The famed philanthropist credited the tennis star for giving her the confidence to “celebrate” her body and “feel much better about it”

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Serena Williams and Melinda Gates

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Melinda French Gates credited Serena Williams for boosting her body confidence when speaking with her during a season 2 episode of Moments That Make Us on YouTube

The philanthropist recalled a time where she and the tennis star “connected” over fitting into costumes at an event

Gates admired Williams for being “strong in her body,” which gave her the confidence to “celebrate” her own

Melinda French Gates found strength in Serena Williams.

The famed philanthropist, 60, praised the tennis star, 43, for giving her the confidence to embrace her own body during a powerful conversation documented in a season 2 episode of her Moments That Make Us series on YouTube.

French Gates recalled meeting Williams for the first time at a dinner, where guests were invited to dress up in costumes before heading into the “joyful” event. The outfits, however, were provided and seemingly limited in assorted sizes.

“We both come in late, and you and I are looking at the costumes,” the mom of three told the athlete. “I’m looking at these costumes and I’m thinking to myself, ‘There is no way one of these is going to fit in my hips’. And I said it out loud,” she added.

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Melinda French Gates and Serena Williams

Talking to Williams, the billionaire activist recalled, “You said, ‘And you think one of them is going to fit me!’ ” before the pair burst out laughing when thinking back to the situation they found themselves in at the event.

“I just went, ‘Oh my God. Here’s somebody who’s so real in our bodies to celebrate who we are,’ ” French Gates remembered thinking at the time, noting that she told Williams her positive realization that night.

French Gates recalled telling the Olympian that she “didn’t follow tennis that much,” but the “one time” she saw Williams play, she was captivated by the confidence the athlete displayed in her own body and strength.

“I happened to sit behind you [at the match] and I thought, ‘There is a woman who is so strong in her body… Why are we not all celebrating our bodies?’ And it gave me the confidence to do that,” the philanthropist said.

Williams replied, “Super wow. Thank you for saying that.”

Of that night they were trying on costumes, the tennis player recalled praising French Gates’ figure at the party.

Jamie Squire/Getty Serena Williams swings during a match at the 2022 US Open

“I looked at you. I said, ‘Oh, you got body!’” Williams reminded her in the episode, prompting the duo to smile and laugh at the memory.

French Gates added, “You made me feel much better about it.”

Williams emphasized, “You got a nice body!” She told her, “I’m like, ‘Sis, where do you get that from?’ “

“I loved it, I loved it,” French Gates replied.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, French Gates recalled the “sweet” interaction she had with Williams and the empowering moment they shared together at the event.

“That is something that we connected over the first time we met,” she told PEOPLE exclusively. “We were at dinner together with a group of women the night before, and then I saw her the next day. Same group of women, but a different setting.”

“It was just one of those vulnerable moments… Everybody else was in these costumes and there was one that fit everybody,” French Gates continued. “I think most women don’t realize that all of us struggle with some form of body issue. You might not like your arms or your legs or your hips or whatever.”

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Melinda Gates poses with her daughter, Phoebe Adele Gates, at the Clooney Foundation for Justice’s The Albies at New York Public Library in September 2024

“And here she is just this incredibly strong, powerful woman on the court,” she gushed of Williams.

French Gates’ Moments That Makes Us YouTube series released its second installment on Wednesday, Aug. 6. The release came one year after its debut season, which she launched in celebration of turning 60.

Season 1 featured impactful conversations with changemakers of all ages, who candidly discussed their biggest life transitions. Guests included Michelle Obama, Megan Rapinoe, Reese Witherspoon, Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King.