Gisele Bundchen has been uncharacteristically chatty over the past year because she’s been promoting two coffee table books, full of images from her career. The first book came out last year, and it sold out of its limited-edition printing quickly. The second book, out now, is a more reasonable $44 (on Amazon) and 536 pages. All about Gisele. So, to promote the latest coffee table book, Gisele chatted with the New York Times about her career, her life, her drive to succeed and more. You can read the full piece here. Some highlights:
She was never the pretty model: “My career was never based on pretty.”
Angela Missoni says Mario Testino used to hate Gisele’s nose: “Mario wasn’t 100 percent sure about her. He was worried about her nose.”
She was bullied: “Even before I got into the business, I was used to being bullied because I was always tall and skinny and stuck out. I got really red all the time from playing volleyball, red like a pepper. So I thought bullying was just the way life is. In the beginning, you know, everyone told me, ‘Your eyes are too small, the nose is too big, you can never be on a magazine cover.’ But, you know what? The big nose is coming with a big personality.”
She always focused on being hard-working: “I always knew that, even if I was not the most beautiful girl, I’d be the most energetic and hard-working. If you want to know the truth, that’s the reason for my success… I’m a twin, I’m a Cancer, I’m always taking care of other people. I’ve always been the fixer in the family, the responsible one. I’ve always been a hard worker, never late for a job in my life. Really, ask anyone.”
Her youthful goals: “Modeling was the farthest thing from what I ever thought I would do with my life. From the beginning, looks did not define me in any way. I have a different idea of what I am. I wanted to be Jane Goodall. In my mind, I’m still Jane Goodall in bare feet.”
She’s irritated by fame: “To me, the idea of being famous is irritating. The attention is strange. Everyone has an opinion… It can overwhelm you when people attack you or make comments. But when people are saying those things, the haters, I try not to let it in. Given what is, I tell myself, what am I to do?”
At several points during the interview, Gisele makes reference to loving the way she looks as-is, that she would never succumb to plastic surgery to “correct” whatever problem areas she has, or is perceived to have. Except that we know that’s bullsh-t, right? Because last year she wore a burqa as she entered her French plastic surgeon’s office, and reportedly underwent breast augmentation and eye work. Not to mention the fact that I’ve always believed she did have some work over the years, before her plastic surgery visit was “outed” last year. While she didn’t get a nose job (or did she?), she’s been surgically tweaked. While that’s something a lot of women and a lot of models do, it’s “off brand” for what Gisele is selling, which is that she’s this healthy, all-natural person who got ahead in this world with hard work rather than a surgeon’s scalpel.
These are photos of Gisele at a Chanel show a few weeks ago in Havana. BONUS GASPARD ULLIEL. My French Bae!!!
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.
She got her nose done very early in her career, plenty of pics online for proof.
+1
It’s the same nose. Those pics DON’T prove it. She was in her 20s in some of those pics.
Unless any of us actually know Gisele none of us “know” whether she had a nose job or not. Personally I dont think she has. In some photos after she supposedly had her nose done she still looks like the “before” pics I’ve seen online.
Gisele had her nose and boobs and done early on.
And not even her biggest stan can deny that she definitely had her boobs and eyes done in 2015, in Paris while donning the burka to hide. The bikini Costa Rica pics show a clear difference and her eyes are less squinty and hooded.
Same with fellow Brazilian models Ale Ambrosio and Raica Oliveria. But lucky them in Brazil there are discreet clinics and you can have all these proceedures done and still sell yourself as the ideal natural beach bod!
Yes, her eyes and brows are definitely different.
@Misti: Mario Testino knows her since she was a teenager. It’s the same nose. And she doesn’t deny that she had her boobs done in 2015. Who cares? Years ago Adriana Lima was seen leaving her doctor’s office…
http://www.celebrity-gossip.net/adriana-lima/adriana-limas-plastic-surgeon-stop-559790
@minx: No. Her brows look the same.
