIA). Bieber was eating breakfast with her husband when she noticed a strange sensation in her arm and then felt one side of her face drooping. Justin Bieber asked if she was okay, but when she tried to speak she couldn't get any words out.

Hailey was rushed to the hospital where it was determined that a blood clot had traveled to her brain causing the medical event. Although her stroke symptoms went away quickly, she underwent many tests to find out the cause of the incident. Doctors discovered that she had a small hole in her heart, and although she had successful surgery to correct it, the entire experience left her feeling uneasy.

"I struggled with a lot of anxiety after. I struggled with a little bit of PTSD of just like the fear of maybe it was gonna happen again," she told "The Run-Through with Vogue." "I mean, it was so terrifying, so jarring, so discombobulating in every single way that you could imagine." But she is grateful to have a clean bill of health and to have had a smooth recovery. "I look back at it and it could've been so much worse," she said. "So many worse things could have happened in that moment."

In 2022 Hailey Bieber debuted her skincare line, Rhode. The brand name was originally going to be called Bieber Beauty but there were issues filing a trademark. Instead, the model went with Rhode — her middle name. Speaking to People about the creation of her skincare products, she expressed her gratitude that people feel inspired by the tidbits of beauty wisdom she shares on social media. "I feel like I'm in it with them," she gushed. Bieber also suggested she felt passionate about being able to share her beauty line with the masses, adding, "It was very important to me that if I open up the world of Rhode, everyone is invited. Everyone is included. I wanted it to be accessible and attainable for everyone."

However, there were clearly some people who didn't want a seat at her table — namely, the already-existing New York-based lifestyle and clothing brand RHODE who filed a lawsuit against Bieber citing trademark infringement. In July 2022, a judge ruled in Bieber's favor, allowing her to continue promoting her skincare line for the time being. But a spokesperson for RHODE, co-founded by Purna Khatau and Phoebe Vickers told E! News, "We remain confident that we will win at trial. 'Rhode' is our name and brand, we built it, and federal and state laws protect it. We ask Hailey to achieve her goals without using the brand name we have spent the last nine years building."

Fans of Hailey Bieber know she is much more than just a beautiful face. One area in which Bieber has proven herself quite talented is as a TV host. In 2017, Bieber landed a gig hosting "Drop the Mic," a celebrity rap-battle show created by James Corden and co-hosted by rap superstar Method Man. "This was stepping outside of my comfort zone," she told WWD. "To be very honest, I was really, really nervous when we first started. I didn't want to disappoint the team." But despite her initial anxiety, it turned out she was a natural. The one issue she ran into was due to her model mindset. "I would be standing there, and Method would be talking, and [the producers] would be like, 'Hailey — smile!'" She was just so accustomed to serving seriously sexy looks!

Aside from TV, Bieber has a very popular YouTube channel featuring several series including "Who's In My Bathroom?" and "Get Ready With Me." The former features Bieber hanging out with famous friends including Addison Rae, Gwyneth Paltrow, Normani, and others. In 2023, she expanded her channel with a series called "What's In My Kitchen?" As you may have guessed, this culinary-themed series sees the model sharing recipes and giving fans a look at her lavish home kitchen — and the many delicious food experiments she hopes to use it for. 

Hailey Bieber gives off all-American girl vibes, but the truth is she has a multicultural background. Her mother is Brazilian and Bieber has said her mother and grandmother don't speak much English when they're together. She recalled to Vogue Brazil (via ET Canada), "I grew up listening to my mum and grandmother talking in Portuguese and eating rice and beans. I am just sorry I don't speak the language with fluency."

But it turns out she does speak enough of the language to get by. This includes some flirtatious phrases, as she demonstrated when she was a guest on "The Late Late Show with James Corden." Bieber taught fellow guests William H. Macy and Matt LeBlanc how to say "Shut up and kiss me" in Portuguese.

Bieber also has the words "Minas Gerais" tattooed on her ankle, in tribute to the state in Southeastern Brazil. As Bieber explained in her Vogue Brazil interview, "It was where my grandmother was born. I always wanted to do a tattoo to strengthen our connection and my ancestry. She helped raise me and was always at home to take care of me."

Hailey Bieber and Kylie and Kendall Jenner are often seen out and about together, sunning themselves in the Caribbean or chilling on the slopes in Aspen. While Bieber is super close with both of the women, she and Kylie were BFFs before her sister joined in. Speaking to Elle, Kendall explained, "[Bieber] was actually best friends with Kylie, and I was good friends with her cousin Ireland [Alec Baldwin's daughter]. Hailey lived in New York, and whenever we were there, we would hang out with her."

She also went on to detail how she kind of stole Bieber from Kylie but it all worked out in the end. "At first, Kylie was mad; I had to bring them back together and be like, 'No, it's okay, guys.' But it's all good; that's our love story." Kendall and Bieber continue to show their love for each other with matching tattoos. Both have a broken heart inked on the inside of their middle fingers, with Bieber's in red and Kendall's in white.

There are many aspects of Hailey Bieber's aesthetic that fans admire — her hair, her fashion sense, her dewy skin. But she's also a great celeb to look to for tattoo inspo. Bieber has over 20 tattoos, most of them very small and many of them on her hands. She has the letter J tattooed on her ring finger, the date of her parents' anniversary inked in roman numerals near her wrist, a tiny heart on her collarbone, and a little diamond behind one ear, among others. "They're little ones, but I like all the little ones. I'm running out of spots to put little ones," she told The Cut. "And eventually when I have kids one day, I want to get my kids' names and then I want to have the spots for that."

Bieber has a favorite tattoo artist, JonBoy, who counts Kylie and Kendall Jenner as clients as well. "All these celebrities have come to me because Hailey said, 'Yeah, he's chill — go for it,'" he told Refinery29. Some of Bieber's tattoos designed by JonBoy include two chevron lines on her pinky, a star on her index finger, and three black dots on her middle finger.

There is one tattoo that Bieber regrets — a tiny handgun inked on the inside of her middle finger. "I think at 18, I was like, 'Yeah! That looks cool.' But now ... I would never do that. I think guns are violent," she told Elle in a 2021 interview. We all make mistakes, at least this one can be lasered off.