ontana Helena Klein Yao, widely known as Montana Yao, is an American model, former beauty-pageant contestant and social-media personality. While many people first discovered her through her relationship with professional basketball player Malik Beasley, Montana had already begun creating her own public identity through pageantry, fashion and online content.
Her life has attracted attention for several reasons. She comes from a multicultural family, entered the beauty-pageant world as a teenager, became a mother in her early twenties and experienced a highly publicized marriage. At the same time, she has continued presenting herself as a model, content creator and devoted parent.
Here is a closer look at Montana Helena Klein Yao’s age, family, height, career, estimated net worth, relationships, lifestyle and life story.
Quick Bio Table
| Profile detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Montana Helena Klein Yao |
| Known as | Montana Yao |
| Date of birth | August 5, 1997 |
| Age | 28 years old as of July 2026 |
| Birthplace | Newport Beach, California, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Model and social-media personality |
| Pageant title | Miss Malibu Teen USA 2016 |
| Height | Reportedly 5 feet 8 inches, or 173 cm |
| Parents | Paul Yao and Gina Klein Yao |
| Siblings | Reportedly an only child |
| Children | Makai and Mia |
| Former partner | Malik Beasley |
| Estimated net worth | Often reported at around $1.4 million, but unconfirmed |
| @montanayao |
Early Life
Montana Helena Klein Yao was born on August 5, 1997, in Newport Beach, California. She grew up in Southern California and spent much of her early life around Pasadena and Malibu.
Based on her reported birth date, Montana is 28 years old as of July 2026. Her zodiac sign is Leo.
She reportedly attended Maranatha High School in Pasadena for three years before transferring to Malibu High School. She completed her high-school education in Malibu and graduated in 2015.
Growing up in Southern California placed her close to the fashion, entertainment and modeling industries. However, her public career did not begin with a television show or a famous relationship. Her first notable exposure came through beauty competitions.
Family Background
Montana is the daughter of Paul Yao and Gina Klein Yao.
Her father is of Chinese descent and is reported to have moved from Hong Kong to the United States when he was young. Published profiles have also described him as a former member of the United States Army.
Montana Helena mother reportedly has English, Irish and German ancestry. Gina Klein Yao has been associated with fashion and entrepreneurship, including the accessories brand JaggerEdge.
This family background gives Montana a mixture of Chinese and European heritage. She has occasionally spoken with pride about her multicultural identity and upbringing.
Public profiles generally describe Montana as her parents’ only child. No reliable sources have identified any brothers or sisters. Because her parents have occasionally appeared in her social-media content, fans have gained small glimpses of their close family relationship, although Montana does not share every part of her private life publicly.
Pageant Career
Montana entered the public eye through beauty pageants.
She won the title of Miss Malibu Teen USA 2016, one of her earliest recognized accomplishments. She later competed in the Miss California Teen USA pageant and reportedly finished among the top ten contestants.
Pageants helped her gain experience in professional presentation, fashion, photography and public appearances. They also gave her early exposure to an audience beyond her local community.
Her pageant background remains an important part of her story because it shows that she was pursuing a public-facing career before becoming widely connected with an NBA player. The experience provided a natural path into modeling and social-media work.
Modeling Work
After her pageant appearances, Montana continued working in areas connected with fashion and modeling.
She has appeared in professional photo shoots and has used social media as an important part of her career. Her photographs often focus on beauty, fashion, swimwear, lifestyle and personal moments.
Unlike traditional models who work mainly through agencies and print campaigns, Montana belongs to a generation that has been able to develop a career through online visibility. Instagram has allowed her to share her work directly, communicate with followers and promote selected products or brands.
Some websites also describe her as an aspiring rapper or entertainer. This description appears to be connected to a rap performance that gained online attention. However, she is much more widely recognized for modeling, pageantry and social-media content than for a large professional music catalogue.
Height and Appearance
Montana Yao’s height is widely reported as approximately 5 feet 8 inches, equal to about 173 centimetres.
