Pia Wurtzbach facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pia Wurtzbach
Wurtzbach in 2019
Born	Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach (1989-09-24) September 24, 1989 (age 35) Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, West Germany
Education	Center for Asian Culinary Studies (Culinary arts)
Occupation	Actress model television presenter
Years active	2001–present
Height	5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
Title	Miss Universe Philippines 2015 Miss Universe 2015
Spouse(s)	Jeremy Jauncey ​ (m. 2023)​
Beauty pageant titleholder
Major competition(s)	Binibining Pilipinas 2013 (1st Runner-Up) Binibining Pilipinas 2014 (Top 15) Binibining Pilipinas 2015 (Winner – Miss Universe Philippines 2015) Miss Universe 2015 (Winner)

Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach-Jauncey (born September 24, 1989) is a Filipino model, actress, and beauty queen. She is famous for winning the Miss Universe 2015 pageant.

Before winning Miss Universe, she first won the title of Binibining Pilipinas in 2015. Her victory was a huge moment for the Philippines, as she was the first Filipina to win the Miss Universe crown in 42 years. When she was acting, she was known by the stage name Pia Romero.

Early Life and School

Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach was born in Stuttgart, Germany. Her father was German and her mother is Filipina. She also has a sister. Her family moved to the Northern Mindanao region of the Philippines when she was young. She went to kindergarten and elementary school in Cagayan de Oro.

Her parents separated when she was 11 years old. To help support her family, Pia began a career in modeling and acting. She later spent a few years in England. For high school, she studied through a distance learning program. She also studied culinary arts (the art of cooking) in San Juan, Metro Manila.

Pia can speak Cebuano, English, and Tagalog fluently. She also knows basic German.

Career in Acting and Media

Pia Wurtzbach has worked as a model, actress, and TV host. She started acting when she was only four years old. She was part of a group of young actors called Star Circle Batch 11.

She appeared in several TV shows, including the teen series K2BU and the drama Sa Piling Mo. She also acted in movies like Kung Ako Na Lang Sana (2003) and All My Life (2004). Later, she worked as a stylist and beauty writer for a newspaper.

Journey in Beauty Pageants

Trying for the Crown

Pia's journey to becoming Miss Universe Philippines was not easy. She joined the Binibining Pilipinas pageant three times before she finally won.

In her first try in 2013, she finished as the 1st Runner-Up. She tried again in 2014 and made it to the Top 15. Some people believe her answer in the question-and-answer part of the show affected her score that year.

Winning Binibining Pilipinas 2015

Wurtzbach during the Binibining Pilipinas 2015 pageant.

In 2015, on her third attempt, Pia finally won the title of Miss Universe Philippines. This gave her the chance to represent her country at the Miss Universe pageant.

During the final question, she was asked about her thoughts on internet censorship. She answered:

I think that we should be careful about what we post online, especially our thoughts and our opinions, that we don't hurt anybody, especially selfies, we have to be careful with what we post especially in our bodies, in our faces. So always think before you click.

A year later, Pia crowned her successor, Maxine Medina, at the Binibining Pilipinas 2016 pageant.

Winning Miss Universe 2015

Pia represented the Philippines at the 64th Miss Universe pageant in Las Vegas, Nevada, and won on December 20, 2015.

During the final night, she made it to the top 15, then the top 10 after the swimsuit competition. For the evening gown portion, she wore a stunning blue gown designed by Albert Andrada. This helped her advance to the Top 5.

In the final question-and-answer round, the top three contestants were all asked the same question: "Why should you be the next Miss Universe?" Pia replied:

To be a Miss Universe is both an honor and responsibility. If I were to be Miss Universe, I will use my voice to influence the youth, and I would raise awareness to certain causes like HIV awareness that is timely and relevant to my country which is the Philippines. I want to show the world, the universe rather, that I am confidently beautiful with a heart. Thank you.

The Famous Mix-Up

A special stamp from the Philippine Post Office to honor Wurtzbach's victory.

At the end of the show, the host, Steve Harvey, made a mistake. He accidentally announced Miss Colombia, Ariadna Gutiérrez, as the winner. After she was crowned, Harvey came back on stage to correct his error. He announced that Pia Wurtzbach was the true winner.

The previous Miss Universe, Paulina Vega, then moved the crown from Gutiérrez's head to Pia's. This was one of the most talked-about moments in the history of the pageant.

Her Time as Miss Universe

Pia was the third Miss Universe from the Philippines. She was also the first biracial Filipina to win the title.

As Miss Universe, she traveled the world. She visited Indonesia, Canada, Peru, Ecuador, the Cayman Islands, Thailand, Panama, the United Arab Emirates, and Singapore. She used her title to raise awareness for important causes, including bullying and HIV/AIDS.

In January 2016, she had a big homecoming celebration in the Philippines. She met with government leaders, including the President of the Philippines. She also worked as a special correspondent for the TV show Inside Edition during Super Bowl 50.

At the end of her reign, Pia crowned Iris Mittenaere of France as Miss Universe 2016 in Manila, Philippines.

Life After Miss Universe

Wurtzbach in 2016, during her reign as Miss Universe.

After her time as Miss Universe ended, Pia continued to work with the Miss Universe Organization. She became an advocate for HIV/AIDS awareness.

She returned to acting in the 2017 movie Gandarrapido: The Revenger Squad. She also starred in the movie My Perfect You in 2018. Pia has hosted TV shows like World of Dance Philippines and has been a guest judge on Asia's Next Top Model.

In 2019, she was part of the opening ceremony for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games. She has also become a fashion influencer, attending events like Paris Fashion Week. In 2024, she won the Global Fashion Influencer of the Year award in Dubai.

Personal Life and Advocacy

Pia's husband, Jeremy Jauncey, in 2019.

Pia is a Roman Catholic. She is a strong supporter of gender equality and the rights of the LGBT community. In 2017, she was named a Goodwill Ambassador for UNAIDS, focusing on Asia and the Pacific.

In June 2020, Pia confirmed she was dating a Scottish businessman named Jeremy Jauncey. They announced their engagement in 2022 and were married on March 24, 2023, in the Seychelles.

Filmography

Television

Film

Awards

Images for kids

• 

  Wurtzbach with NAM2019 Arts Ambassadors Ian Veneracion and KZ Tandingan.

See also

In Spanish: Pia Wurtzbach para niños

• Philippines at major beauty pageants