It’s not the same nose. But most telling is how perfect her nose is now. The odds of getting that without going under the knife are incredibly rare: Christy Turlington is the only one who comes to mind.
Gisele’s nose now reminds me of Elsa Pataky’s.
Exactly, her hypocrisy knows no bounds. The “I would never have plastic surgery,” and I am all “natural” comments, are laughable.
NOT big nose…I believe it’s a Big Ego is always coming with a big personality. However, I think she lacks personality. I simply do not like her.
+1,000,000%
I think she is striking and her nose suits her face.
+1. I can’t hate on her. She’s absolutely stunning.
I do, too.
Her fame came as a runway model and she was perfect for that–tall, striking.
Gisele was fierce on the runway and a beautiful model, surgery or not. One of the best ever.
I agree with you, Nev!
She was great in the runway, editorials and campaigns!
SO agree!!!! I remember watching her pound down the catwalk…her walk was so powerful and mesmerizing- I had to watch her.
I remember reading once she changed her catwalk 3 times and every single time the other models were trying to copy her.
I can see why they call her the last of the supermodels – she might not have been the ‘prettiest’, but she’s certainly the most memorable.
If she hadn’t had it, she’d have been out the minute the trend for sultry Brazilian models died in the mid-2000s, or been relegated to lingerie/swimsuit/commercial work…… but she just kept going from strength to strength. That’s quite something.
She is not one of my fav models but she is great.
Only Jane Goodall is Jane Goodall. Feeling like (or pretending to be) a ‘natural woman’ is not the same as being an accomplished, world-renowned natural scientist.
Truth!
Thank you! Jane Goodall in bare feet?!? What does that even mean? I always love how models tell you they aren’t defined by their beauty and actually would have been some noble and intelligent profession if not for accidentally falling into modeling. My eyes hurt from rolling them.
This is probably one of the better interviews she’s done – self-confidant without sliding into smug. She might have tweaked her nose, but she didn’t drastically alter it – which is smart. Homogenizing your features just makes you easier to replace, something models and actresses should take a note on.
Her nose is the only thing I have ever liked about her.
She got a nose job and several boob jobs–first bigger, than smaller (and recently bigger again). I generally think plastic surgery is more accepted in Brazil.
Yes she did. And as I wrote above yes it is and you can do it on the DL more successfully in Brazil.
Hence Gisele’s “Boobs from Brazil” nickname in and busty walks in 2000 – 2004. She took them out and infamously put them back in Paris last year. And her eyes too.
It’s quite noticeable if you google pics of her (I loved her pregnancy style and creeped so many pics of her and started noticing her surgeries). But this is why she irritates me: sunscreen is poison, but not silicone implants? Okay.
She definitely had her boobs done. But I personally don’t think she had her nose or brows done.
I’m not a Gisele apologist, but I believe much of what she says gets lost in translation.
That gap is what makes her comments sound the way they sound.
She is one of the most stunning models – E.V.E.R.
And I don’t see much by way of plastic surgery, if any, on her face, but do believe the breast augmentation happened, but so what.
Now…
Her husband Tom Brady.
He’s gorgeous and a gentleman.
I’ll always stand by that!
I can definitely believe some of what she says gets lost in translation, even if she’s a fluent English speaker – sometimes the tone of things just doesn’t translate well from certain languages into others, and ends up rubbing people the wrong way.
She speaks very fluent English. She knows exactly what she is saying.
I know that she speaks English, but wouldn’t you agree that there are nuances to the words one chooses that can evoke an uninintended attitude?
When words are translated literally, this could happen.
This has been my experience when talking with my own foreign relatives (Europeans) who speak fluent English.
They often choose very formal words – the way they translate from studying literal translations – and they come off as very snooty!
LOL
And I know that they’re not – they are the sweetest, kindest, most selfless people I know.
It happens and I believe that’s what happens with Gisele.
That reminded me of when everyone jumped on Melania Trump for reffereing to her staff as the help – but in Slovenian both staff and help are the same word ( it’s also very very unusual to have live in staff there anyway, even with millionaires, so it’s not odd she used the wrong word).
