The Gorgeous Transformation Of Bindi Irwin

Bindi Irwin may have had a famous dad, but she is now a celebrity in her own right. The animal conservationist grew up in the spotlight, having appeared in Steve Irwin's "The Crocodile Hunter" since she was just two years old. Bindi is a natural at holding court in public, and even at eight years old, she exuded confidence in front of the cameras. During an appearance on "The Late Show with David Letterman" in 2007, as shared on YouTube, Bindi revealed just how she got her unusual name, which means "young girl." She told the host, "My dad actually got it when he traveled away somewhere, and they called it 'Bindi' because it's an [Aboriginal] name, and he named one of his crocodiles Bindi." She went on to say that when her mom, Terri Irwin, gave birth to her, Steve immediately thought the name Bindi suited her perfectly.

Bindi is not so young now, and she's had a gorgeous transformation over the years. Sadly, she has had to deal with the heartbreak of losing her father at a young age, but the mom of one carried on his legacy through her work. From hosting her own television series to showing off her fierce moves on "Dancing with the Stars," Bindi's growth on and off camera has been a sight to behold.

From a young age, Bindi Irwin often accompanied her father, Steve Irwin, to his nature excursions, learning to love wildlife through his enthusiastic teachings on "The Crocodile Hunter." In a video shared by Animal Planet, Bindi is seen on the Australian coast with her mother, Terri, and Steve as they observe a stranded sea turtle in the shallow water. Bindi watches on as the wildlife expert gently carries the turtle into the ocean, letting it swim to safety.

Tragically, Steve died in 2006 from a stingray accident, which gave the family no time to prepare for the impending loss of a loved one. Bindi bravely continued her father's work by hosting "My Daddy the Crocodile Hunter" a year later, sharing in the special, "Having the name Irwin makes me feel very proud. And having a dad named Steve the Crocodile Hunter put my first few years on track for wildlife adventure. Thank goodness we have stacks of videos from my early years." Following the one-part documentary, Bindi followed in Steve's footsteps with her show, "Bindi, the Jungle Girl," which was an educational series focused on animals. At just nine years old, Bindi won a Daytime Emmy award for her efforts, proving just how resilient she was after losing her beloved dad.

Bindi Irwin continued to find success in her career as she became a tween, landing a lead role in the 2010 film, "Free Willy: Escape From Pirate's Cove." This was her first time starring as someone other than herself, and she had to adjust to life on set. Thankfully, Irwin had Beau Bridges alongside her, who gave her some acting tips. "When I first started the movie, I was a little nervous about learning my lines. He gave me some great advice; he told me not to worry about it and to think about reading a script the same as having a conversation. I found that really helpful," she told myreviewer.com.

Three years later, Irwini added another movie to her resumé with "Return to Nim's Island," and at 14-years-old, she looked positively stunning. Although she was a bona fide movie star, the actor was still down-to-earth and rocked a makeup-free face with her perfect blend of dewy and matte skin during an interview with A Current Affair. As a teen, Irwin wasn't yet thinking about dating at all and stated, "I've got friends that are girls, and friends that are boys, so why make things complicated?" Such wise words for a young girl!

Bindi Irwin's life took a massive turn when she traded in her outback uniform for leotards in 2015. At the time, the then-17-year-old was announced as one of the next competitors on "Dancing with the Stars," which was a huge departure from tending to animals at the zoo. "I'm used to khaki and boots, and I think it'll always be a part of my life ... so this is completely different," she stated on "Good Morning America." Irwin not only killed it on the dance floor with her partner Derek Hough, but they also took home the coveted Mirrorball Trophy, making them the Season 21 winners. "The most special part of this experience is to really be able to grow and touch on parts of my life that I never thought I would really go to and be able to share my journey and story with so many others," Bindi shared after her win, per USA Today.

Being crowned the next "DWTS" winner was life-changing for Bindi, but that didn't stop her from going back to life at the zoo. While in her utilitarian khaki shorts, she told the "Today" show, "For someone who's known for wildlife conservation and not dancing, it was an unbelievable journey." As always, her late father, Steve Irwin, was in her thoughts, and she told the hosts, "Dad kind of lives within us no matter where we go, and his strength is what keeps us going, and we want to make sure everything he worked so hard for continues on into the future."

Bindi Irwin met her now-husband, Chandler Powell, when they were just teens, and their friendship turned into a sweet relationship. The two married in a super private ceremony during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic at the family zoo, which was the perfect setting for the Irwin family. "There are no words to describe the amount of love and light in my heart right now. We've planned this beautiful day for nearly a year and had to change everything, as we didn't have guests at our wedding. This was a very difficult decision but important to keep everyone safe," Irwin shared in an Instagram post. She continued, "Mum helped me get ready, Robert walked me down the aisle, Chandler became my husband and together we lit a candle in Dad's memory. We shared tears and smiles and love."

One year later, Irwin and Powell celebrated another milestone when they welcomed their baby daughter, Grace Warrior Irwin Powell. The "Dancing with the Stars" alum shared a pic of the newborn on Instagram and explained, "Grace is named after my great-grandmother, and relatives in Chandler's family dating back to the 1700s. Her middle names, Warrior Irwin, are a tribute to my dad and his legacy as the most incredible Wildlife Warrior." Irwin added, "There are no words to describe the infinite amount of love in our hearts for our sweet baby girl. She chose the perfect day to be born and we feel tremendously blessed."

With Bindi Irwin's never-failing chipper demeanor, fans could have never guessed that she was struggling to hide her pain, but in 2023, she revealed her decade-long struggle with endometriosis. In a lengthy post shared on X, Irwin stated that she had dealt with severe pain for years but had her concerns dismissed by a doctor, who claimed it something women merely went through. She finally went through surgery, explaining, "To cut a long story short, they found 37 lesions, some very deep [and] difficult to remove." She concluded, "I'm aware of millions of women struggling with a similar story. There's stigma around this awful disease. I'm sharing my story for anyone who reads this [and] is quietly dealing with pain [and] no answers." To this day, Irwin is among many celebrity women who have advocated for better endometriosis care.

Unfortunately, Irwin's health issues were far from over, and in May of 2025, she told fans why she was absent from the Steve Irwin Gala. "My appendix was removed, along with another 14 lesions (after having 37 endometriosis lesions and a cyst removed two years ago). I also had a repair to a large hernia I acquired through childbirth four years ago. Thankfully, I am on the road to recovery," she posted on Instagram. Since sharing her diagnosis, Irwin has become one of many celebrity women who have advocated for better endometriosis care. While sharing a gorgeous makeup-free selfie in August, she looked radiant while telling fans, "I can FINALLY say that I'm feeling better. Genuinely healing."