Alessandra Rubi Streignard Villarreal
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Alessandra Rubí Streignard Villarreal (born September 4, 1982 in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain) is a Spanish singer and model.
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[edit] Suicide?
On December 10 2006 Alessandra was admitted to Cedars-Sinai hospital in Beverly Hills after an apparent suicide attemtp/overdose of sleeping pills. Little is known except for the fact that Alessandra is in critical condition, and that she has severe kidney damage. Alessandra's motivations for the suicide attempt are still unclear, but a few sources speculate that a combination of depression and a romantic relationship that ended badly in late 2005 early 2006 pushed Alessandra over the edge.
[edit] Biography
Alessandra became a surrogate mother at 8 years old, taking care of her nephew after her sister's drug addiction. She and her family moved to the United States at age 12 because of her father's job.
Is the daughter of Kathleene Orla Rubi Villarreal O'Naghten de Streignard. At the age of 13 Alessandra signed a contract with Wilhelmina Models in the United States, and her career began. By the age of 16 Alessandra decided to put more effort into her school work. She was homeschooled in a school district in Los Angeles, California, and graduated at the age of 17. After graduating she moved to Boston, Massachusetts and opened her own nursery, specializing in orchids. Alessandra's business quickly grew, and she now owns four nurseries, in Boston, Madrid, Barcelona, and Los Angeles.
In 2003, Alessandra began her career as a singer, with a four octave voice, Alessandra released her album Red Love. Red Love was not welcomed in the U.S., but sold fairly well in Spain. The album was pulled completely from the U.S. market on January 2004.
Alessandra has appeared in various magazines including Stuff Magazine, Vogue Spain, and Catalan Life
Alessandra has been rumored to be dating Juan Diego Botto.
Alessandra actively participates in and donates to several charities in the U.S and Spain, including Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network.
On February 15th, 2006 Alessandra gave a phone interview with a radio station in Spain, and announced that she had relapsed after being cleared of Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia.
The Spanish Tabloid Diez Minutos or Ten Minutes also reported in March 2006 that Alessandra was adopting twin boys, only to be confirmed by Alessandra in April 2006.
Alessandra helped raise 450,000 thousand dollars to help fund cancer research in February 2006, and also donated 3.6 million dollars to shriner's hospital for children in North America to help families cover the cost of medical bills for families who cannot pay, and for new medical equipment in March 2006.
[edit] Family Background
Information taken from Vogue Spain Magazine and rewritten
Alessandra was born to a Spanish mother (Kathleene Orla Rubi) and German father, her mother a singer(opera/pop), and her father a medicinal chemist. She was a quiet child who loved the arts, and loved nurturing things, especially plants, and children. She has six brothers and sisters.
Alessandra plays the violin, and the piano and was also enrolled in ballet at the age of 12. She is still actively practicing.
Alessandra also belongs to one of the wealthiest families in Northern Spain.
She was also raised in a mixed religious household, her mother being Catholic, and her father being Pagan/Wiccan.
Although Alessandra strongly identifies as Catholic, she still applies some Pagan ideals to her everyday life.
[edit] Upcoming Projects
Alessandra's new CD in 2006
Alessandra signed a contract with Filmax Spain (International) in October 2005 to do a few films and some voiceover work for an animation film.
Capitalizing on the growing franchise of CSI, CSI: NY, CSI: Miami, and CSI: Buenas Aires, Telecinco in Spain is coming up with their own spin off titled CSI:Madrid and Alessandra has been offered a leading role. There has been no word yet on whether she's accepted or not, but filming begins in early 2007.
Most of Alessandra's projects have been cancelled or pushed back for 2006.
[edit] Work History
She worked on Sailor Moon Catalan Version for all 5 seasons and Sailor Moon Regional Spanish (Spain Only) Version for only 4 seasons, due to the cancellation of the fifth season in Spain because of borderline adult themes.
Alessandra owns a boutique in Los Angeles called "Rubí Designs" the boutique was renamed "Rubí Designs" after it burnt down in late 2003, only 6 months after opening. The former name was "Black Crystal Designs". She prides herself on owning a boutique for women who don't have the thin bodies of 10 year old boys. Alessandra is the head designer, along with two other co-designers. Her store motto is (mujeres deben lucir como mujeres) Or in English, "Women should look like (or shine like) women."
Alessandra also owns and manages 4 nurseries called Orquídeas de Alessandra.
Orquídeas de Alessandra specialize in growing and cultivating orchids from seed (germinating orchids from seed is a very difficult, complicated and expensive process.) She also has two labs, one in her home, and one in her main nursery in Barcelona where she and her employees carefully germinate and deflask delicate orchid seedlings for later sale.
Recently made an appearance in Filmax's horror movie, La Monja, or in English, The Nun.
Is set to film Flowers in the Attic, the Spanish version in Late 2006.
[edit] Trivia
She participated in several beauty pageants from the age of twelve to twenty-two.
Both Alessandra and her late mother suffer(ed) from OCD. Alessandra has made no secret of her disorder; she started a Non Profit Organization in Spain to help educated Spaniards about depression and OCD; she teamed up with Pfizer in 2003 to promote Zoloft.
Her natural hair color is red.
Her favorite show is The Simpsons.
Her hero is her father.
She speaks Catalan, Castilian Spanish, French, English, Japanese, Galician, and Basque languages.
When asked how she maintains her figure, she says it's a mix of genetics, and constantly trying to keep up with her children.
In 2004 Alessandra was voted as having the sexiest bottom on MTV Spain's Website, Number 2. was Shakira, and Number 3. was Beyonce.
She can use the infamous whistle register, which only very few artists have accomplished, including Mariah Carey, and Christina Aguilera.
Alessandra was also trained in opera by her mother as a child.
Has an IQ of 134.
