Alejandra Amarilla was born in Asuncion, Paraguay, in 1974. She is a Paraguayan American filmmaker, activist, and philanthropist.
Amarilla is best known for creating the acclaimed 2015 documentary Landfill Harmonic.
Who is Alejandra Amarilla?
Alejandra Amarilla is a filmmaker and social activist from Paraguay. She is the writer and executive producer behind Landfill Harmonic, a documentary about a children’s orchestra that builds instruments from recycled trash.
The film follows the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, a group of young musicians from an impoverished area outside Asuncion.
Landfill Harmonic premiered at SXSW in March 2015 and later received coverage from CBS’s 60 Minutes, NPR, and CNN.
Amarilla is also known publicly as the former wife of Steve Nash, the Canadian former NBA player and coach. The two were married from 2005 to 2011 and have three children together.
Early Life of Alejandra Amarilla
Amarilla was born in Asuncion, Paraguay, in 1974. Her father worked for the United Nations, which meant the family relocated frequently during her childhood.
That upbringing exposed her to a wide range of cultures and countries from an early age.
She eventually settled in the United States, where she worked for a time as a personal trainer in New York before shifting toward filmmaking and activism focused on her native Paraguay.
Alejandra Amarilla Age
Alejandra Amarilla is 52 years old as of 2026, based on her reported birth year of 1974. Her exact birth date has not been publicly confirmed, so a precise zodiac sign cannot be stated with confidence.
She has spent recent years continuing her philanthropic work while raising her three children, who range from their teens to early twenties.
Alejandra Amarilla Ethnicity and Nationality
Amarilla is Paraguayan by birth and has lived in the United States for many years, making her a Paraguayan American. She was raised across several countries due to her father’s work with the United Nations.
That international upbringing has shaped her ongoing focus on humanitarian causes tied to her native Paraguay.
She has described feeling a strong pull to represent and support Paraguay throughout her filmmaking career.
Alejandra Amarilla Height and Weight
Amarilla’s height and weight have been reported in various entertainment profiles, though these figures are not confirmed by an official source.
She has largely kept personal details like physical statistics out of formal interviews, focusing public attention instead on her film work and activism.
Alejandra Amarilla Education
Details of Amarilla’s formal education are not consistently documented across reliable sources. She has spoken in interviews about her international upbringing shaping her early interest in storytelling and cross-cultural work.
That background eventually led her toward documentary filmmaking centered on humanitarian themes.
Alejandra Amarilla Career
Early Filmmaking and Unleashing Creativity
Amarilla began her filmmaking work by co-directing Unleashing Creativity, a 2009 documentary connected to the nonprofit Free Arts of Arizona. The project reflected her early interest in using film to support charitable causes.
That experience helped set the direction for her later, more personal project centered on her home country.
Landfill Harmonic
Amarilla developed the idea for Landfill Harmonic after wanting to raise awareness about Paraguay and its social issues. She discovered the story of Favio Chavez and the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, a group of children who built instruments from materials found in a landfill.
She brought on producer Juliana Penaranda-Loftus and directors Brad Allgood and Graham Townsley to help make the film.
Amarilla ran a crowdfunding campaign that raised more than 200,000 dollars from roughly 5,000 supporters to help finance the documentary.
Landfill Harmonic premiered at SXSW in March 2015 and later opened in Paraguay in August 2016. The film received a special mention for the Environmental Award at the 2015 Sheffield Doc/Fest and was featured on CBS’s 60 Minutes, NPR, and CNN.
Philanthropy and Recent Work
Beyond filmmaking, Amarilla has supported charitable causes connected to children and communities in Paraguay. Her advocacy work has been covered by outlets including Time, Oprah Magazine, The Huffington Post, the BBC, and CNN.
She has continued to describe her philanthropic efforts as closely tied to her own experience traveling and living across different countries.
Alejandra Amarilla Husband
Alejandra Amarilla was previously married to Steve Nash, the Canadian former NBA player and current basketball coach. The two met in Manhattan in 2001 and were together for several years before marrying on June 11, 2005.
They divorced in 2011, after separating in the summer of 2010.
Amarilla has not publicly confirmed a new marriage or partner since the divorce.
Alejandra Amarilla Children
Alejandra Amarilla and Steve Nash have three children together.
Twin daughters, Lola and Bella Nash, were born on October 14, 2004, and a son, Matteo Joel Nash, was born on November 12, 2010.
Alejandra Amarilla Net Worth
Alejandra Amarilla’s net worth is around $1 million, tied to her film work and reported divorce settlement from her marriage to Steve Nash.
The Bottom Line
Alejandra Amarilla created and executive produced Landfill Harmonic, the 2015 documentary about Paraguay’s Recycled Orchestra, which premiered at SXSW and later appeared on CBS’s 60 Minutes. She raised more than 200,000 dollars through crowdfunding to help make the film.
Amarilla grew up moving between countries as the daughter of a United Nations employee, an upbringing she has credited with shaping her humanitarian focus. She was married to NBA player and coach Steve Nash from 2005 to 2011.
Amarilla continues to support charitable causes tied to Paraguay while raising her three children. We hope you enjoyed reading about Alejandra. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!