Our protagonist today was born on January 6, 1986, in a tiny village in Bashkortostan. Shortly after her birth, her family moved to the mining town of Yemanzhelinsk in search of a better life.

Even then, her childhood wasn’t easy. Because of her “unusual” appearance, she and her sister often faced mockery from their peers, with the younger Irina bearing the brunt of it. It wasn’t until her late teens that she began to see her tall stature and striking facial features as gifts rather than burdens.

School was a challenging chapter for young Irina. Her distinctive looks earned her cruel nicknames like “beanpole,” “skyscraper,” and “Chunga-Changa.” Many times, she returned home in tears, and neither her parents’ reassurances nor stories about the “ugly duckling” could console her. Her only solace was playing the piano.

Graduating high school felt like a breath of fresh air for Irina. She moved to Chelyabinsk, where her older sister Tatiana was already living. Following in Tatiana’s footsteps, she enrolled in an economics college while also attending a modeling studio. It was there that her unique beauty was finally recognized.

With newfound confidence, Irina entered a local beauty contest—and won! It was a moment of disbelief for her as the crown was placed on her head.

Irina Shayk keeps her private life closely guarded. Her high-profile romance with football star Cristiano Ronaldo is well-known, though it didn’t last. However, love smiled on her again when she met actor Bradley Cooper. The couple tied the knot in 2016, and a year later, in 2017, they welcomed their daughter into the world—a treasure beyond any crown.