“They weren’t hiring”: Tom Brady’s Ex-Wife Gisele Bündchen Opens Up on Fashion World’s Tragic Reality

43-year-old Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen has been working on pulling away and hitting the reset button after her separation from former NFL legendary quarterback Tom Brady. The mother of two has relocated to Miami with her children and started life afresh with a special emphasis on wellness and nourishment. The Cancerian within her, like “a little crab” has finally found herself “a little shell,” a “little home” where she likes to go in and “feel safe.”

In an exclusive interview for CBS News Sunday Morning, which was broadcast on September 24 on CBS and is available for streaming on Paramount+, Bündchen spoke to correspondent Lee Cowan about the dark secrets surrounding the world of glamour which had pushed her to the verge of “jumping” out of her ninth-floor window and finally being able to embrace her true self.

Bündchen reveals the terrifying side of stardom

“They weren’t hiring Gisele; they didn’t even know me,” the Brazilian supermodel said, referring to the stark difference between her true personality and her supermodel persona. The introvert Gisele was nothing like the supermodel version, whom she referred to as ‘her’ in the interview. “This is why the ‘her’ was very important,” she said. Her persona acted as a shield against the often harsh and demanding side of the fashion industry.

Her modeling career was reaching new heights, but it was at the expense of her mental peace. She explained how work, travel, and lack of good sleep started to take a toll on her. It was an unhealthy and vicious cycle marked by poor habits. She listed some of these as well: “You know, drinking mocha frappuccinos for breakfast with three cigarettes; drinking a bottle of wine at night to calm down from all the coffee I was drinking.”

The stress and exhaustion had reached their peak with the model feeling suffocated. As Bündchen recalled, “I was in tunnels; I couldn’t breathe.” She was hyperventilating to the point where she even contemplated jumping off her ninth-floor window.

READ MORE: While Tom Brady Warms Up With Irina Shayk, What Is Her Relationship With Brady’s Ex-Supermodel Wife Gisele Bündchen?

“They just liked the way I looked and they liked the way my body looked in clothes, I guess. I’ve done that. I understand that. And now, I get to be me,” says the runway icon with reference to her suddenly breaking the toxic pattern, moving away from the spotlight, and indulging in newer endeavors that bring her close to her “happy place.”

Bündchen has no regrets: “I wouldn’t have any other life”

Though a divorce is not what she had dreamed or hoped for, the runway sensation has absolutely no regrets. “I look into my life, and I wouldn’t have it any other way,” she said. “I wouldn’t have any other life…I wouldn’t change absolutely anything.” Her parents have been married for fifty years and she too had hoped the same for herself, but she understands that “sometimes you grow together, sometimes you grow apart.” 

She remains grateful for the life she has lived thus far and thanks her ex-husband, NFL legend Tom Brady for their two children: “He’s the father of my kids, so I always wish him the best, and I’m so grateful that he gave me wonderful children, and I think, you know, when a door shuts, other doors open.”

The couple has a son and daughter together, named Benjamin and Vivian respectively. They are also parents to a 15-year-old son named Jack, who is the son of Brady and actress Bridget Moynahan, with whom he was in a relationship previously. The duo continues to be on good terms and has opted for shared custody of their children following their divorce in October 2022. Despite their new endeavors, they prioritize their children’s well-being and work as a “team” in co-parenting. 

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