Bindi Irwin's dad, the famous Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, died in 2006 after a fatal stingray
attack. Bindi was left devastated, but in the years since his passing, she's carried
on her father's legacy, and grown into a strong, passionate young conservationist.
It should come as no surprise that ever since Bindi was a baby, her adventurous parents
made sure that she was exposed to all kinds of animals. She posted on Instagram,
"From the moment I was born my wonderful mum and dad started introducing me to wildlife.
Our conservation work has been my life since the very beginning."
"Don't try this at home."
While many kids might shy away from crocs and snakes, Bindi was lovingly giving them
kisses. She was so into snakes, as a young girl, that she brought a Burmese Python onto
The Oprah Show in 2002, and proclaimed that snakes were her favorite animal. As the audience
gasped, Oprah quipped,
"You are the cutest girl we've seen with a snake lately."
Bindi didn't just make TV appearances on her father's show, The Crocodile Hunter, when
she was a child. She also had her own show in Australia on the Discovery Kids channel
called Bindi: The Jungle Girl, in which she educated pint sized viewers on all kinds of
different animals. Of course, the goal of the show was to promote conservation and appreciation
for wildlife, much like her father's series. And it turned out, Bindi: The Jungle Girl
was a smash hit. In 2008, Bindi won the Emmy for Outstanding Performer in a Children's
Series, beating out Sesame Street icon Elmo for the honor. She told the Herald Sun,
"I am so excited. It's really great that my show Bindi: The Jungle Girl has taken off
so well in the U.S. after being on air for only nine months, that's amazing. Most of
the shows we are competing with have been around for…many years."
The show ran for two seasons, wrapping in 2008.
The world lost an icon in September 2006, when Steve Irwin died tragically at the age
of 44, when Bindi was just 8 years old. The news shocked the world, but as his wife Terri
tells it, Steve somehow always suspected he would die young. Terri revealed on Anh's Brush
with Fame,
"He never thought he would have a long life. He always kind of had this sense his life
would be cut short."
"I think it has to be destiny. I think it's definitely fate that brought us together."
Of course, the Irwin family was devastated by Steve's sudden passing. And it's something
Bindi still feels many years later. She told People magazine,
"I remember people coming up to me and saying, 'I'm sorry for your loss, sweetheart. Time
heals all wounds.' But that's just not true. It's like losing a part of your heart, and
when you've lost that, you never get it back."
"You know, he really reached through the television set. And was able to bring the message of
wildlife and conservation to millions of people worldwide."
Although Bindi was only 8 years old when her father died, she was resilient in the face
of unsurmountable grief. She even delivered a heartfelt eulogy for her dad, during a public
memorial for him at the family's Australia Zoo.
"I said I would like to do this for myself and for everyone else."
Bindi spoke about her father's many accomplishments and passions, and she swore to keep his legacy
alive. She said,
"I don't want Daddy's passion to ever end. I want to help endangered wildlife just like
he did. When I see a crocodile I will always think of him and I know that Daddy made this
zoo so everyone could come and learn to love all the animals. Daddy made this place his
whole life. Now it's our turn to help Daddy."
Russell Crowe also delivered an emotional speech for Steve at the memorial, praising
his wide-reaching legacy.
After appearing in The Crocodile Hunter and Bindi: The Jungle Girl, young Bindi decided
to pursue a career in acting. Her first foray into the big screen was in 2010's Free Willy:
Escape from Pirates Cove. In it, Bindi played Kirra, an Australian girl who helps save a
baby Orca.
"I know how you feel. You don't think anyone understands. But I do."
Bindi claims she was intimidated by the project, at first, but she had some help from co-star
Beau Bridges, who played her grandfather in the film. She told Reuters at the time,
"I was a bit nervous about learning the lines but Beau taught me how to make them into a
conversation. He gave me Acting: The First Six Lessons on audiotape and a book I'm reading
right now."
"You know, it was fun playing someone different than who I really was, you know?"
Bindi went on to snag roles in TV shows like My Babysitter's a Vampire and Curious George
in 2012, and she starred in 2013's Return to Nim's Island. While she has made frequent
appearances on TV since then, it's been mostly as herself.
Although Bindi made quite the splash with her acting, it became evident that her heart
belonged to the Australia Zoo. After all, she says she's always preferred hanging out
with animals over people any day of the week. She told a British news outlet,
"Everyone thinks I'm an extrovert because of what I do and where I live. But my favourite
day would be quiet with no people, just animals."
"The new baby rhino is absolutely adorable."
Bindi feels so at home at the Australia Zoo that she doesn't even mind dealing with the
messier side of animal care, which can involve making some pretty interesting meals. When
it comes to the food that Echidna's like to eat, Bindi told Parade,
"It is made up of squished insects, mince meat, and olive oil. Squishing up all those
insects is not a fun job, but they're my favorite animals, so I would do anything for them."
One fateful day in 2013, while Bindi was giving tours at the Australia Zoo, she met a visitor
by the name of Chandler Powell, and sparks flew instantly between them. Powell left without
asking her out, and returned home to the United States, but that wasn't the end of the story.
It turned out, Powell had a plan. First, he had his brother reach out to Bindi via email
to ask if she was interested in dating. After that, he wrote a letter to her mom Terri,
asking for permission to do the same. Bindi told 9Honey,
"Finally, after all that, Mum came to me and said, 'Who is this guy? Is he real, and why
aren't you two together?'"
