Dayanara Torres was born on October 28, 1974, in Toa Alta, Puerto Rico. She has one brother and one sister, and her family was raised in a deeply religious manner. As a child Dayanara loved sports, especially swimming and horse riding. She also enjoyed dancing, but none of this distracted her from working hard at school. Attending the Colegio Santa Rosa in Bayamón, Dayanara planned to go on to college to train as an orthodontist, but her plans changed after she was spotted by a talent scout who persuaded her to represent Toa Alta in the Miss Puerto Rico beauty pageant. Although she was inexperienced, Torres won.
She then went on to represent Puerto Rico in the Miss Universe pageant, and won that as well. This became the small country's third such victory (after Deborah Carthy-Deu and Denise Marie Quiñones August-Lares). At first the victory was contested, as it was alleged that she wasn't old enough to enter, however, Torres had just turned eighteen and the country was able to celebrate their victory in the pageant.
As Miss Universe, Torres enjoyed massive popularity within Puerto Rico and launched her film career with the romantic comedy Linda Sara, also starring Daniel Lugo, Jacobo Morales, and singer Chayanne. She subsequently moved to the Philippines to become a television host, and there learned Tagalog in order to star in Type kita, walang kokontra, with Cesar Montano.
There Dayanara fell in love with actor Aga Mulach and the couple lived together for four years, co-starring in the film Basta't Kasama Kita, an adaptation of the classic Roman Holiday. After they separated, Torres moved back to Puerto Rico to continue her acting career with TV movie La Cenicienta. Mulach has since married a former Miss Philippines-Universe Charlene Gonzalez.
Back in Puerto Rico, Torres's career took a new direction. Having developed her singing for film roles, she released an album, Antifaz, which was a massive hit throughout Latin America. She then met and fell in love with fellow singer Marc Anthony, who starred in Paul Simon's musical The Capeman, and they married in a Las Vegas chapel in 2000, going on to renew their vows two years later in a full church ceremony. They had two sons, Cristian and Ryan. However, the marriage lasted for just four years four days. Torres went on to have a brief relationship with Terrence Howard, who starred in Mr. Holland's Opus with Richard Dreyfuss. Anthony ended up marrying Latin music sensation Jennifer Lopez.
When not occupied with acting, singing, and raising her family, Torres has enjoyed a successful career as a model. She has been the fact of Pantene cosmetics and has appeared in advertising campaigns for Coca Cola, Mazda, and Budweiser. She has graced the covers of the Spanish edition of People magazine, Latina, and Cristina. A doll made to look like her sold out in Puerto Rico and the Philippines.
Torres became and ambassador for UNICEF during her reign as Miss Universe, and has continued to work with the organization ever since, traveling throughout Asia and Latin America. She also created the Dayanara Torres Foundation to provide scholarships to Puerto Rican and Filipino children from poor backgrounds. She is hoping to take her career in new directions in future, and has enjoyed some success in U.S. soap opera The Young and the Restless, alongside Peter Bergman and Lauralee Bell. Dyanara has also appeared in theater and has written a book for children.
YUDDY
