Pia Wurtzbach

Pia Angela Alonzo Wurtzbach The family later moved to Northern Mindanao region in the Philippines, first in Iligan, then settled in Cagayan de Oro, where she attended kindergarten at Kong Hua School and primary school at Corpus Christi School. Her parents separated when she was 11 years old, and she became the family's main source of income by modeling and acting. After being raised in the Philippines, she spent several years in England. She finished her secondary education at ABS-CBN Distance Learning Center in Quezon City, Metro Manila, and studied culinary arts at the Center for Asian Culinary Studies in San Juan, Metro Manila. Wurtzbach speaks fluent Cebuano, English, and Tagalog. She also speaks basic German, which she described as "enough to get me a bratwurst". ==Acting career==

Wurtzbach is a professional model, actress, host, and TV personality. She began acting at age four under the stage name Pia Romero. Managed by ABS-CBN Corporation's talent agency, Star Magic, she was included on the Star Circle Batch 11. Among her TV credits are the teen-oriented series K2BU, the concert variety program ASAP, the romance anthology Your Song, the sitcom show Bora, and the drama series Sa Piling Mo. She appeared in films such as Kung Ako Na Lang Sana (2003), All My Life (2004), and All About Love (2006). She went on to become a stylist, makeup artist and beauty writer for Philippine Daily Inquirers 2bU section. ==Pageantry==

Early attempts at Binibining Pilipinas Wurtzbach notably won the Miss Universe Philippines title on her third attempt. Prior to this, she first entered the Binibining Pilipinas pageant in 2013 where she was the first runner-up. She also won the Miss San Miguel Zero Fit and Sexy Body awards in the same year. She then entered the Binibining Pilipinas pageant again in 2014 and finished at top 15. Pundits believe that her performance at the question and answer portion of the pageant, where she was asked by judge Senator Sonny Angara in Tagalog, which she also answered in Tagalog, affected her overall performance. Miss Universe 2015 Wurtzbach represented the Philippines in the 64th Miss Universe pageant, and won on December 20, 2015, in Las Vegas, Nevada, US. At the national costume competition, Wurtzbach wore a white capiz terno with a matching fan and headpiece. As a parting gift on her final official photoshoot, Wurtzbach was granted access to the elusive Mikimoto Crown. On January 30, 2017, at the Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay, Philippines, Wurtzbach ended her reign and crowned Iris Mittenaere of France as Miss Universe 2016. ==Post Miss Universe==

and KZ Tandingan. On January 30, 2017, Wurtzbach stated that she has signed a contract with WME/IMG's IMG Universe division where she will continue to work with the Miss Universe Organization as an HIV/AIDS awareness advocate after her reign. She costarred with Vice Ganda and Daniel Padilla in a film under production of Star Cinema. The project served as her acting comeback after six years and her first film in more than a decade. She was featured as the 2019 calendar girl for the liquor brand Ginebra. This was her first swimsuit photoshoot since competing in the Miss Universe pageant. In 2019, Wurtzbach participated in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games opening ceremony. Wurtzbach attended the 2024 Paris Fashion Week where she walked at the ''L'Oreal's Le Défilé "Walk Your Worth"'' show alongside Kendall Jenner, Cara Delevingne, Eva Longoria, Viola Davis, Camilla Cabello, Jane Fonda, and Simone Ashley, becoming the first Filipina celebrity to model in a runway show by a beauty brand at Paris Fashion Week. ==Personal life==

Wurtzbach is a practicing Roman Catholic, and openly supports views contrary to the teachings of the Catholic Church, particularly the distribution of birth control via full implementation of the Philippines' Reproductive Health Law Her marriage on March 24, 2023, was only announced on May 5. The venue of their wedding was held in North Island, Seychelles. ==Filmography==

Television Film ==Awards and nominations==