Her tall and slender appearance has naturally suited modeling and pageant work. She is known for her long dark hair, defined facial features and carefully styled fashion photographs.
Different biography websites publish claims about her weight and body measurements. Those figures are not consistent and do not appear to come from a recent official modeling profile. For that reason, they should not be treated as confirmed information.
Physical measurements can also change over time. Her reported height is the most consistently published detail, while exact weight and body measurements remain less reliable.
Marriage to Malik Beasley
Montana’s personal life became a major subject of entertainment and sports reporting because of her relationship with basketball player Malik Beasley.
Beasley entered the NBA in 2016 and played for several teams during his career. Montana and Malik reportedly married on March 5, 2020, after already becoming parents to their first child.
Their marriage later faced intense public attention. In late 2020, photographs appeared showing Beasley holding hands with television personality Larsa Pippen. Montana stated publicly that she had been surprised by the situation, and she subsequently filed for divorce.
In 2021, Beasley issued a public apology to Montana. The couple eventually reconciled and continued their relationship for several more years.
In March 2025, Montana filed for legal separation shortly before what would have been their fifth wedding anniversary. Reports said that she cited irreconcilable differences. Beasley later made a separate divorce filing, according to subsequent media coverage.
Because reports have not always used the terms “separation” and “divorce” consistently, it is best to describe Malik Beasley as Montana’s estranged or former husband unless a final court record is being cited directly.
Children
Montana and Malik share two children, a son named Makai and a daughter named Mia.
Their first child, Makai Joseph Beasley, was born in March 2019. Their daughter, Mia Love Beasley, was born in November 2022.
Motherhood is one of the most visible parts of Montana’s public identity. Her social-media content has included family celebrations, birthday posts and affectionate messages about her children.
Even during difficult periods in her relationship, she has often emphasized the importance of protecting her family and caring for her children. Her public image is therefore not limited to fashion and celebrity news. It also includes her experiences as a young mother raising two children under public attention.
Since both children are minors, details about their school, home address or everyday whereabouts should remain private.
Net Worth
Montana Helena Klein Yao’s exact net worth has not been publicly confirmed.
Several online biography websites estimate her fortune at approximately $1.4 million. These estimates are commonly connected to modeling, social-media partnerships, promotional work and possible fashion-related business activity.
However, celebrity net-worth figures should always be approached carefully. Montana has not released audited financial statements, tax documents or an official breakdown of her income.
Her association with Malik Beasley has also caused some websites to confuse household wealth with her independent earnings. An NBA player’s salary does not automatically represent a spouse’s personal net worth.
A responsible description would be that Montana’s net worth is believed by some online sources to be around $1.4 million, although the true figure remains private and unverified.
Income Sources
Montana’s likely income sources include modeling, sponsored social-media posts, promotional collaborations and brand partnerships.
Influencers can earn money by featuring products in photographs or videos, attending events and entering long-term promotional agreements. The amount paid usually depends on audience size, engagement, campaign length and the type of brand involved.
Her experience in pageantry and modeling may also provide opportunities for appearances, beauty campaigns and lifestyle partnerships.
There is limited public information about whether Montana currently operates a registered company or receives regular income from a separate business. Claims about specific annual earnings should therefore be treated as speculation unless supported by official records.
Lifestyle
Montana’s online presence presents a polished and fashion-conscious lifestyle.
Her posts have included professional photography, stylish clothing, beauty looks, travel, celebrations and family moments. She has also been photographed at entertainment and sporting events.
Although this can create the impression of a luxurious life, social media usually shows a carefully selected part of a person’s reality. Designer clothing, hotels or travel photographs do not necessarily reveal someone’s complete financial circumstances.
Montana’s public lifestyle also appears to have changed as she became a mother. While fashion remains central to her image, her children and family experiences now occupy an important place in the content she shares.
