Camila Alves on Tuesday accompanied her husband, actor Matthew McConaughey, to the White House as he delivered a speech about the need for gun reform. During the 22-minute speech, the ‘Dallas Buyers Club’ actor spoke about the children who died in the elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Throughout the speech, Camila was holding a pair of green Converse that belonged to one of the victims, 10-year-old Maite Yuleana Rodriguez, whose body was so badly mutilated that she could only be identified by the shoes.

Who is Camila Alves McConaughey?

Camila was born and raised in Brazil. Her mother is an artist and her father, a farmer. At the age of 15, she traveled to Los Angeles to visit her aunt. She soon picked up English and decided to stay back in the United States.

At 19, she moved to New York City to pursue a career in modelling. In 2010, she hosted the third season of the reality show Shear Genius.

She also co-hosted the first season of Kids BBQ Championship, which aired in 2016.

Also Read: Texas shootout gets to Hollywood: Uvalde-born Matthew McConaughey speaks up

Matthew McConaughey told PEOPLE that he went to a club in Hollywood with a friend in 2006 when he spotted Camila. He said that he wasn’t looking for love at the time but he couldn’t stop looking at her. 

“I was like, ‘Wait, just wait. Be yourself. She’ll come if she’s supposed to come. And if she doesn’t, that’s okay, you’re still a good man, McConaughey,'” he told the outlet.

“That’s when she showed up, and she moved right to left in front of my eyes across that club. It was as if she was floating. And I did not say, ‘Who is that?’ I said, ‘What is that?’”

He finally approached Camila and invited her and her friend to his table for drinks. The rest is history. 

Camila gave birth to their first child in 2008 and their second child less than two years later. 

On Christmas Eve 2011, Matthew proposed to Camila and in July 2012, the couple tied the knot in Texas. A few months later, she gave birth to their third child.