"Do the models ever get "famous" in JW circles?"
It's a category of JW fame.
I know that WT has gotten letters from the lovelorn wanting to meet some of the good-looking picture dwellers.
I didn't get all the details and I was deep 'in' so would have tried to forget the matter, but WT got a lot of letters because of one cover, I think of an Awake! that had a beautiful woman and a baby. A fantastic picture... that WT had purchased rights to use, rather than it being their own. Again, I'm not sure but I think the picture was already know in some areas for another advertisement. It must have been something, because the response caused quite a stir.