Alicia Machado Biography: Age, Height, Parents, Husband, Crowns, Feud, Children, Net Worth, Controversy

Yoseph Alicia Machado Fajardo is a Venezuelan-American actress, television host, singer and former beauty queen who rose to international prominence after winning the title of Miss Universe in 1996. Prior to that, she captured the Miss Venezuela crown in 1995, which set the stage for her meteoric rise.

Her acting career took off through telenovelas and reality television, and she has since become a notable figure in Latin American entertainment.

• Full name: Yoseph Alicia Machado Fajardo
• Date of birth: December 6, 1976
• Age: 49 years old
• Gender: Female
• Place of birth: Maracay, Aragua, Venezuela
• Nationality: Venezuelan-American
• Profession: Actress, television host, singer, former beauty queen
• Height: 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
• Eye color: Brown
• Hair color: Brown
• Parents: Arturo Machado (father), Martha Fajardo (mother)
• Siblings: N/A
• Spouse: N/A
• Children: Dinorah Valentina Hernandez
• Relationship status: Single
• Ethnicity: Hispanic
• Net worth: US $4 million

Early Life and Education

Yoseph Alicia Machado Fajardo, now aged 49, was born on December 6, 1976 in Maracay, Venezuela. Her father, Arturo Machado, was of Spanish descent and her mother, Martha Fajardo, was of Cuban origin.

She grew up in Venezuela and began dancing at age four and acting by age twelve. She attended university for a short period—studying business administration and later law, before leaving to pursue modeling and entertainment.

Personal Life

In 2008, Alicia Machado welcomed her daughter Dinorah Valentina Hernandez on June 25 in Miami, Florida. She has had several high-profile relationships in the past, including an engagement with professional baseball player Bobby Abreu which was later called off. In 2016 she became a naturalised United States citizen.

She has publicly discussed health challenges she faced, including a diagnosis of breast cancer in 2013 and undergoing a double mastectomy.

Career

Machado’s career began after winning Miss Venezuela 1995 (representing Yaracuy) and then Miss Universe 1996. Her reign attracted media attention when she gained weight and was publicly pressured by the pageant ownership, an event that elevated her notoriety.

After handing off her crown, she transitioned into acting in telenovelas such as Samantha (1998) where she played the title role, followed by Infierno en el paraíso.

She also appeared in series like Hasta que el dinero nos separe and Una familia con suerte. In addition to acting she released two music albums (2004, 2010), posed for Playboy Mexico (2006) and participated in various reality television programs including La Granja, Mira quién baila, MasterChef Celebrity, and La casa de los famosos, which she won in 2021.

Awards

• MIDIA Award – Best New Actress (1998)
• Premios ACE – Best Revelation of the Year (1999)
• Paseo de las Luminarias – Recognition in Mexico for her artistic career (2010)
• Nominated for TVyNovelas Award – Best Co-star Actress (2012)

Net Worth

Alicia Machado’s estimated net worth is approximately US $4 million. Her income stems from pageant winnings, modeling, television roles, music releases, public appearances and reality show participation.

Controversy

Alicia Machado‘s 1996 Miss Universe reign was controversial: after gaining weight, she was reportedly pressured by the pageant owner to lose it publicly, and she later said the experience triggered bulimia and anorexia.

She posed nude for Playboy Mexico in 2006 and again in 2010. In 1998 she was accused of threatening a judge in Venezuela, though she was never formally charged. During the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign, her feud with Donald Trump — who owned the Miss Universe organisation during her reign — was amplified when the Democratic nominee cited her as an example of sexism, prompting media storms.

Social Media

• Instagram: @aliciamachado
• X: @AliciaMachado

Filmography

• The Nanny (1997)
• Samantha (1998)
• Infierno en el paraíso (1999)
• Mambo y canela (2002)
• El Pantera (2007)
• Amor sin maquillaje (2007)
• Hasta que el dinero nos separe (2009)
• Atrévete a soñar (2009)
• Una familia con suerte (2011)
• La Madame (2013)
• Lo imperdonable (2015)
• MasterChef Celebrity México (2021)
• La casa de los famosos (2021)
• Juego de mentiras (2023)
• Miss Universe Latina, el reality (2025)

Discography

• Alicia Machado (2004)
• Si se Acabara el Mundo (2010)