Meet Vera Steimberg, a make-up artist and Daniel Moder's ex-wife

Vera Steimberg is an accomplished Argentine Hollywood makeup artist and beauty expert. She is often mentioned in pop culture history as the former wife of Daniel Moder, an American cinematographer and camera operator. Steimberg is highly regarded for her extensive work in major Hollywood blockbusters, including Dolemite Is My Name, Coming 2 America, and Guardians of the Galaxy.

Key takeaways

• Vera Steimberg has been credited with transforming Eddie Murphy into the titular character in The Nutty Professor.
• She has worked for Zoë Saldaña as her personal make-up artist for over two decades, since the beginning of Saldaña's career.
• She and Daniel Moder divorced in 2002, after five years of marriage.
• Daniel later married actress Julia Roberts a few months after their divorce.

Profile summary

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Vera Steimberg's biography

Vera Steimberg is an Argentinian-American national of European heritage. She was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and grew up in the middle-class neighborhood of Villa Devoto within the city. Her father, who worked as a doctor and had no knowledge of the arts, was convinced by Vera to let her attend night classes in photography at age 16.

Her initial exposure to the entertainment world came from her paternal aunt, an actress. Steimberg spent significant time immersed in her aunt's theatrical lifestyle. She frequently went backstage during performances and attended local actors' union meetings hosted directly inside her childhood home.

Vera does not actively use the last name Moder in her professional or daily life, but it still appears in media and database records primarily for professional legacy and legal historical tracking.

Vera Steimberg’s ex-husband, cinematographer Daniel Moder, is a renowned his work behind the camera. Some of his notable credits include Spider-Man 3, Secret in Their Eyes, and The Mexican. Moder also received a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Cinematography for his work on The Normal Heart (2014).

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How old is Vera Steimberg?

The Argentine make-up artist is 53 years old as of 2026. Vera Steimberg’s birthday was 8 February 1973, and her zodiac sign is Aquarius.

Career highlights

Vera Steimberg developed a passion for beauty and visual art projects at an early age, driven by the political and creative environment surrounding her family. As a result, she built her early understanding of cosmetic applications and client matching by working as a door-to-door sales consultant for Mary Kay cosmetics products in Argentina.

From that job, Steimberg realized she had a passion for teaching people how to apply makeup. To hone her craft, Vera took specialized courses in special effects makeup and joined the prominent Oscar Mullet makeup studio back in her hometown in Buenos Aires.

Vera would later move from the Villa Devoto neighborhood of Buenos Aires to Los Angeles in the late 1990s at age 25 to try her luck in Hollywood, with no industry connections. She built her career from the ground up by volunteering on student films and independent projects until earning a spot in the makeup union.

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The beauty expert began her professional career in 1999 as an associate hairstylist and assistant make-up artist on the thriller Total Stranger. Her major industry breakthrough happened the following year when mentor David Anderson invited her to the makeup team of The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps, eventually leading her to become Eddie Murphy's personal make-up artist.

Steimberg has been in the industry for nearly three decades and has worked in numerous films, TV series, and music videos, including:

Throughout her make-up career, Vera Steimberg has achieved more recognition for her great work in Dolemite Is My Name, Coming 2 America, Guardians of the Galaxy and Planet of the Apes. She has also partnered with various prominent Hollywood celebrities such as Eddie Murphy, Sarah Baker, Lou Doillon, Zoe Saldaña, and Gabrielle Union.

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Managed by Forward Artists, Steimberg remains a dominant creative force in the entertainment and cosmetics space. She is highly celebrated within the industry for her specialization and technical precision in complementing the complex undertones of women of color. What's more, her work is a benchmark for tonal inclusivity in film and television.

In recognition of her artistic impact, Vera Steimberg was inducted as a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, helping diversify and govern the Makeup and Hairstyling branch.

Vera Steimberg's current projects

Steimberg handles personal make-up artistry for Zoë Saldaña on the Paramount+ spy thriller series, Lioness, maintaining continuity for Saldaña's television appearance.

She is also the personal make-up artist for Riverrun, an upcoming Los Angeles-based feature film directed by Philippe Parreno and starring Zoë Saldaña, Charlotte Gainsbourg, and Vicky Krieps.

Additionally, Vera served as the dedicated make-up artist for Eddie Murphy in his latest heist comedy, The Pickup (2025), which was directed by Tim Story.

