Dayana Mendoza facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dayana Mendoza
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Mendoza in 2009
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| Born |
Dayana Sabrina Mendoza Moncada
June 1, 1986 |
| Height | 176 cm (5 ft 9 in) |
| Title | Miss Venezuela 2007 Miss Universe 2008 |
| Spouse(s) |
Michael Pagano
(m. 2013; div. 2016)Carlos Uribe
(m. 2025) |
| Children | 1 |
| Beauty pageant titleholder | |
| Hair color | Brown |
| Eye color | Green |
| Major competition(s) |
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Dayana Sabrina Mendoza Uribe, born on June 1, 1986, is a talented woman from Venezuela. She is known for being an actress, model, and for making movies. She also won two big beauty contests: Miss Venezuela 2007 and Miss Universe 2008.
In 2012, Dayana was on a TV show called The Celebrity Apprentice. Later, in 2018, she started producing and directing her own films.
Contents
Dayana Mendoza's Early Life and Career
Dayana Mendoza was born in Caracas, Venezuela. Her parents are Willy Mendoza and María Moncada.
When she was younger, Dayana was involved in a difficult situation in Venezuela. She later shared that this experience helped her learn to stay calm under pressure. In 2001, she joined Elite Model Management. This happened after she was one of the top 15 finalists in a big modeling contest called Elite Model Look International.
Modeling Around the World
Dayana worked with famous companies like Max Mara and Costume National. She modeled in major cities like New York City, Italy, Germany, France, Greece, and Spain. She worked for designers such as Versace and Roberto Cavalli for eight years. Dayana can speak Spanish, English, and Italian very well.
After leaving Elite, she signed with Trump Model Management in 2009. She also worked with Names Model Agency in Milan.
Family Life and Faith
Dayana married businessman Michael Pagano on December 6, 2013. Their wedding was a big celebration in the Dominican Republic that lasted three days. Dayana wore a beautiful dress designed by Ángel Sánchez.
On June 7, 2015, Dayana announced she was expecting a baby. Her daughter, Eva Mendoza Pagano, was born on October 5, 2015, in New York.
In September 2016, Dayana and Michael Pagano divorced. Dayana said that they separated on good terms.
In August 2020, Dayana became an evangelical Christian. On January 30, 2025, she announced her engagement to Carlos Uribe, a pastor from Colombia. They got married in March 2025.
Winning Beauty Pageants
Dayana Mendoza is famous for winning two major beauty pageant titles.
Miss Venezuela 2007 Win
On September 13, 2007, Dayana Mendoza won the title of Miss Venezuela 2007. She competed against 27 other contestants. She was only the second woman representing the Amazonas state to win this contest.
Becoming Miss Universe 2008
Dayana was crowned Miss Universe 2008 on July 13, 2008. The event took place at the Crown Convention Center in Nha Trang, Vietnam. She was the first winner from Venezuela since Alicia Machado won in 1996.
Miss Universe Prize and Role
Miss Universe 2007 Riyo Mori placed a special tiara on Dayana's head. As Miss Universe, Dayana received many prizes. These included money, a one-year contract to promote Miss Universe, and opportunities to travel the world. She also got a rent-free apartment in New York City and many designer items.
A big part of her role was traveling to talk about important issues. She spoke about helping people and promoting education about HIV/AIDS.
Travels as Miss Universe
During her year as Miss Universe, Dayana traveled to many countries. These included Indonesia, Singapore, Spain, France, Nicaragua, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Bahamas, Russia, El Salvador, the United Arab Emirates, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Bolivia, Argentina, Romania, and Vietnam. She also made many trips around the United States and returned to her home country of Venezuela.
On August 23, 2009, Dayana crowned her successor, Stefanía Fernández, who was also from Venezuela. This happened in Nassau, The Bahamas.
Modeling Photos and Public Reaction
Some photos of Dayana modeling for a jewelry company became public. Officials from the Miss Universe Organization decided not to punish her. They said the photos were artistic and not inappropriate.
Visit to Guantanamo Bay
On March 27, 2009, Dayana visited the Guantanamo Bay detention camp. She wrote about her visit on her blog, saying it was a "relaxing place." She also mentioned seeing the jails and how detainees could entertain themselves. The Miss Universe Organization clarified that her comments were about the kindness she received from the U.S. Military members there. The blog entry was later removed.
Dayana Mendoza's Artistic Career
Dayana Mendoza studied acting and filmmaking at the New York Film Academy in the United States. She received a scholarship for this from the Miss Universe Organization.
In 2009, she acted in her first short film, Sweet Misery. That same year, she was a presenter on a Venezuelan morning TV show called Portadas. In 2010, she hosted Relaxed, a talk show about celebrities on E! Entertainment Latin America. She also appeared in a music video called "Bla Bla Bla" and was part of the comedy Lord of the Dreams.
Reality TV and Film Work
Dayana participated in the famous reality show The Celebrity Apprentice with Donald Trump. She worked with other well-known people like Lisa Lampanelli and George Takei. Her time on the show was talked about because of a rivalry she had with comedian Lisa Lampanelli. Dayana finished in 6th place on the show.
In 2013, she played a character named Jasmine in the short film The Mermaid Complex. In 2017, she starred as Jessica in the movie Nothing's Fair in Love. In 2018, she produced her first film, Honey. This film received good reviews and was recognized by the Hollywood International Film Festival.
In 2019, Dayana was the host for the Queen Beauty Universe event.
Other Appearances
Dayana Mendoza has also served as a goodwill ambassador. She worked with the technology company Smartmatic to thank the Philippines for trusting them with their 2010 presidential elections.
On June 3, 2012, Dayana was one of the judges for the Miss USA 2012 competition. In March 2015, she appeared in a commercial for a drink. She was with Miss Universe 2012, Olivia Culpo, and Miss Universe 2014, Paulina Vega. They filmed the commercial in Bali, Indonesia.
On January 6, 2018, Dayana returned to the Crown Convention Center in Nha Trang, Vietnam. This was the same place where she had been crowned Miss Universe 2008. This time, she was a judge for the Miss Universe Vietnam 2017 contest.
Filmography
- 2009: Sweet Misery (Short film) ....... Protagonist.
- 2009: Portada's (TV Show) ........ Presenter.
- 2010: Lord of the Dreams (Short Film) ......... Supporting Actress (Isabela).
- 2010: Relaxed (Interview Show) ...... Hostess.
- 2010: Bla Bla Bla (Music Video) ......... Protagonist.
- 2012: Celebrity Apprentice (Reality Show) ... Participant.
- 2013: The Mermaid Complex ......... (Short Film) ........ Supporting Actress (Jasmine).
- 2017: Nothing's Fair in Love (Short film) .......... Protagonist (Jessica).
- 2018: Honey (Short film) ......... Executive producer and director.
- 2019: Queen Beauty Universe 2019 .......... Presenter.
See also
In Spanish: Dayana Mendoza para niños
- Stefanía Fernández
- Hannelly Quintero
- Dayana Colmenares
- Gabriela Isler
