Daisy Fuentes

Daisy Fuentes was born on November 17, 1966, in Havana, Cuba. Her family left Cuba in 1969 and moved to Madrid, Spain, before settling in Harrison, New Jersey, US. She attended Harrison High School, graduating in 1984, and later studied communications at Bergen Community College. While in college, Fuentes began her television career as a weather presenter for WNJU-TV 47, a Telemundo affiliate, and later for WXTV-TV 41, New York’s Univision affiliate, where she also worked as an evening news reporter.

Fuentes gained significant recognition in 1988 by hosting MTV Internacional, a Spanish-language music show broadcast across Latin America and the U.S. on Telemundo. In 1993, she became MTV’s first Latina VJ in the U.S. and also hosted shows for MTV Latin America, including the fashion series “House of Style.” Her broadcasting career led to acting roles in series like the ABC soap opera “Loving” and various guest appearances on shows such as “Dream On,” “The Larry Sanders Show,” “Ghostwriter,” and “Cybill.” From 1994 to 1995, she hosted her own talk show, “Daisy,” on CNBC.

Demonstrating her versatility, Fuentes co-hosted “America’s Funniest Home Videos” from 1998 to 1999, becoming the show’s only female host. She also hosted major events including the ALMA Awards, Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, the 1998 World Music Awards, and several Miss Teen USA, Miss USA, and Miss Universe pageants. Beyond entertainment, Fuentes launched her successful namesake clothing line in 2004 in an exclusive partnership with Kohl’s, becoming the retailer’s first major celebrity collaborator. She has expanded her brand into various product categories, including haircare, fragrances, sunglasses, and accessories, which generate approximately $300 million in annual sales.