Most people who recognize Alejandra Amarilla’s name know her as Steve Nash’s ex-wife. That’s honestly selling her short. She’s also the person behind one of the most quietly powerful documentaries of the last decade.
Landfill Harmonic wasn’t a passion project she stumbled into by accident. It came from a genuine desire to show the world what her home country was actually made of, struggles and resilience included.
Quick Facts Table
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Name | Alejandra Amarilla |
| Born | Asunción, Paraguay |
| Education | Universidad Americana Paraguay, marketing and advertising |
| Best known for | Producing the documentary Landfill Harmonic (2015) |
| Other film work | Co-directed Unleashing Creativity (2009) |
| Married Steve Nash | June 11, 2005 |
| Children | Twin daughters Lola and Bella, plus son Matteo |
| Marriage ended | 2010, after five years together |
| Current base | Los Angeles, California |
| Current work | Filmmaker, activist, and philanthropist |
A Childhood Spent Moving Around The World
Alejandra was born in Asunción, the capital of Paraguay. Her father worked for the United Nations, which meant her family relocated fairly often throughout her childhood, exposing her early on to a lot of different countries and cultures.
That kind of upbringing tends to shape people in a specific way. Growing up around constant change and international perspective often builds a wider, more global sense of empathy, and that seems to track with the direction her later career took.
She went on to study marketing and advertising at Universidad Americana Paraguay, attending between 1997 and 1999. That’s a fairly practical, business-focused academic path, not necessarily the route you’d expect from someone who’d eventually make an internationally recognized documentary.
Meeting Steve Nash
Alejandra met Steve Nash in 2001. At the time, he was already an established NBA player with the Dallas Mavericks, working his way toward the kind of career that would eventually land him in the Basketball Hall of Fame.
She’d recently finished her studies back in South America when their paths crossed. Steve himself had an equally well-traveled background, born in Johannesburg, South Africa, raised in Victoria, Canada, before moving to the US for college basketball.
Two people from completely different corners of the world, both shaped by a lot of movement and cultural exposure growing up, ending up together. That’s a fitting kind of match, honestly.
Marriage And Motherhood
The couple welcomed twin daughters, Lola and Bella, on October 14, 2004, before they were officially married. They tied the knot the following year, on June 11, 2005.
Steve has spoken about that period of his life as a genuinely happy, foundational chapter, becoming a father clearly shaping both his personal outlook and how he approached the rest of his career. Alejandra, meanwhile, was raising twin daughters while her husband’s basketball career was reaching new heights.
Their family expanded again a few years later with the birth of their son, Matteo. That birth, though, came at an unusually difficult moment in their marriage.
A Painful End To The Marriage
Steve Nash publicly announced Matteo’s birth and the couple’s decision to divorce within the same statement, describing the moment as bittersweet. After five years of marriage, the two were dissolving things right as their family had just grown by one more person.
That’s a genuinely hard timeline for anyone to go through. Welcoming a new baby and ending a marriage practically simultaneously isn’t a clean, simple story, and neither Steve nor Alejandra has ever tried to pretend it was.
I’ll also be upfront about something here. There are unverified rumors floating around online about the circumstances of their divorce, including claims about infidelity. None of that has ever been confirmed by either party, and I’m not going to repeat speculative claims here, especially ones that touch on their children, as though they were established fact.
Turning Toward Filmmaking
Even while raising three kids and navigating a high-profile divorce, Alejandra was building a completely separate identity for herself through film. Her first real project was Unleashing Creativity in 2009, a documentary she co-directed connected to Free Arts of Arizona, exploring how creative expression can help kids in difficult circumstances.
That project set the stage for something much bigger. She wanted to make Paraguay known to the rest of the world, since so many people had never even heard of her home country, let alone understood what daily life looked like there for struggling families.
That desire eventually led her to a group of musicians living near a landfill outside Asunción, kids who’d started building actual playable instruments out of trash. She knew immediately that this was the story she needed to tell.
Landfill Harmonic Changes Everything
Alejandra developed the original story concept for Landfill Harmonic, working alongside co-director and producer Juliana Peñaranda-Loftus to bring it to life. The documentary followed the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, a group of young Paraguayan musicians who built violins, cellos, and other instruments almost entirely from landfill waste.
