Joyce Marie Giraud Mojica (born April 4, 1975), also known as Joyce Giraud de Ohoven, is a Puerto Rican actress, model and beauty pageant titleholder. In 1994, she competed at Miss World 1994 but failed to place in the semifinals. In 1998, Giraud was crowned Miss Universe Puerto Rico 1998 and represented Puerto Rico at Miss Universe 1998 where she finished as 2nd Runner-Up. She has since appeared in acting roles in television and film, and beginning in 2013 was a housewife on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills for its fourth season.

Joyce Giraud
Giraud in Beverly Hills, California in 2014
Born
Joyce Marie Giraud Mojica

(1975-04-04) April 4, 1975 (age 49)
Other names
  • Joyce Giraud de Ohoven
  • Joyce de Ohoven
Alma materInteramerican University of Puerto Rico (BA; BA)
Occupations
  • Actress
  • model
  • producer
Spouse
(m. 2009)
Children2
Beauty pageant titleholder
TitleMiss Mundo de Puerto Rico 1994
Miss Universe Puerto Rico 1998
Years active1990–present
Major
competition(s)

Early life and education

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Giraud was born in Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico. She graduated at 16, and shortly began modelling. Giraud attended the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico. She has two Bachelor of Arts degrees; one in Social Work and one in Special Education.[1] After graduating she worked with underprivileged children and public housing projects in Puerto Rico.[2]

Career

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Giraud began modeling to help her mother pay for her university studies and became one of the top models of Puerto Rico. She has appeared in numerous national and international campaigns. She describes having been discovered while working at the drive-thru of a KFC restaurant.[3]

After winning the Miss Universe Puerto Rico, Giraud discovered her love of acting when director Vicente Castro cast her as the lead in his Coralito Tiene Dos Maridos, a remake of Sonia Braga's Dona Flor y Sus Dos Maridos. She received such great reviews that she found another passion in life. After doing many small roles in her native Puerto Rico, Giraud moved to Miami, Florida where she continued a successful modeling career. In 2001, after being the undefeated model of Star Search, she decided to take the leap toward Los Angeles where she has received parts in numerous films and TV shows.[4]

In film, Giraud has had roles in David Fincher's Girl with the Dragon Tattoo; Dude, Where's My Car?, Miss Castaway, and Slayer. She has starred in TV shows like Baywatch, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, Heist and Joey. Starting in 2007, she starred in the first two seasons of Tyler Perry's House of Payne as "Angel," and in 2013, she was a lead in NBC's Siberia. In 2013, she joined the main cast of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills for the fourth season, becoming the show's first Latina and ethnic minority housewife. Her departure from the series was announced shortly after the reunion. During her run on the show, she was awarded with the "Loveliest Locks" award at Bravo's The Real Housewives Awards.[5]

As a producer, Giraud executive produced the film Shadow People, as well as the TV show Siberia, and is credited as co-producer on the upcoming film Back Roads, based on the bestselling novel. In 2012, Giraud created the annual international beauty pageant Queen of the Universe,[6] benefiting the programs of the UNESCO Foundation for Children in Need. Since then, she has produced and directed the annual event. In 2014, Giraud opened a school in Senegal, Africa with the YOU Foundation for Children in Need.[7][8]

In 2014, she co-created the Spanish-language reality show Rica, Famosa, Latina and also serves as its executive producer. In 2015, she also created its companion talk show Rica la Noche, serving as both its host and executive producer.[9]

Pageantry and modeling

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Joyce Giraud visited the Puerto Rican diaspora in Hawaii and this is an autographed picture to the United Puerto Rican Association of Hawaii.

Giraud has been one of the few Puerto Rican Supermodels, and has been featured on numerous magazine covers and in international campaigns.

In her early career, Giraud participated in a number of beauty pageants and became a titleholder multiple times, leading to the Miss Universe 1998 pageant where she finished as second runner-up. She is a two-time Miss Puerto Rico and previously represented Puerto Rico at Miss World 1994. Giraud won the 1994 Miss World Puerto Rico and the titles of Most Beautiful Hair, Most Beautiful Smile; Most Beautiful Face and Best Runway. She later represented Puerto Rico in the Queen of the Atlantics International in Spain, and won the title Queen of the Atlantics 1995. In 1997, she represented Puerto Rico in the Miss Venus International in Jacksonville, Florida and won her hometown the title. In 1998, Giraud won the title of Miss Aguas Buenas and then was crowned Miss Universe Puerto Rico. She also won the titles of Most Beautiful Hair, Most Beautiful Face, Best Body and the Miss Photogenic Award.