She might speak fluent English but it’s with a Brazilian state of mind. So how she uses words and phrases is going to be different.
@Myrna – agree re her being one of the most stunning models ever. Her face is just gorgeous and she moves so beautifully and exudes such a healthy, energetic vibrancy.
And I’ve never had any problems with her ‘confidence’.
Why do celebrities who complain about fame seem to be the ones who court it the most (via pap walks, social media, etc.)?
It might not be so ‘irritating’ and invite so much commentary if said celebrities would back off trying to generate said attention.
What? She doesn’t court it. She’s very private.
She posts “brag” type photos on social media that I’ve noticed (and I do not follow her). Feeding her child while being fussed over, too many vacation and personal photos to count that get picked up by media outlets.
Why share so much with the world and then complain about public commentary, is what I’m saying.
Her covering-up fiasco was the most private she tried to be. And that didn’t go over too well.
You don’t follow her. That’s why you THINK she posts “brag” type photos on social media.
“Why share so much with the world…” Well, she’s not sharing it with YOU.
“Feeding her child while being fussed over…” So? She was working.
Ugh! You are so bitt……
And if she needs anyone on her payroll, great candidate you’d be! You are clearly a mega fan, and perhaps that affects the way you see it.
Comprehension (sigh) – you missed every point in my post. Her vacation photos, pap walks, etc., end up on sites. One need not follow her to run across them. She’s had a half dozen posts on DM alone in the past month.
I think she’s pretty and I don’t think she has a big nose and I don’t believe she was actually bullied, maybe teased, so I think what I’ve always thought about her – lovely to look at, slightly obnoxious.
She’s attractive as a model but I’ve seen pics of her around the time she became one – definitely rather gawky and not quite grown into her face yet, and it’s not at all a stretch to believe middle-school age kids would torment each other a bit.
Her obnoxiousness doesn’t bother me much, and I think that’s partly because she owns it to some degree. Or maybe it’s just that it’s rare to see opinionated women in the public eye in her line of work.
Brazilians have a confidence that verges on conceited. It’s a bit hard to take as Americans we are louder but more afraid of overt self-appreciation.
As one with a big nose, she has one to me. And she always seemed crossed-eyed as well. Which I think worked for her and made her stand out.
I’m sure she was bullied. I remember the tall, thin girls being bullied in school. Kids are mean.
plastic surgery or not, her nose is still a prominent one – but if it’s been done, her plastic surgeon must have been an artist, because there’s still enough of it to lend character to her face. She is what would have been called a ‘handsome woman’ in old novels, and it would have been a compliment.
And when it came to the job, Gisele was – and still is – a great model. None of the nepotism instamodels can command a camera (forget a runway) the way she does, and I’m talking after looking at pics of Gisele when she was their age.
also, Gaspard is GORGEOUS. If any of you Celebitches are fans of historical romance/fantasy novels (honk if you are!) , you should totally check out The Burning Sky, by Sherry Thomas – in my head the hero, Titus, is the spitting image of Gaspard circa A Very Long Engagement.
(I’ve seen the plot described as 1800s cross-dressing reverse Harry Potter, but with much MUCH better romance)
I love Sherry Thomas but haven’t read any of her more recent (last 4ish years) work. I’ll try and scrounge up a copy!
@Livvers – After reading TBS I tried some of Sherry Thomas’ earlier work and I love Ravishing The Heiress, it reminds me of Georgette Heyer’s A Civil Contract but with far more heat.
Though her fantasy trilogy is still the best imo, I love the way she’s built the world and chosen the names. And I love her main characters.
Yes, photos of her as a young woman, and then after the nose work show that it was very subtle and extremely well done.
Exactly, Gisele’s wasn’t a Blake Lively kind of nose job (which left her with a ‘perfect’ but rather unremarkable face) – the nose is still prominent enough to give her face some oomph.
Her surgeon definitely understood how to work with her facial structure, hats off for that.
