About
Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach-Jauncey (born September 24, 1989) is a German-Filipina actress, model, author, and beauty-pageant titleholder best remembered for bringing the Miss Universe crown back to the Philippines in 2015—the country’s first win in 42 years. A former child star who once acted under the name Pia Romero, she later leveraged her global platform to champion HIV awareness, women’s health, and LGBTQ+ inclusion, becoming a UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador for Asia-Pacific in 2017. In recent years Pia has branched out: she published her debut novel Queen of the Universe in November 2023 and, after parting with her longtime management team, successfully steered her own career as a self-managed creator, calling 2024 “my most successful year yet.”
Before Fame
Born in Stuttgart, Germany, to German engineer Uwe Wurtzbach and Filipina chef Cheryl Alonzo, Pia spent her early childhood in Iligan and Cagayan de Oro in Northern Mindanao, juggling school with bit parts on Philippine TV. Her parents separated when she was 11, and the budding performer became the family breadwinner—modeling, acting, and hosting to help cover bills. Determined to finish school, she completed secondary studies through ABS-CBN’s distance-learning program and later earned a culinary certificate from Manila’s Center for Asian Culinary Studies. Pageantry, however, kept calling. After two near-misses at Binibining Pilipinas (2013 first runner-up; 2014 Top 15), she took another shot in 2015, clinched the Miss Universe Philippines title, and earned the right to represent her country on the world stage.
Trivia
- Multilingual queen: Pia speaks Cebuano, Tagalog, English, and conversational German, crediting her language mix to a childhood spent hopping between continents.
- Historic mix-up: During the live Miss Universe 2015 telecast, host Steve Harvey accidentally declared Miss Colombia the winner before quickly correcting himself and crowning Pia—a viral moment that exploded across social media.
- Health advocate: As UNAIDS Ambassador she fronts HIV-testing campaigns, including public screenings aimed at ending stigma.
- Literary leap: Queen of the Universe draws from her own pageant journey, blending romance with industry secrets in a 288-page beach read.
- Digital powerhouse: A 2022 study named her the Philippines’ top Instagram earner, edging out several local A-listers.
Family Life
Pia’s tight-knit circle centers on her mother Cheryl, younger sister Sarah, and husband Jeremy Jauncey, the Scottish founder of travel brand Beautiful Destinations. Her father Uwe passed away from a heart attack in 2014, a loss Pia often says motivates her to excel. She and Jeremy began dating in 2020, announced their engagement in 2022, and quietly married on March 24 2023 on North Island, Seychelles, with only three close friends present. They later shared dreamy wedding clips on Instagram and have since teased plans for a second ceremony “in a Scottish castle” so more relatives can celebrate. Pia openly supports Sarah’s mental-health advocacy and frequently posts proud-sister updates as Sarah works through PTSD recovery.
Associated With
- Steve Harvey – the host whose on-air slip turned her crowning into one of pageant history’s most replayed moments.
- Ariadna Gutiérrez – Miss Colombia 2015, initially announced as winner, forever linked to Pia through that same mix-up.
- Catriona Gray – fellow Filipina Miss Universe 2018. Pia publicly cheered Catriona’s bid and later teamed up with her for charity drives.
- Jeremy Jauncey – entrepreneur husband and frequent travel partner, often seen in Pia’s vlogs and advocacy events.
