Gia Maria Carangi (Angelina Jolie) is a young girl in Philadelphia who moves to New York City to realise her dream of becoming a fashion model. Her striking looks immediately draw the attention of Wilhelmina Cooper (Faye Dunaway), an important modelling agent, who recruit Gia to work for her firm. Gia’s beauty and her willingness to pose nude see Gia quickly become one of the most important and sought after models in New York. However, this meteoric rise to fame and her new found wealth have some devastating consequences for Gia, as she becomes heavily involved in the drug scene and embarks on a passionate affair with Linda (Elizabeth Mitchell), a make up artist.