Dayanara Torres PicturesDayanara Torres Delgado popularly known as "Yari" in the Philippines (born on October 28, 1974 in San Juan, Puerto Rico) is a Puerto Rican actress, singer, model and former Miss Universe. At age 17, Dayanara Torres was approached while walking through the Plaza de Toa Alta in her hometown and was subsequently invited to represent Toa Alta in the annual Miss Puerto Rico Pageant. She won the pageant and the right to represent Puerto Rico at the 1993 Miss Universe pageant. In 1992, she had participated in the Miss International pageant where she was a semi-finalist. She also placed second in the Queen of the World contest. The Miss Universe pageant was held in Mexico City on May 21, 1993 and Torres won the crown. Torres's victory in the pageant caused some controversy because it was claimed that she was still a minor. Torres had actually turned 18 several months before the contest. Her victory also raised some eyebrows as she did not top any of the pageant's segments. Subsequently, Torres was received in Puerto Rico with a massive parade.
During and after her reign, she became an ambassador for UNICEF, traveling through Asia and Latin America in support of the organization. She even created the Dayanara Torres Foundation which provided scholarships to poor students in Puerto Rico and the Philippines. In 1994 she went to Manila to crown the new Miss Universe. During the ceremony, she sang "A Whole New World" as a duet with Peabo Bryson. Torres has two older brothers (José and Joey) and a younger sister (Jeannette). She finished her studies in Colegio Santa Rosa in Bayamón, Puerto Rico with the intention of going to college to become an orthodontist.
Torres married singer Marc Anthony on May 9, 2000 in Las Vegas. They have two sons, Cristian Anthony Muñiz (5 February 2001) and Ryan Anthony Muñiz (16 August 2003). It was a rocky marriage, and they separated in the summer of 2002. They later reconciled and renewed their vows in a spectacular ceremony which was held in Puerto Rico in December 2002.[2] In 2003, a Miami waitress filed paternity charges against Anthony. Multiple DNA-tests, the last in August 2004, disproved her claims. The couple's final separation was in October 2003. Torres filed for divorce in January 2004.