She tends to keep many personal matters private until they become part of public reporting. This balance allows her to remain visible without revealing every detail of her daily routine.
Social Media
Montana’s best-known social-media account is her Instagram profile, @montanayao.
She uses the platform to share modeling photographs, fashion content, family memories and occasional personal statements. Her audience has changed over time, so follower totals should be checked directly before publishing a specific number.
Older profiles have also connected her with X and Snapchat accounts using versions of the Montana Yao name. However, usernames and account activity can change, making Instagram the safest profile to identify as her main public platform.
Her social-media following has played a major role in keeping her visible after her pageant years. It has also given her a way to respond directly to personal stories without relying entirely on celebrity publications.
Public Attention
A large portion of the media coverage surrounding Montana has focused on her marriage. That attention sometimes overshadows her earlier achievements and individual career.
Before her relationship problems became entertainment news, she had already won a regional pageant title, competed at the state level and begun working as a model.
Her story also reflects the complicated experience of becoming publicly known through both personal achievement and relationship controversy. She has had to manage motherhood, marriage difficulties and online judgment while maintaining a public profile.
Rather than frequently giving interviews, Montana often communicates through carefully chosen social-media posts. This has allowed her to share her perspective in her own words, although it has also caused ordinary posts to be closely examined for hidden messages about her private life.
Personality and Interests
Public photographs cannot provide a complete picture of someone’s personality. Still, Montana’s posts suggest strong interests in fashion, beauty, photography, travel and family.
Her pageant experience indicates that she became comfortable with public presentation at a relatively young age. Her continued presence online also shows an understanding of personal branding and visual storytelling.
She appears especially protective of her role as a mother. During periods of public relationship difficulty, her statements often focused on family stability and the effect of the situation on her children.
There is less verified information about her private hobbies, religious beliefs or political opinions. Unless she has discussed those subjects directly, they should not be assumed from photographs or second-hand celebrity reports.
Life Today
Montana Helena Klein Yao remains known as a model, former beauty queen, social-media personality and mother.
Following the reported breakdown of her marriage, public interest has continued, but she appears to be establishing an identity that is less dependent on her relationship with Malik Beasley.
Her future career could include continued modeling, lifestyle partnerships, fashion work or other business opportunities. She already has an established name and a recognizable online presence, giving her several possible directions.
At 28, Montana is still relatively young, and much of her personal and professional story may still be ahead of her.
Final Thoughts
Montana Helena Klein Yao’s life story extends beyond celebrity relationship headlines.
Montana grew up in Southern California in a multicultural family, graduated from high school in Malibu and gained early recognition through beauty pageants. She later moved into modeling and social-media work before her relationship with an NBA player brought a much larger level of public attention.
Montana sis reportedly 5 feet 8 inches tall, is the daughter of Paul and Gina Yao, and is believed to be their only child. She has two children, Makai and Mia, and has often made motherhood a central part of her public identity.
Online sources frequently place her net worth near $1.4 million, but that estimate has not been independently verified. Her real financial position, like many aspects of her private life, remains known only to her.
What is clear is that Montana has continued moving forward through pageant success, motherhood, relationship challenges and public scrutiny. Her story is one of personal visibility, family responsibility and the ongoing effort to build a life beyond the headlines.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Montana Helena Klein Yao?
Montana Helena Klein Yao was born on August 5, 1997, making her 28 years old as of July 2026.
How tall is Montana Yao?
Montana Yao is reportedly around 5 feet 8 inches tall, which is approximately 173 centimetres.
Who are Montana Yao’s parents?
Her parents are Paul Yao and Gina Klein Yao. Her father is of Chinese heritage, while her mother has European ancestry.
Does Montana Yao have children?
Yes, Montana Yao has two children with Malik Beasley: a son named Makai and a daughter named Mia.
What is Montana Yao’s net worth?
Her exact net worth is not publicly confirmed. Some online sources estimate it at around $1.4 million, but the figure remains unverified.
