There’s a quiet kind of power in someone who doesn’t chase the spotlight but naturally owns it. Natalia Bryant is focused on carving her path and has done it with pride. It is not just because she is the daughter of the NBA legend Kobe Bryant… it stems from her values and what she stands for. She can stride down the runway in Milan or make a modest statement with just her strong confidence that reflects from her.
People might think that having Kobe Bryant as a father would leave a big shadow, but for Natalia, that huge legacy has always been next to her, not above her. As a child, she lived in two sound worlds: one was her home, which was based on discipline that she learned from her father; the other was her private life, which was packed with fashion inspiration, maternal warmth, and creativity. This mix created a woman who proudly embraces individuality and heritage. But where does this mindset kick in?
In Natalia’s own words, “Whether they were in magazines or on TV. They exuded such elegance and confidence, yet each represented it in a way that was unique to themselves.” It wasn’t on a stage that things changed; it was in a college classroom. Natalia made a touching short film about the impact of parental absence as part of her junior year at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts. The tragic deaths of her father, Kobe, and her younger sister Gianna in January 2020 shocked the entire world. But, like a true artist, she made the theme even more poignant. The film was fictional, but it had a personal touch of grief. In five and a half minutes, she delicately echoed the pain, development, and change that had characterized her early adulthood. And now, she is defined by her career, rather than the pain.
She has a successful modeling career, with campaigns for Victoria’s Secret Pink and Versace already under her belt, but she always goes back to one person for inspiration: her mother, Vanessa Bryant. “Growing up, my style inspiration was my mom because she has such a natural ability to put together outfits and really has an eye for fashion,” she says as quoted by V Magazine. “Watching her get ready for events or even day-to-day life, she showed me how much individuality and confidence goes into one’s personal style.”
Natalia claimed that Vanessa gave her a creative base that helped her build the confidence to express herself. In a way, Kobe passed down the legacy to Vanessa, and her proud daughter gave her voice to him. But is it really only her dream?
Is Natalia Bryant carrying forward Kobe’s vision of storytelling?
Kobe Bryant’s move from the NBA to filmmaking wasn’t a side project; it was a natural extension, considering his love for sharing stories. His Oscar-winning short film Dear Basketball wasn’t just a goodbye to the court; it was also a blueprint for a second act dedicated to narrative craft. Natalia’s goals are now driven by the same artistic desire: telling powerful stories in a compelling narrative. Speaking to V, she said:
“I have so many great memories of going to movie theaters with my family. I love the idea that people can come together to watch a movie…the film can cause audiences to experience a wide range of emotions while still feeling a shared sense of togetherness in the cinema.”
Natalia isn’t just inspired by what her father did; she’s adding to it in a way that makes sense and is relevant. Her focus on building herself as strong as her father so that others get inspired is what makes her unique and echoes the ‘Mamba Mentality.’ “A dream of mine that will never go away is to inspire others and especially be a role model to younger girls,” she said. Both Kobe and Natalia show how strong a purpose must be.
NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 23: Vanessa Bryant, former NBA Player Kobe Bryant, Natalia Bryant and Gianna Bryant attend the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival’s Tribeca Talks: Storytellers: Kobe Bryant with Glen Keane at BMCC Tribeca PAC on April 23, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Mark Sagliocco/FilmMagic)
Now, as she prepares to graduate and step fully into the dual roles of model and filmmaker, Natalia is beginning to symbolize something bigger. The fact that her father had won the Academy Award back in 2018, making him the Oscar winner, opens new perspectives. If Kobe gave the world a dream with ‘Dear Basketball,’ perhaps one day, Natalia will give it a legacy with a camera in her hand and her father in her heart.
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