To fund the film, she launched a crowdfunding campaign that ended up raising well over 200,000 dollars from people who believed in what the project represented. The film premiered at SXSW in March 2015 and later opened in Paraguay in August 2016.
The documentary’s reach ended up going far beyond a typical independent film release. It received coverage from 60 Minutes, NPR, CNN, Time, Oprah Magazine, the Huffington Post, and the BBC, and it was shortlisted for the Environmental Award at the 2015 Sheffield Doc/Fest.
A Real Devotion To Social Causes
Filmmaking has never been the whole picture with Alejandra. She’s actively supported organizations including Athletes for Africa, the Women’s Global Empowerment Fund, and the Creative Visions Foundation, building philanthropy directly into her everyday work rather than treating it as a side hobby.
Her own description of herself, both on her professional profiles and personal site, centers on being a mother, activist, philanthropist, and filmmaker, in that order. That’s a fairly telling way to introduce yourself when you’ve also been married to an NBA legend and could easily lead with that instead.
Where She Is Today
These days, Alejandra is based in Los Angeles, continuing her work across filmmaking and advocacy. She’s remained largely private about her day-to-day personal life, focusing public attention instead on the causes and projects she cares about.
Some newer articles online claim a specific birth year for her, but that detail isn’t consistently confirmed across independent, reliable sources, so I’m treating it as unverified rather than settled fact.
Also Read: Joan Alt
Final Words
Alejandra Amarilla’s story is a good reminder that a famous marriage is often just one chapter in someone’s life, not the whole book. She built a genuinely respected documentary career, raised three kids through a difficult divorce, and kept showing up for causes that clearly matter to her personally.
Landfill Harmonic alone would be an impressive legacy for most filmmakers. She built that while also being a mother of three and navigating a high-profile personal life most people would find completely overwhelming to manage privately.
That’s the part of her story worth remembering. Not the marriage that ended, but the actual work she chose to build, on her own terms, long after the headlines about her divorce faded away.
FAQ
Who is Alejandra Amarilla?
She’s a Paraguayan-born filmmaker, activist, and philanthropist, best known for producing the documentary Landfill Harmonic and for her past marriage to NBA legend Steve Nash.
Where was Alejandra Amarilla born?
In Asunción, the capital of Paraguay.
When did Alejandra Amarilla marry Steve Nash?
They married on June 11, 2005, after meeting in 2001.
How many children does Alejandra Amarilla have?
Three, twin daughters Lola and Bella, and a son named Matteo.
Why did Alejandra Amarilla and Steve Nash divorce?
Neither of them has publicly shared a detailed reason for the split. Steve announced the divorce and Matteo’s birth in the same public statement, describing it as a bittersweet moment.
How long were Alejandra Amarilla and Steve Nash married?
About five years, from 2005 until 2010.
What is Landfill Harmonic about?
It’s a 2015 documentary about the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, a group of young Paraguayan musicians who build instruments out of materials found in a landfill.
Did Alejandra Amarilla direct Landfill Harmonic herself?
She developed the original story concept and helped bring the project to life alongside director Brad Allgood, Graham Townsley, and producer Juliana Peñaranda-Loftus.
What was Alejandra Amarilla’s first film project?
Unleashing Creativity, a 2009 documentary she co-directed connected to Free Arts of Arizona.
Did Landfill Harmonic receive major media coverage?
Yes, including features on 60 Minutes, NPR, CNN, Time, Oprah Magazine, the Huffington Post, and the BBC.
What causes does Alejandra Amarilla support?
She’s been involved with organizations including Athletes for Africa, the Women’s Global Empowerment Fund, and the Creative Visions Foundation.
Where does Alejandra Amarilla live now?
She’s currently based in Los Angeles, California.
What did Alejandra Amarilla study in school?
She studied marketing and advertising at Universidad Americana in Paraguay.
Is Alejandra Amarilla still involved in filmmaking?
Yes, she continues to describe herself professionally as a filmmaker, activist, and philanthropist.
Are the rumors about Alejandra Amarilla’s divorce confirmed?
No. Various unconfirmed rumors circulate online about the reasons behind the split, but none have been verified by Alejandra or Steve Nash themselves, and they involve claims about their children that shouldn’t be repeated as fact.
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