Alessandra Ambrosio is a Brazilian model. Alessandra Ambrosio was born in Erechim, Brazil. Her parents, who are of Italian and Polish Brazilian descent, own a petrol station. Ambrósio was just eight years old when she decided that she wanted to be a model.

Alessandra Ambrosio enrolled at a modelling class at the age of 12 and at the age of 14 she was one of 20 finalists for an elite modelling competition in Brazil. She was always insecure about her large ears and at eleven had cosmetic surgery to get her ears pinned back.

In 2006, Alessandra Ambrosio appeared on The Tyra Banks Show, and said that the surgery was a bad experience and has discouraged her from ever getting plastic surgery again.