What is Vera Steimberg’s net worth?

Her exact net worth is not publicly disclosed by major financial tracking outlets.

Are Vera Steimberg Moder and Daniel Moder married?

Vera Steimberg Moder and Daniel (Danny) Moder are no longer married. The two tied the knot in 1997 and initially maintained a relatively low-profile marriage in the entertainment industry.

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Daniel would later file for divorce in 2002, after meeting actress Julia Roberts on the set of the movie The Mexican in 2000, where he worked as an assistant cameraman. At the time, he was still married to Steimberg, and Roberts was in a high-profile, four-year relationship with actor Benjamin Bratt.

Julia Roberts and Benjamin Bratt officially announced their breakup in June 2001. During this period, Roberts and Moder maintained that they were just long-time friends while Moder worked through his marital issues.

As Danny's divorce proceedings with Steimberg stalled, the situation became a media sensation. Roberts sparked massive controversy when paparazzi photographed her wearing a handmade, DIY T-shirt that read "A Low Vera"—a public, pun-filled jab aimed at Steimberg.

When asked what the shirt meant in a 2003 interview with Oprah, the actress vaguely stated:

It was private...I stand by my T-shirt.

After months of legal delays and media pressure, Steimberg signed the paperwork, officially finalizing her divorce from Danny on 16 May 2002. Roberts later firmly denied causing the initial split, clarifying that Danny had sorted his marriage out completely separate and apart from her.

Slightly less than two months after the divorce was completed, Danny married the actress on 4 July 2002 at her ranch in Taos, New Mexico. The couple has been happily married for over two decades and share three children together: twins Hazel and Phinnaeus, and their son Henry.

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Vera Steimberg and Julia Roberts have never worked together. While both have spent decades working at the highest levels of Hollywood, their filmographies and professional circles have remained completely separate.

Who is Vera Steimberg married to now?

The Hollywood make-up artist is not publicly known to be married to anyone as of 2026. While public details about her current relationship status are minimal, the major milestones of her romantic history include her former marriage to Daniel Moder.

Following their divorce, reports from local media, such as Ser Argentino, note that Steimberg later had a long-term relationship with an Argentine partner with whom she shares a teenage son, and has been romantically linked to an Argentine football player. However, she has not legally remarried.

Who is Vera Steimberg‘s child’s father?

While public records indicate that Vera Steimberg gave birth to a son named Lucas Moder in June 2004, she does not publicly share the identity of her child's father and has intentionally kept the child completely out of the spotlight.

Unlike many celebrity children, Vera Steimberg's child does not have a public persona, does not attend Hollywood industry events, and is kept entirely off of his mother's public social media platforms.

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Where does Vera Steimberg live?

Her primary residence and studio operations have been based in Los Angeles, California, ever since she relocated to the United States in her mid-20s, allowing her to work directly out of major film studios and manage local celebrity red-carpet clientele.

What is Vera Steimberg's religion?

Her Ashkenazi Jewish surname indicates Jewish ancestry, but Vera has chosen to keep her personal beliefs completely confidential throughout her career. While her ex-husband, Daniel Moder, later began practicing Hinduism alongside his second wife, Julia Roberts, Steimberg herself has never associated with any specific religious group or discussed her spiritual life in interviews or on social media.

What is Vera Steimberg’s height?

Danny Moder’s first wife is 5 feet 2 inches (156 cm) tall and weighs approximately 110 pounds (50 kg).

Fast facts about Vera Steimberg

• Vera Steimberg did not have any children with Daniel Moder.
• She is the ex-daughter-in-law of the late Mike Moder (1936–2022), an acclaimed American producer and assistant director.
• She has designed prominent beauty looks for Zoe Saldaña at the Oscars, SAG Awards, and the Met Gala.
• She collaborates with prestige brands like Chanel Beauty, Haus Labs, and La Mer to showcase advanced techniques.
• Her all-time favorite product is Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage.
• She relies on the Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage for red-carpet prep because it acts as a moisturizer, corrector, and concealer.
• Steimberg frequently shares professional insider knowledge through media profiles and her Vera Steimberg Instagram Reels.

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Vera Steimberg, the make-up artist, has actively shaped modern cinema cosmetics by leading major projects that handle the unique pressures of both legacy sequels and period-accurate historical films. She also bridges this gap by using her high-profile platform to demystify complex, red-carpet techniques for everyday consumers.

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Source: Legit.ng