The life of Dayanara Torres reads like a modern-day fairy tale . . . From her modest upbringing in Puerto Rico; to being discovered on the streets of her hometown; becoming Miss Universe at the tender age of 18 and, soon-after, a movie star in the Philippines and Puerto Rico; marrying and divorcing; raising two beautiful princes; and bravely striving to rebuild her career . . . while Dayanara's story is what dreams, or novelas, are made of it is very much her reality, one that she manages with her signature grace, dignity, beauty and style. Dayanara Torres Delgado was born in Toa Alta, Puerto Rico on October 28th, 1974 into a poor, very loving and close-knit family. As a child, expression and creativity were important aspects of her playtime. She would enjoy acting out roles such as being a model or a queen. Dancing, swimming and horseback riding were other favorite pastimes, which she continues to cultivate today.
From a very early age, Dayanara garnered honors and merits for good conduct in school. She concluded her 12th grade studies in "El Colegio Santa Rosa" in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, intending to one day attend college and become an orthodontist. But life would take her in a different and exciting direction.
At the age of 17, during her senior year in high school, she was walking through the Plaza de Toa Alta when she was approached to take part in the Miss Puerto Rico pageant as a representative of her town.
Dayanara still recalls being incredibly surprised as she never saw herself as a beauty queen . . . not for her home town of Toa Alta and even less as a representative of Puerto Rico in the Miss Universe pageant competing with 78 women from all over the world. It was all too wonderful to dare dream it would come true. Yet it did come true, and in Mexico City on May 21st, 1993, Dayanara became the youngest woman ever to be chosen to be Miss Universe.
On the island of Puerto Rico, she became a national treasure, and a parade was held in her honor. Since her reign she has graced the covers of myriads of international magazines (Cosmopolitan, Vanidades, Caras, Imagen, Asian Bride, and Marie Claire, among many others) and has endorsed many products taking part in TV and print advertisements (Diet Coke, Pantene, Vidal Sassoon, RayBan, Banco Popular, Advil, her own doll and line of shoes, among others).
Her humanitarian work during her reign focused on disadvantaged and poverty-stricken children throughout the world. She became an international ambassador for UNICEF, traveling throughout Latin America and Asia in support of the organization's projects, during and after her reign. In 1995 she endowed the Dayanara Torres Foundation which provided aid and scholarships to destitute families in Puerto Rico and the Philippines. In most recent years she has served on the board of, and made contributions to, the Children's Hope Foundation, for children and mothers affected by AIDS and Fundació® “onrisa which helps children with facial deformities in Puerto Rico.
Once her year as Miss Universe was completed, Dayanara traveled to Manila to pass on the crown to the next pageant queen. She even sang a duet during the pageant with Peabo Bryson, called "A Whole New World". Little did she know that night that her own life would, once again, take an exciting turn and that she would be living in a whole new world herself.
During her visit to the Philippines, Dayanara became so well-loved that she was offered the opportunity to host two television shows and star in movies. She made the decision to stay, and her short stay was extended to 4 years. In those four years she became a major movie star and the "It" girl in the country.
She starred in 13 movies in the Philippines and Puerto Rico, among them: "Linda Sara" (1994) co-starring with singer/actor Chayanne and directed by Oscar nominee Jacobo Morales; Basta't Kasama Kita/As Long As We're Together (1995); Hataw Na/Dance Now (1996); and Type Kita Walang Kokontra/You Belong To Me (1998).
She was the host of the highly rated live variety show "ASAP" which is broadcast throughout all of Asia. And, as host of another show, "Eazy Dancing", became known as "The Dancing Queen of the Philippines". The country's Press Club honored her with the Best New TV Personality Award in 1995.
She returned to Puerto Rico in 1998, during the promotion of her album "Antifaz", which reached the top of the Billboard Dance charts throughout Latin America and the Philippines. In the Island, she also starred in the theatre productions of Cinderella (as Cinderella in 1998) and Peter Pan (as Tinkerbell in 1999).
In honor of her beauty and talent, the Dayanara doll was launched in 1998, complete with a crown, and outfits of a singer, dancer, and model. The doll was immediately sold out in Puerto Rico and the Philippines.
On May 10, 2000, Dayanara wed Salsa/Pop Star Marc Anthony, and made the decision to dedicate herself to her new role as wife and mother. The couple has two children together, Cristian Anthony (born February 5, 2001) and Ryan Anthony (born August 16, 2003).
As this is a fairy tale with modern-day twists. . . Dayanara and her husband divorced in 2004, and the heroin of our story is now in the process of rebuilding her career as an actress, spokesperson and model while caring for her two little princes with the help of her family.
Suddenly, a whirlwind of projects are in the works in the areas of acting, modeling, endorsements, commercials, production, and even product development. . . Dayanara is once again looking forward to a whole new world ahead of her.
