Natalia Bryant, the oldest daughter of the late, great Kobe Bryant, is creating her own legacy, while uplifting the one her incomparable father left behind.
Natalia says her dad was her greatest motivator in an interview with IMG Models. The 18-year-old signed with the agency earlier this year.
Daddy’s Biggest Girl
She attributed her early interest in filmmaking to the NBA legend, who shared his passion for cinema with her.
“My dad and I would watch as many movies as we can and we’d go on movie marathons,” Natalia fondly recalls. “And then we’d always analyze as many movies as we can and we’d talk about it for months. Anywhere we went, we’d just keep talking about different films and how it, like, reminds of us who we are.”
Kobe and Natalia bonded over finding connections between their favorite movies and real life.
“It’s just things like that, it just really inspired me and I was like, I wanna do this forever,” Natalia mentioned in the interview.
Natalia, now a freshman at the University of Southern California, hopes to add an additional Academy Award to the Bryant family mantle.
In 2018, her dad accepted the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film for Dear Basketball.
“In 10 years, I want to win an Oscar,” Natalia said. “I’m not sure for what, or for what Oscar category, but that’s on my list. And I want to make a film where I can incorporate my love for fashion and those fashion aspects, and I think combining my two passions, that’s just amazing. I want to be able to do that.”
Mama Knows Fashion
Natalia credits her mom Vanessa Bryant as her biggest fashion influence. Vanessa recently accompanied super friend Ciara to Italy to catch Dolce & Gabanna’s star-studded runway show.
Jennifer Lopez, Ciara and Vanessa Bryant, that's it, that's the tweet ✨ pic.twitter.com/PmUhnZCmcq
— k (@lopezbaee) August 30, 2021
As she shifts into this new stage of her life, Natalia is proving that she is beautiful and sharp as a tack.
Natalia recently donned her late father’s Hall of Fame jacket at the pre-enshrinement dinner the night before Kobe’s posthumous induction. She then returned to Los Angeles the next day for her high school prom on the actual night of his enshrinement.
Vanessa and Natalia receive Kobe’s Hall of Fame jacket and ring
With chants of “KOBE” from the crowd 🙏 pic.twitter.com/IHNr0HdVDs
— Kobe Highlights & Motivation (@kobehighlight) May 15, 2021
Gone But Not Forgotten
Kobe entered the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as part of a superstar class that included Tim Duncan (presented by former teammate David Robinson) and Kevin Garnett (presented by Isiah Thomas, a fellow Chicago native.)
Eddie Sutton, Rudy Tomjanovich, Tamika Catchings, Kim Mulkey, Barbara Stevens and Patrick Baumann were also inducted.
Kobe, a 5-time NBA champion and 18-time All-Star, was presented by Michael Jordan and Vanessa, who gave a touching speech in honor of “Black Mamba.”
Vanessa revealed a personal side of Kobe that the world was just beginning to see in his retirement.
The side his daughters surely enjoyed while he was alive.
#VanessaBryant speaking candidly about her husband #KobeBryant and painting a picture of how she was his checks & balance through all of the madness, fanaticism, drama and celebrity pic.twitter.com/7oT0kRPqBE
— The Shadow League (@ShadowLeague) May 16, 2021
Kobe was a multi-faceted individual who was very cerebral and thoughtful and loving. His legacy will continue through the dreams and accomplishments of his three remaining daughters.
#GirlDad #MambasFirstBabyGirl
