Laird Hamilton Biography

Fast Facts

• Was nominated for a Taurus Award for Best Specialty Stunt at the 2003 World Stunt Awards for his work in "Die Another Day․"
• At 16, he started modeling and working in construction
• Quote: "[on Teahupo'o] "The beauty and the power-it's just awe inspiring․ What an incredible thing to even see, to even be near․ I mean, that kind of power and that beauty, you know that is never going to change․""
• Quote: "The waves are going to have the last say and no matter how good we get, how courageous we are, and how dialed in our equipment is, the waves dictate it․"
• Though he chose not to go into competitive surfing despite his skill as a big-wave surfer
• He co-invented tow-in surfing and is known for regularly surfing 35-foot-tall swells at over 30 miles per hour
• People magazine declared him one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world
• Appeared in a television commercial for American Express in the early 2000s
• Published a book called "Force of Nature: Mind, Body, Soul and, of Course, Surfing․"
• Introduced his mother to his stepfather when he was a child