Maran was born in Menlo Park, California. She is of Russian-Jewish descent on her paternal side. Signed at age 17 with the Elite modeling agency of Los Angeles, Maran appeared on her first cover with Glamour magazine in 1998; she was then the featured Guess. After building a résumé of over 25 commercials and advertisements, including playing Howie D’s companion in the music video of Backstreet Boys hit Everybody (Backstreet’s Back), in which she was bitten on the neck by Count Dracula (played by Howie D), Maran moved cross-country to join with Elite in New York City. in 1999, she landed a multi-year deal with Maybelline. Maran appeared in the annual Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue for two consecutive years; from 2001 to 2002. I’m gonna take on the world”. in June 2007, Maran launched her own natural cosmetics product line, named Josie Maran Cosmetics.