Don’t care for her or her husband! Never thought she was all that. Too skinny and a horse-face. Also don’t appreciate her views on things-a know it all on motherhood,breastfeeding…like she invented it!
Same here, and it’s just like Jane stated it should be big nose big ego, that is why she married who she married
I’ve always thought Tom Brady looked like Lurch, and I crack up at photos where Gisele has tried to make him look model-like with bad hair styling.
@Kidd
Your view and comment on Brady’s looks pierced my heart!
He is an absolutely gorgeous looking man – I don’t get that comparison?
Sometimes his angular features don’t photograph very well, but have you ever watched him live at a press conference?
He’s incredibly handsome and video shows his true looks.
Once seen, it cannot be unseen.
I always found her be on the masculine side, myself.
Obviously she got her boobs done last year, but it never really looked like an eye job happened. Just me?
I couldn’t imagine trying to model. You stand in front of people who pick your appearance apart, every single day. That’s gotta really screw people up.
Oh her eyes definitely happened. They were already small, as she herself says, an were getting smaller (as happens with all of us with age) .They are far more open in recent pics.
Nose job.
Boob job.
Probably eye surgery as her upper eyelids are naturally rather droopy.
Probably some micro fillers. Lips!
Probably a lot of exercise and other stuff to keep her slim figure. Face it, everybody over 30 gains waight. Natural development.
And probably the full range of laser treatmens (freckles!), ulltherapy, expensive lotions and potions and bleached teeth or veneers (heavy smoker who quitted not so long ago).
She was looking out for a rich husband and the one she managed to land was Brady. Just imagine the conversations they can have: his/her six pack, his/her hair coloriste, his/her stylist …
And she wants to sell herself as “all-natural”??? My axx.
And who buys that actually?
BS! She quit smoking a long time ago. 12 years ago… Veneers? No!
And she doesn’t need a rich husband. SHE is rich. She has more money than him.
No not everyone gains weight over thirty. I weigh the same as I did in high school and I’m well over thirty.
Yep, still fit in my high school jeans and I’m even older than you 😉
This was covered not so long ago. And as I said then, I say now: She went under the knife to make her nose smaller. Now what does that tell about that big personality? She believed so firmly in her personality that she had plastic surgery to reduce it.
Isn’t a nose job kind of standard at this point for young actresses and models trying to start out?
Being famous is irritating but let me publish books with nothing but photos of myself.
Your comment doesn’t make sense.
It doesn’t? I completely understand what DiamondGirl is saying.
Complain about the attention of fame, yet publish a book only of your own photos? Words vs. walk, so to speak.
They published that book because she is the most successful model in the world. She IS famous (with or without that book).
People are reading way too much into what she said. This coming from a person who never really thought GB’s looks were all that and I always seemed to focus on her nose.
She’s not saying she has or hasn’t done work here. Maybe her nose was bigger and she got a slight correction. Any nose that isn’t a button nose will photograph horribly, even if in person it looks ok. Being that she is taking photographs for a living I can see her justification to get some work done. And it was good work because her nose is still her prominent feature. This interview actually made me like her more, because I used to think she was some airheaddd twit trying to tell everyone they need to breastfeed. Lol
I agree with you. She didn’t say that. I don’t know what this writer is talking about… She didn’t read the same interview.
She got her boobs done last year and she never denied it. I think she talked about it last year in one of her interviews.
Some people don’t like her and I think they don’t like her because they read articles like THIS.
By the way: women who breastfeed are not airhead.
I like her.
Did you read the same interview? She was bullied because she was tall and skinny. The nose had nothing to do with it. That comment was about the fashion industry. People in the business didn’t like her nose and eyes. And she didn’t say she would never succumb to plastic surgery.
I like her too.
She may be insufferable and mendacious, but she is actually a phenomenal model, and that’s the reason for her success. I saw a layout once of Paris fashion week I think it was, with 100 different looks. It took me AGES to realize that every photo was Giselle; she looked so different in each of them. She’s talented, and yes, works really hard at it.