Despite a scandal that almost cost her the crown due to some sexy modeling shots,[10] Giraud was cleared by Donald Trump to compete in the Miss Universe 1998 pageant in Hawaii where she was a crowd favorite and finished as 2nd runner-up behind Veruska Ramírez of Venezuela and winner Wendy Fitzwilliam of Trinidad and Tobago. Later that year, she wrote a book called "Joyce, Dreams and Realities", based on her experiences in the Miss Universe pageant.[citation needed]

In 2000, Giraud became the only undefeated model to win every episode of Star Search aka Destination Stardom in Honolulu, Hawaii.[4]

Personal life

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Giraud is married to Academy Award–nominated producer Michael Ohoven.[11] They have two children, Leonardo Alexander Michael Mario Benjamin Giraud de Ohoven (b. 2010) and Michael Valentino Mario Arthur Benjamin Giraud de Ohoven (b. 2011).[12]

Giraud is Catholic.[13]

Filmography

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Film and television

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Year Show Role Notes
1999 La Primera Finalista Unknown
1999 Coralito Tiene Dos Maridos Coralito
2000 Baywatch Rachel 1 episode: "Dream Girl"
2000 Dude, Where's My Car? Fabio's Girlfriend Uncredited
2000 The Bold and the Beautiful Spectra Model 2 episodes
2002 Viva TV Herself Guest Co-Host
2003 Diva Detectives Herself
2004 Miss Castaway and the Island Girls Julie Television film
2004 Latin Dragon Claudia Sanchez
2005 The Suite Life of Zack and Cody Ursula 1 episode: "Grounded on the 23rd Floor"
2005 Joey Maria 1 episode: "Joey and the ESL"
2006 Heist Angel 2 episodes
2006 Slayer Estrella Television film
2007–2020 House of Payne Angel 36 episodes
2011 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Spain TV Reporter
2013 Siberia Carolina / Joyce 11 episodes; also costume designer
2013 Sin Límites Herself 1 episode: "ADD/ADHD"
2013–2016 Vanderpump Rules Herself 4 episodes
2013–2014 The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Herself 24 episodes
2015 Hell's Kitchen Herself / Restaurant Patron 1 episode: "18 Chefs Compete"
2015 Dad Dudes Laura 1 episode: "Pilot"
2015 Rica la Noche Herself / Host 8 episodes
2017 Jeepers Creepers 3 Deputy Dana Lang

Music videos

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Year Artist Title
2000 98 Degrees "Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche)"

Producer

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Year Work Notes
2013 The Door Executive producer
2015 Siberia Co-executive producer
2015 Rica la Noche Executive producer
2018 Rica Famosa Latina Executive producer
2018 Back Roads Co-producer
2022 Jeepers Creepers: Reborn Co-producer

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Bravo TV bio - Joyce Giraud de Ohoven". Archived from the original on November 13, 2014. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
  2. ^ "Studio M : Sabor Latino". www.studiom.com. Archived from the original on August 8, 2012.
  3. ^ "Joyce Giraud". Open your eyes. July 31, 2010. Archived from the original on September 7, 2012. Retrieved July 20, 2022 – via Perma.
  4. ^ a b "Joyce Giraud". IMDb. Archived from the original on November 4, 2013. Retrieved August 22, 2018.
  5. ^ http://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/real-housewives-awards-winners-list-announced-vicki-gunvalson-kenya-moore-others-honored-2014243 Archived February 16, 2016, at the Wayback Machine.
  6. ^ "Joyce Giraud de Ohoven". Bravo TV Official Site. September 16, 2013. Archived from the original on November 2, 2019. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  7. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on February 16, 2016. Retrieved February 13, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. ^ "Unser Netzwerk". You Stiftung. October 6, 2015. Archived from the original on November 2, 2019. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  9. ^ "Joyce Giraud Talks About Her New Talks Show 'Rica La Noche' And New Season Of 'Rica Famosa Latina'". Archived from the original on February 16, 2016. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
  10. ^ "OYE Magazine, "The Joyce of Life"". Archived from the original on July 5, 2011.
  11. ^ "About Joyce". Joyce Miracle Elixir Collection. Archived from the original on April 4, 2019. Retrieved August 22, 2018.
  12. ^ "Joyce Giraud: "A Child is a Blessing, Not a Mistake" | Celebrity Baby Scoop". Archived from the original on August 23, 2018. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  13. ^ McDonald, Heather. "Filming Secrets of Reality TV with RHOBH Joyce Giraud". YouTube. Archived from the original on January 5, 2021. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
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Awards and achievements
Preceded by
  Margot Bourgeois
Miss Universe 2nd runner-up
1998
Succeeded by
  Diana Nogueira
Preceded by
  Ana Rosa Brito
Miss Puerto Rico Universe
1998
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Miss Aguas Buenas Universe
1998
Succeeded by
Preceded by
  Ana Rosa Brito
Miss Mundo de Puerto Rico
1994
Succeeded by
  Swanni Quiñones