Gisele Bundchen confirmed she is dating again amid her rumored romance with jiu-jitsu pro Joaquim Valente.
The 43-year-old supermodel revealed details about her new relationship for the first time in a candid interview with The New York Timespublished on Saturday.
“This is the first time I’ve seen someone who was a friend of mine,” she admitted, without naming her new partner. ‘It’s very different. It’s very honest and very transparent.’
She also denied cheating on ex-husband Tom Brady before their 2022 divorce.
“That’s a lie,” she told the outlet.
Gisele Bundchen confirmed Saturday that she is dating again; pictured on Thursday
Gisele spoke about her new relationship = amid her rumored romance with jiu-jitsu pro Joaquim Valente, Joaquim pictured
Although she refuted the rumors, the Brazilian beauty hinted that they stem from sexism, implying that women often face more hardships during divorces than their male partners.
“This is something that happens to many women who are blamed for having the courage to leave an unhealthy relationship and labeled as unfaithful.” Bundchen told the outlet.
“They have to interact with their community. They have to deal with their family. For me, of course, it’s just been a little bit enhanced.”
Gisele has previously spoken about the speculation surrounding her and Joaquim, in an April 2023 cover interview with Vanity fair: ‘I think at this point, unfortunately, because I’m divorced, I’m sure they’re going to try to tie me down to whatever.’
“He is our teacher and, most importantly, he is a person I admire and trust,” she added at the time.
“It’s so good to have that kind of energy, to have my kids around that kind of energy.”
Despite keeping their romance a secret for months, Gisele and Joaquim chose Valentine’s Day to publicly show their affection as they were captured in a passionate kiss outside her Miami residence.
Previously, the duo was often spotted together, often during trips to Costa Rica.
The 43-year-old supermodel first revealed details about her new relationship in a candid interview with The New York Times, published on Saturday; Gisele and Joaquim in the photo
“This is the first time I’ve seen someone who was a friend of mine,” she admitted, without naming her new partner. ‘It’s very different. It is very honest and very transparent’
She also denied cheating on ex-husband Tom Brady before their divorce in 2022. “That’s a lie,” she told the outlet; pictured on Thursday
In November 2022, when they were initially rumored to be dating, some of Gisele’s close friends denied any romantic involvement between her and Joaquim.
“He has been her children’s jiu-jitsu teacher for years,” an insider told DailyMail.com. “There is no truth to the rumors that they are dating.”
Gisele broke down in tears earlier this month as she lifted the lid on post-divorce life from Tom during an extremely candid sit-down interview with Robin Roberts.
During the conversation at her luxurious Miami ranch, the model became emotional as she discussed her divorce, shared insights about co-parenting their two children with her ex-partner and expressed her ambitions to “reopen her heart.”
Gisele and Tom married in February 2009 and welcomed two children into the world together: Benjamin, 14, and Vivian, 11.
After weeks of speculation about the state of their marriage, Gisele and Tom officially announced their divorce on October 28, 2022.
Brady declared his retirement from the NFL in February of that same year, but reversed course 40 days later.
Reports indicated that Bundchen was furious about Brady’s unexpected decision to retire, especially considering he had initially stepped away from football to prioritize family time.
Gisele and Tom tied the knot in February 2009 and separated in October 2022; in the photo in 2019
Tom Brady and Gisele share two children, son Benjamin, 14, and daughter Vivian, 11
However, according to a source who spoke to DailyMail.com at the time of their split, Brady’s decision to return to football had no impact on their divorce.
Brady officially retired from professional football for the second time in February last year, marking the end of his remarkable 23-season career.
The future Hall of Famer described the divorce as a “difficult” and “painful” choice that was made after much deliberation and emphasized that both he and Bundchen would continue to co-parent their two children.
Additionally, Tom shares a third son, Jack, 15, with his ex Bridget Moynahan.
Earlier this month, a source told DailyMail.com that Brady has no animosity toward Valente, who was initially photographed vacationing with Bundchen in Costa Rica just two weeks after the divorce was finalized.
Meanwhile, Brady has been seen with new companions, including Irina Shayk, a former Victoria’s Secret model and Bundchen’s colleague.
Rumors suggest that the Russian-born supermodel, who previously had romantic relationships with football star Cristiano Ronaldo and actor Bradley Cooper, is currently in an on-and-off relationship with the retired NFL star.