Pia Wurtzbach

Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach-Jauncey is a Filipino model, actress, television host, and beauty queen who gained international prominence after winning the Miss Universe 2015 title. Born on September 24, 1989, in Stuttgart, Germany, to a German father and a Filipina mother, she spent her youth in the Philippines, residing in Iligan and Cagayan de Oro. After her parents separated when she was eleven years old, she became the primary provider for her family through acting and modeling. She completed her high school education via the ABS-CBN Distance Learning Center and later studied culinary arts in Metro Manila.

Wurtzbach began her career in entertainment at age four under the professional name Pia Romero. Managed by Star Magic, she was part of Star Circle Batch 11 and acted in television series such as K2BU, ASAP, Your Song, Bora, and Sa Piling Mo. Her feature film appearances include Kung Ako Na Lang Sana, All My Life, and All About Love. Beyond acting, she worked behind the scenes as a personal stylist, makeup artist, and beauty columnist for the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Her entry into national pageantry began with the Binibining Pilipinas pageant. She achieved first runner-up in 2013 and placed in the top fifteen in 2014. On her third attempt in 2015, Wurtzbach captured the Miss Universe Philippines title, earning the opportunity to represent her country on the global stage.

Representing the Philippines at the 64th Miss Universe pageant in Las Vegas in December 2015, Wurtzbach won the competition, becoming the third Filipina and the first biracial Filipina to hold the crown. Her coronation attracted global attention after host Steve Harvey initially announced another contestant before correcting the error. During her reign, she undertook numerous official visits, served as a correspondent at Super Bowl 50, spoke against bullying in Canada, supported earthquake relief efforts in Ecuador, and addressed a United Nations meeting focused on ending AIDS.

After completing her reign in January 2017, Wurtzbach signed with WME/IMG and became a UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador. She returned to feature films with lead roles in Gandarrapido: The Revenger Squad and My Perfect You. Her television and public appearances during this period included serving as a guest judge on Asia's Next Top Model, co-hosting Binibining Pilipinas 2018, and participating in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games opening ceremony.

In recent years, Wurtzbach has expanded her presence in global fashion. She received the Global Fashion Influencer of the Year honor at the 2024 EMIGALA awards in Dubai and became the first Filipina celebrity to model on the runway for a major beauty brand at Paris Fashion Week in 2024. In her personal life, she advocates for LGBT rights and reproductive health awareness in the Philippines. She married Scottish entrepreneur Jeremy Jauncey in March 2023 in the Seychelles.