From Haole To Hero: The Life of Big Wave Surfer Laird Hamilton

Jenna Goldberg|Celebrity|4 May 2018

Laird Dropped Out Of School To Pursue Modeling

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Photo Credit: Bruce Weber for Life Magazine/Twitter @ppriolo

With all the bullying, high school was a terrible place to be for Laird. He was ready to get out. When he was 16 years old, in the eleventh grade, Laird dropped out of school to become a model. His big break wasn’t far away.

At 17, a photographer for Men’s Vogue Italia spotted Laird on the beach. Soon he was under contract and landing modeling jobs with top models, including Brooke Shields. He also played a role in the film North Shore and was Kevin Costner’s stunt double in Waterworld.