Big was born in Itabira, a tiny town in Brazil, on May 29, 1982. Ana was raised in the cosmopolitan Rio de Janeiro after her family moved there. The hazel-eyed statuesque beauty was discovered by the Director of Elite Model Management, while vacationing in Brazil.

It didn't take much for him to see that she was absolute model material, and he encouraged her to enter the Elite Look of the Year contest. In 1996, Ana placed first in the Brazilian Elite Look of the Year, and second in the International level of the same contest, that same year. With a national Elite Look of the Year championship and a modeling contract with the agency, Ana was ready for the big leagues: in this case, Guess?. Once Paul Marciano (Co-chairman and Co-CEO of Guess?, responsible for the careers of Eva Herzigova Kim Smithand Josie Maran) received Ana's impressive portfolio on behalf of Elite, he knew he had a new Guess? girl on his hands.

Ana's beauty cannot only be seen in the Guess? Hawaii campaign (along with fellow Brazilian Alessandra Ambrosio, but also in international advertisements for Onyx (in Italy), Head & Shoulders and Chanel make-up. Ana has graced the covers of Capricho (Brazil), Nova and 20 Ans (France), and has appeared in magazines such as Elle (Brazil), Claudia (Brazil), Allure (US), Woman (Spain), and Audi (Brazil).

Ana's love for diverse cultures and languages contributes to her desire to be a model, and that's a good thing since she is constantly living the jetsetter life of a runway and print model. The fashion shows in which Ana has appeared include Balmain, Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix, Jean Paul Gaultier, Paco Rabbane, Valentino, and Lolita Lempicka. Currently with Elite Model Management in Paris and Brazil, and IMG in New York, Ana will definitely get her chance to travel the world.