Gisele Bündchen may have made her mark on fashion after the 90s supermodels Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington, but the Brazilian bombshell is definitely a supe. She ruled the early to mid-aughts appearing on practically every fashion-focused magazine cover and was one of Victoria's Secret's Angels. She's still very much in the spotlight as one of the industry's most in-demand models.
The year's not even half over yet and she's already popped up in advertising campaigns for VAARA, Arezzo, Colcci, Balmain, Boss, FRAME and Alaïa. Not to mention being featured in both POP and Harper's Bazaar. In real life, however, Bündchen is dealing with a lot of drama behind the scenes. There was that recent meltdown after a run-in with the police and paparazzi, her upset over the infamous Tom Brady roast, her heart breaking over the floods in her native Brazil and of course the constant speculation around her divorce and who she is dating. Yes, even world-famous supermodels have a hard time of it.
Giselle's Rise to Supermodel (and Actress)
First, a little background. Bündchen grew up in Horizontina, Brazil, a small rural town in southern Brazil. She has five sisters, including her fraternal twin. At age 14, she was discovered at a shopping mall by an agent from Elite Model Management. The following year she entered the agency's annual modeling contest and placed second nationally (fourth globally). From there she began walking the runways and gracing the covers of countless publications. Bündchen's even tried her hand at acting, appearing in Taxi and The Devil Wears Prada.
The Divorce and Dating Speculation
Bündchen married football star Tom Brady in 2009. Together they have two children. The pair filed for divorce in October 2022, reportedly due to Brady's decision to un-retire. Since then Bündchen's personal life has been under a microscope. She's currently linked to jiu-jitsu instructor Joaquim Valente. Bündchen has actually known him and his brothers, who own a jiu-jitsu business in Miami, for years. But their friendship didn't turn romantic until recently.
The Paparazzi Meltdown
All of the renewed interest in her personal life has led to her being a target of paparazzi. On April 24, Bündchen was pulled over for speeding in Florida, She began crying and explaining to the officer that she was being followed by photographers. The officer responded that there's nothing he can do about the situation, but did let her out of the ticket.
The Tom Brady Roast
The hits just keep on coming. Her ex-husband was just roasted via a Netflix special and the panel which included Kim Kardashian didn't hold back when it came to making fun of the divorce. Even Brady took a potshot. Not surprisingly, Bündchen didn't find it funny. According to People, she was very disappointed by the "disrespectful portrayal of her family." Her kids were also reportedly affected by the "irresponsible content that was broadcasted."
The Devastating Floods in Brazil
There's also been massive flooding in Brazil, including the southern part of the country where she was raised. The floods have been responsible for the death of at least 56 people. "My heart breaks for the Brazilians who are living through the devastation of the massive floods in Rio Grande do Sol this week," she posted on Instagram. "Thousands of people have sadly lost everything."
We hope things get better for the supermodel and seriously hope she will make a return to the runway one of these days.