"It was like we had known each other for years and years and years."
"It was. It totally was. We just fell in love and that was it."
Clearly it was the right approach. Nice move, Chandler.
2015 proved to be a banner year for Bindi. She set aside her work boots, popped on a
pair of heels, and the then-17-year-old won Dancing with Stars, along with her partner
Derek Hough. The pair waltzed their way to victory with a callback to Dirty Dancing and
a moving tribute to her father.
"Thank you so much for everything, I can't believe that I'm here, I just thank you for
changing my life!"
Dancing with the Stars was the experience of a lifetime for Bindi, who loved every second
of being on the show. She posted on Instagram,
"There are no words to describe how much my time dancing meant to me. It's all thanks
to my extraordinary friend, teacher and big brother, Derek Hough."
Bindi was later invited back to the Australian version of the show, this time as a guest
judge.
It's very clear that Bindi finds inspiration in her father's legacy, but she aspires toward
her mom as well. In 2018, she posted on Instagram,
"My mum will always be my greatest inspiration. Since I was tiny she taught me the importance
of standing up for what I believe in and staying true to myself. Her courage and determination
has moved mountains."
"You are all teaching others about this responsibility, just like Steve did."
That's not the only time Bindi has praised her mother on social media, either. She posted
a sentimental family tribute, writing,
"On nights like this we celebrate everything Dad achieved but I'd also like to take a moment
of appreciation for my mum. Her determination & love is what keeps Dad's important work
going. Dad really was the luckiest man alive to marry such an amazing woman.‬"
Despite the many great things that have happened in Bindi's life, there are still moments where
she's overcome with grief for the depth of her loss.
"It took a really long time to understand what happened. For the rest of my life I'll
kind of feel like he's gonna come home."
She told the Daily Telegraph,
"Some days you feel the grief more than others. What gets to me are those moments when I'd
love him to be here to share what we're doing."
"I never thought there was something as beautiful in this world, as my daughter."
And as it happens, those aching feelings can surface for Bindi at any moment. She shared,
"It could be when my brother is receiving an accolade for his photography. Or it might
be at the end of the day when we're having dinner and laughing. I'll think: 'I wish Dad
was here for this.'"
"This is Crikey Cam!
"And this is Australia Zoo!"
If you've found yourself slightly obsessed with the Irwins, you're not alone. Millions
of fans adore this family, and Bindi herself has over 3.5 million followers on Instagram.
Fortunately for superfans, the Irwins debuted a new reality TV show in 2018 called Crikey!
It's the Irwins, on Animal Planet. On the show, viewers get front-row seats to the daily
life of the Irwins at the Australia Zoo. The show was renewed for a second season in early
2019, according to a post on Bindi's Instagram. She revealed,
"We are so excited to announce that this year will bring season TWO of Crikey! It's The
Irwins with Animal Planet. It is such a blessing to share our journey and continue Dad's legacy.
I feel like he is walking beside us every day we film this wonderful show."
You might think that the Irwins get a little sick of each other sometimes. After all, they
live together, work together, and star on a reality TV show together. But if Bindi's
social media posts are any indication, the Irwin family wouldn't have it any other way.
Bindi wrote over several posts,
"Thankful to have such a beautiful family to hold my hand and share life's most magical
moments…I count my blessings daily to have their unconditional love and support on this
whirlwind life adventure."
The Irwins are so close that they even play Pictionary together, according to a post on
Bindi's Insta.
Chandler finally popped the question in July 2019. There had been speculation for years
that he and Bindi were already engaged, but she told People magazine in 2013,
"It's interesting, as human beings we're always so rushed with things. I think we all need
to just revel in the now."
But when the couple did get engaged, Bindi was more than ready for it. She posted on
Instagram,
"I'm so looking forward to spending our forever together as your wife. Here's to a lifetime
of friendship, purpose and unconditional love, now let's get married already!"
On March 25th, 2020, Bindi and Chandler got married in a small ceremony at the Australia
Zoo. Back when they got engaged, they had no idea that their wedding plans would be
upended by the pandemic of early 2020. Bindi wrote on Instagram,
"We've planned this beautiful day for nearly a year and had to change everything, as we
didn't have guests at our wedding. 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."
"I think that Dad's with us too in a way. I think that his spirit lives on in everything
that we do."
Despite the changes to their plans for their big day, Bindi is over the moon thrilled to
be married to the man of her dreams. She said,
"There are no words to describe the amount of love and light in my heart right now."
"Oh my gosh, we're married. Finally!"
It's pretty clear that Bindi has dedicated her life to carrying the torch that her father
lit so many years ago. She told The Daily Telegraph,
"I care about the planet and my destiny is to make a difference. We're doing it our own
way, but you can feel Dad's spirit in everything we do."
"Bindi really is such an amazing person and is probably the most positive person I know."
She also says that she finds real solace in following in her dad's footsteps, protecting
wildlife and spreading the gospel of environmental stewardship and animal conservation. As her
mom, Terri, tells it, Bindi is the fiercest wildlife warrior, boasting uncompromising
morals and values. Terri told the outlet,
"When it really matters, she will stand up for something. I've seen her do something
I couldn't do in a situation where it was really important. She's a force to be reckoned
with."
"Be the change you wish to see in the world."
Check out one of our newest videos right here! Plus, even more List videos about your favorite
celebs are coming soon. Subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the bell so you don't miss
a single one.