Lori Jo Hendrix was born in Ojai, California, an idyllic enclave of writers and artists nestled among the mountains north of Ventura. The youngest of three children, Lori spent her early year's horseback riding, swimming, trekking and going to the beach. After graduating high school, she studied cosmetology and worked as a cosmetologist for nine years, eventually retiring to pursue a career in modeling. Within a short time, she turned to modeling and acting full time.