Bar Refaeli was born June 4, 1985 in Hod HaSharon, Isreal to Tsipi and Rafi.  Her parents own a horse ranch.  She is known for her modeling work and for her relationship with actor Leonardo DiCaprio.

She began a modeling career at the age of eight months, appearing in commercials. She had to wear braces in her early years, postponing her modeling. At the age of fifteen, Refaeli returned to modeling where she was represented by Irene Marie Models.

Bar Refaeli has co-starred in Israeli TV series Pick Up in 2005.

In 2009, Bar Rafaeli will star in an English language film Session directed by Israeli Haim Bouzaglo. The film is a psychological thriller that tells the story of a manipulative psychiatrist, Josh Tellman, who becomes obsessed with a new young patient, Eden.

In 2007, Bar became a source of controversy when it became known that she had evaded military service, mandatory for Israeli citizens over 18, by marrying a family acquaintance and divorcing him soon after.

Bar began her modeling career before the age of one. By the age of fifteen she was featured in campaigns for the fashion brands Castro and Pilpel, also starring in a commercial for Milki. Refaeli won the title "Model of The Year" in a beauty contest in 2000 and 2001. She was also chosen to be the home model of Renuar fashion network and appeared in their summer 2002 and winter 2003 catalogues.

Refaeli appeared in the French ELLE magazine, as well as becoming the first Israeli model to be featured in Sports Illustrated. The same picture was later published on the cover of Maxim. She appeared on the cover of the March 2006 issue of GQ Italy among many others. She appeared in the 2007 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue for which she posed with Aerosmith.

She has been the spokesperson for fashion brand Luisa Cerano. She has modeled for Subaru, Accessorize, Brazilian clothing line, Besni, and Italian jewelry line Marco Bicego.

She is signed to Storm Model Management in London, and 1/One Management in New York City. Bar will be the co-host of a Bravo special program Tommy Hilfiger Presents Ironic Iconic America which will premiere in early October. The program is based on book Ironic Iconic America written by George Lois.

In 2008, Bar has become the face of clothing line Hurley, and the new Diddy cologne I am King.