Joyce Giraud

Joyce Marie Giraud Mojica, also known as Joyce Giraud de Ohoven, is a Puerto Rican actress, model, television producer, and beauty pageant titleholder born on April 4, 1975. She is known for representing Puerto Rico in major international beauty competitions, notably finishing as second runner-up at Miss Universe 1998. She subsequently built a career in television and film and was a main cast member on the fourth season of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

Giraud was born in Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico. She graduated from high school at the age of 16 and soon began modeling. She attended the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico, where she earned two Bachelor of Arts degrees, one in Social Work and another in Special Education. After completing her university education, she worked with public housing projects and underprivileged children in Puerto Rico.

Her modeling career began after she was discovered working at a KFC restaurant drive-thru. She modeled to help pay for her college education and grew to become one of Puerto Rico's top models, participating in national and international campaigns and magazine covers. In pageantry, Giraud won Miss World Puerto Rico 1994, Queen of the Atlantics 1995, and Miss Venus International 1997. In 1998, she was crowned Miss Universe Puerto Rico and placed as second runner-up at Miss Universe 1998. Later that year, she published the book Joyce, Dreams and Realities about her pageant experiences. In 2000, she won every episode of Star Search (Destination Stardom).

Giraud turned to acting after director Vicente Castro cast her in Coralito Tiene Dos Maridos. After appearing in small roles in Puerto Rico, she relocated to Miami, Florida, and later moved to Los Angeles in 2001 to pursue screen roles. Her film credits include David Fincher's Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Dude, Where's My Car?, Miss Castaway, and Slayer. On television, she appeared in shows such as Baywatch, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, Heist, Joey, Tyler Perry's House of Payne, and NBC's Siberia.

In 2013, Giraud joined the fourth season of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, becoming the show's first Latina housewife, and received the Loveliest Locks award at Bravo's The Real Housewives Awards. Behind the camera, Giraud executive produced the film Shadow People and the series Siberia, and served as a co-producer on Back Roads. She also co-created and executive produced the Spanish-language reality series Rica, Famosa, Latina, as well as its companion talk show Rica la Noche, which she hosted.

In addition to her entertainment career, Giraud established the annual Queen of the Universe beauty pageant in 2012 to support programs for the UNESCO Foundation for Children in Need. In 2014, she opened a school in Senegal, Africa, in partnership with the YOU Foundation for Children in Need. Giraud is married to Academy Award-nominated producer Michael Ohoven, with whom she has two sons born in 2010 and 2011, and she is Catholic.