Gisele Bündchen seems like she was born to be a supermodel. But when she started out in 1995, not everyone agreed that she was destined for the job — because of her looks!
"I remember some people telling me my nose was too big or my eyes were too small, that I could never be on a magazine cover," she told People magazine. "It wasn't easy to be 14 and hear that kind of criticism. It made me feel insecure."
Fortunately, the 35-year-old, who has since married NFL star Tom Brady and stepped back from the runway, got great encouragement from her dad, Valdir.
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"I told my dad, and he said, 'Next time, tell them 'I have a big nose and that comes with a big personality,'" she recalled. "At that point I felt if I kept working hard and giving my best, it would all work out."
Clearly it has. Bündchen moved to New York at age 16 and landed a big runway show for Alexander McQueen in 1998, which set her on the road to success. She signed a $25 million contract with Victoria's Secret in 2000. She's doing less modeling now so she can focus on being a wife and a mom to her children with Brady, Benjamin (age 6) and Vivian (age 3) and stepmother to Brady's son Jack (age 8).
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So what's the lesson she learned from all of those years of criticism and modeling success? How to take a good photo! Bündchen's advice: "I have learned that when you are feeling good in that moment it's the most important thing," she said. "Also, good lighting always helps."
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