When you hear the name Danny Moder, your brain probably skips straight to Julia Roberts. It’s unavoidable. They’re one of the "stable" ones in Hollywood, together for over two decades, three kids, the whole thing. But long before the midnight wedding in New Mexico, there was a whole different life.
There was Vera Steimberg.
For years, Steimberg has been a footnote in the "Pretty Woman" lore. Usually, she's framed as the obstacle or the victim in a messy tabloid narrative from the early 2000s. Honestly? That's a huge disservice to who she actually is. Steimberg isn't just "the first wife." She is a powerhouse in her own right, an Argentine-born makeup artist who has painted the faces of Hollywood’s biggest icons while most people were busy squinting at a blurry paparazzi photo of a T-shirt.
The Woman Behind the Name: Vera Steimberg
Born in Buenos Aires, Vera Steimberg didn't just "end up" in Hollywood by accident. She worked for it. Hard. She grew up in the Villa Devoto neighborhood, inspired by an actress aunt and the hum of creative energy in her home. Imagine a teenager in Argentina, obsessed with photography and the transformative power of a lens. That was her.
She eventually moved to Los Angeles in the mid-90s. No safety net. Just talent.
While she was building her career, she met Danny Moder. He was a camera assistant then, not the big-name cinematographer he is now. They got married in 1997. It was a partnership of two young professionals climbing the ladder together. They were a team for about five years before everything went sideways on the set of The Mexican.
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The Career That Outshines the Gossip
It’s easy to get sucked into the drama, but look at Steimberg’s resume. It’s staggering.
- Eddie Murphy’s Go-To: She was the mastermind behind some of his most complex transformations, starting with The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps.
- The Marvel Universe: If you love the look of Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy, you’re looking at Vera’s handiwork. She’s worked extensively with Zoe Saldaña for years.
- The Academy Member: In 2020, she was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. That’s the "inner circle." That’s the real deal.
She’s currently one of the most sought-after makeup department heads in the business. Just recently, in early 2025, she was spotted traveling to London with Saldaña for the BAFTAs. Her work is about art, skin, and light—not just celebrity adjacency.
What Really Happened With the Divorce?
Okay, let’s talk about the elephant in the room. The T-shirt.
In 2002, the world was obsessed with the fact that Julia Roberts and Danny Moder had fallen in love while he was still technically married to Vera. The tabloids were ruthless. The narrative was that Vera was "refusing" to sign the divorce papers.
Then came the photo. Julia Roberts, walking down the street, wearing a white, hand-drawn T-shirt that read: "A Low Vera."
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It was a pun. A mean one. It was widely interpreted as a public dig at Vera Steimberg. Years later, Roberts told Oprah that the shirt was "private" and she stood by it, though she didn't offer a real apology. For her part, Steimberg didn't stay quiet forever. In a 2002 interview with The Sun, she famously called Roberts a "husband stealer" and predicted the marriage wouldn't last a year.
Well, she was wrong about the marriage lasting, but you can't blame her for the anger. Imagine your private heartbreak being turned into a pun on a global superstar's chest. It was messy. It was public. It was, quite frankly, a different era of celebrity culture.
Life After the Storm
The divorce was finalized in June 2002. Danny married Julia on July 4th of that same year. Most women in Vera's position would have faded into the background or spent the next decade doing "tell-all" interviews for a paycheck.
Vera didn't.
She took a different path. She doubled down on her career. She became an elite artist. She also moved on personally, having a son with an Argentine partner and finding a stable, quiet life away from the camera flashes.
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Why Vera Steimberg Matters Now
The reason the search for Danny Moder first wife still peaks is because we love a redemption arc, even if it's a quiet one. Vera Steimberg is the ultimate example of not letting a public "loss" define your life.
She’s not a victim of the Hollywood machine. She is a vital part of it.
When you see Zoe Saldaña on a red carpet in 2026, looking flawless, or you watch a major blockbuster where the makeup looks like a second skin, there’s a good chance Steimberg is the one behind the scenes making it happen. She transitioned from being "the woman who lost her husband to Julia Roberts" to "the woman who makes the stars look like stars."
Actionable Takeaways from the Vera Steimberg Story
- Look past the tabloid headline: When researching public figures, the "first wife" or "ex" usually has a professional identity that is far more interesting than their marital history.
- Resilience is a career strategy: Steimberg’s rise to the Academy is proof that professional excellence is the best response to public scrutiny.
- Support the artists: Next time you watch the credits of a Marvel movie or an Eddie Murphy comedy, look for her name. It’s there for a reason.
If you’re interested in the technical side of her world, you can follow her professional journey through the Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild or check out her portfolio at Forward Artists. She’s still at the top of her game, proving that there is a lot of life—and a lot of success—after the gossip fades.