Born in Kyiv, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union, Jovovich emigrated with her parents to London when she was five, and then to Sacramento, California; she finally settled in Los Angeles seven months later. In 1987, at the age of 12, she began modeling when Herb Ritts photographed her for the cover of the Italian magazine "Lei". Richard Avedon featured her in Revlon's "Most Unforgettable Women in the World" advertisements. In 1988, Jovovich made her screen debut in the television film "The Night Train to Kathmandu" and appeared in her first feature film, "Two Moon Junction".