I first saw British model Cara Delevingne in 2011 when she became the face of Burberry. In all honesty, I don't remember thinking much of her until her career started blowing up a few years later, when she walked the runway for prestigious high fashion brands like Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana, Moschino, Oscar de la Renta, Givenchy, and Chanel. Her face began appearing on billboards, in store windows, and on the covers of magazines all over the world. She's even partnered with Mulberry, DKNY, and Tag Heuer to release her own lines of products.

Nowadays, I see her even more than I did last year. With the release of her newest movie, "Paper Towns," Cara has been everywhere, from Vogue US to morning talk shows and press conferences. This is her first major movie role, starring in a teen movie adaptation of a John Green novel. Although she's had other roles before, none of them have brought her the same media frenzy as "Paper Towns."

So why is she suddenly so popular? It could be because of her looks, or her modeling career, or her celebrity friends, but all that aside, here are some real reasons why you should be paying attention to Cara Delevingne.

1. She's brutally honest: One thing I admire about Cara is her unapologetic candidness. In a recent interview with Vogue magazine, Cara openly discussed her bisexuality, privileged upbringing, career, the fashion industry, and her struggle with mental illness and self-harm. In a world where such matters are often hidden and glossed over, Cara doesn't shy away from the harsh truth. "The worst thing was that I knew I was a lucky girl, and the fact that you would rather be dead...you just feel so guilty for those feelings, and it’s this vicious circle. Like, how dare I feel that way? So you just attack yourself some more," she says about feeling suicidal. Her honesty just makes her seem more like a real person.
   
   
2. She stands up for worthy causes: Cara is not one to stay silent about issues that matter to her. She's openly supported great causes like National Coming Out Day (and the entire LGBTQ community as a whole), participated in the #FreetheNipple Campaign, and expressed her opinion on political and social justice issues.
   
   
   
3. She seems like a great person to be around: She's even said it herself: she's got this incredible, charismatic energy. Cara's known for being a bit of a goofball, even in the most serious of situations, like prepping for a walk down the runway at London Fashion Week. "The energy you give off is the energy you receive. I really think that, so I'm always myself - jumping, dancing, singing around, trying to cheer everybody up." - Interview Magazine
   
   
   
   
4. She works hard: Cara has always been honest about her dreams and ambitions, and she has always made clear that modeling was not something she ever pictured doing. She kind of fell into modeling, but even though she would've rather been doing acting, she put her all into her career. She told the Wall Street Journal magazine that "once I had my mind set that I was going to do this modeling thing, I really wanted to beat it, if that makes sense,” she says. “Win it.” There's a reason why she's the most recognizable face in fashion.
   
   
5. She loves her fans: Cara loves her fans, and she's not afraid to show it. She's often engaged with them on social media, commenting and chatting with them on Twitter or Instagram, and on one occasion even recognized a fan from the Internet (cara_jelly_bean) who was at her movie premiere.
   
   "They talk to me about anything, really – eating disorders, depression, family problems, especially because they know the things that may have gone on in my life, stuff with my mother. It’s really sweet. It’s horrible, the stuff they go through." -Cara on her fans (Industrie Magazine)
   
   
6. She's going places: Although she's taken a step back from the fashion industry, she's said that she's not done with modeling just yet. Rather, she's been busy with her current projects, such as DC's "Suicide Squad", where she plays the Enchantress. You'll see a lot more of her on the big screen in the coming years.
   
7. She's social media savvy: Cara has over 16 million Instagram followers and almost 4 million Twitter followers. She's often been praised for utilizing social media to her advantage, building herself a personal brand for her career and public image.
   
   
   
8. She's got a lot of connections: It seems like there's no one that Cara doesn't know. She's been spotted hanging out with celebrities like Taylor Swift, Kendall Jenner, Kim Kardashian, Pharrell, Harry Styles, Karlie Kloss, Gigi Hadid, Jourdan Dunn, Rihanna, and others.
   
   
   
9. She's goofy: Cara is known for her silly faces and her love of bacon. She even got the word "Bacon" tattooed on her body! She's also a fan of animal costumes and enjoys pulling pranks on her castmates.
   
10. She's extremely aware: Cara has been modeling since she was a kid, but she's said that it wasn't every fully satisfying for her. She was aware of the faults of the industry she was in, and it drained her. "When you model, there's no way you can't notice yourself. Do you know what I mean? Because you're constantly surrounded by people saying, 'Oh, she's too short, she's too skinny, she's this, she's whatever.' And you're right there. They're talking about you and you're right there." (Style)