Aída Yéspica

Biography

Known as Aída Yéspica, also as Aída María Yéspica, her full name at the Venezuelan registry is Aída María Yéspica Jaime.

Pageant participation

Yéspica's career began in 2002 in the Miss Venezuela pageant: as Miss Amazonas, she represented the state of Amazonas; although Mariangel Ruiz won the pageant, Yéspica became a big favorite among the press: despite her relatively average height (1.73m or 5'8"), her 90-60-90 cm (36"-24"-36") measurements captured significant attention.

Modeling career

Yéspica, in early 2003, moved to Milan in Italy to start a modeling career: from then on she has obtained a growing reputation in the Italian system of showbusiness, as a model and showgirl, with many covers of magazines (including Maxim, GQ, Max and Fox) and realizing 4 nude calendars (NC) in Italy (precisely NC Fox 2004, NC GQ 2005, NC Fapim 2005 and NC Riello 2006) obtaining much success (the Corriere della Sera put her in 1st place as liking). She became in June 2003 the female lead of Cesare Cremonini's videoclip Latin Lover and some important television commercials (most notably those for Braun, Campari, Calze Sanpellegrino, Nissan - this for Japan - and RAS, in the latter Yéspica was starring with Sean Connery). Yéspica became a big star in the Italian entertainment business, gracing the covers of multiple magazines including GQ and Maxim, two of the most important men's magazines in the Italy of 2000s and in this period Yéspica appears regularly on Fashion TV and in the national networks of RAI and Mediaset doing photoshoots, nude calendars, fashion commercials or as a presenter, model, showgirl and actress. Yéspica in July 2005 became model and spokesperson, with Alberto Gilardino, of the jewelry line produced by Zancan. Yéspica in 2007 became model and spokesperson of sunglasses and eyeglasses of Oxydo that are produced by the Safilo Group, she became the female lead of Dip It, a videoclip of the American rapper Coolio, and Yéspica posed totally naked for the NC Interviú 2007 in Spain obtaining much success. Yéspica in October 2008 posed totally naked during the eighth month of her pregnancy for the weekly magazine Chi obtaining much success. Yéspica in December 2009 became the female lead Get Involved, a videoclip of the American singer and songwriter Ginuwine, directed by Claudio Zagarini and Marco Pavone. Yéspica became model and spokesperson for SièLei (both for the Italian market for the international market) on three occasions, namely the first time in March 2010 for the underwear line and for the bikini line, the second time in the summer of 2011 for the bikini line, the third time in November 2011 for the line of "Christmas underwear". Shortly after her participation in the reality show of Rai 2 L'isola dei Famosi 9 in the winter of 2012, Yéspica posed for the cover story of the n. 35 (May 2012) of Playboy Italia (the Italian ediction of Playboy). Yéspica in September 2013 became model and spokesperson for the bags of La Dolce Vita.

Entertainment

Yéspica became a reality TV star through L'isola dei Famosi 2 (the Italian version of Celebrity Survivor) aired in Italy by Rai 2 in autumn 2004 and Supervivientes (the Spanish version of Survivor) aired in Spain by Telecinco in May–July 2006 (this season named Supervivientes: Perdidos en el Caribe was won by Carmen Russo). The fiery temperament of Yéspica made her a favorite among both Italian and Spanish fans: she subsequently began work as actress in Italy and also as a nude calendar model in Italy and in Spain.

Television career

Yéspica from 2003 regularly appears on television in programs dedicated to fashion and in various commercials: her official debut as a showgirl and presenter dates back 2003-2004 edition of the comedy show on Rai 2 Bulldozer. In the autumn of 2004 Yéspica became one of the competitors of the 2nd edition of L'isola dei Famosi, a reality show hosted by Simona Ventura on Rai 2 in which Yéspica finished at the 5th place in the race, eliminated with 85% of votes. In the 2005-2006 season Yéspica became (together with Pamela Prati) the primadonna of the variety of Canale 5 Torte in faccia produced by the Compagnia del Bagaglino. In the spring of 2006 Yéspica participated in the 7th edition of Supervivientes, the Spanish "island" of Telecinco, obtaining the 5th place in the race. In 2007 Aída Yéspica became the primadonna of the variety E io pago produced by the Compagnia del Bagaglino and aired in the prime time of Canale 5. In the winter of 2008 Yéspica became the primadonna of Gabbia di matti, a variety of Canale 5 produced by the Compagnia del Bagaglino (the last with her). In the summer of 2008 Yéspica became, along with Melita Toniolo and Belén Rodríguez, one of the correspondent and co-host of Lucignolo, a program of Italia 1. A few months later Yéspica suffered from postpartum depression and therefore her television career (and not only) suffered a sharp slowdown which, according to the journalistic critics, penalized her at least August 2011; however, after this incident Yéspica never again reached the great success achieved previously the year 2009. In early 2010 Yéspica supported her friend Claudia Galanti in her race at L'isola dei famosi 7 and in May 2010 Yéspica became (with Juliana Moreira) one of the guest stars and contestants of the 1st edition of Fenomenal, a variety hosted by Teo Mammucari on Italia 1.

Yéspica, during the 2010-2011 season, participated, as a guest star, in the late night show Chiambretti Night aired by Canale 5 and hosted by Piero Chiambretti: in November 2010 Yéspica attracted the attention and the consent of the public and of the critics performing, at the end of an interview with Piero Chiambretti, in a sensual striptease.

In August 2011, the Italian press argued that Aída Yéspica would be dispute between RAI and Mediaset to be inserted in the cast of contestants in the two new shows planned for the 2011-2012 season (namely the new shows were the talent show on acting Sognando Hollywood hosted by Mara Venier on Rai 1 and the talent dance show Baila! hosted by Barbara d'Urso on Canale 5), but Yéspica did not took part because the Venier's show was canceled shortly before the broadcast and the rival show was closed due to low ratings; since Yéspica had accepted the offer of Rai 1 discarding that of Mediaset, in the winter of 2012 she was put back on Rai 2 to took part, in the category of Heroes, to the 9th edition of L'isola dei Famosi, a reality show hosted by Nicola Savino where the Venezuelan model obtained very good reviews from the journalistic critics, a success of public and 5th place in the race because she was eliminated in the final episode with 58% of the vote against Antonella Elia, but in the post-final episode called Il Galà (The Gala) Yéspica was crowned as Queen of all the castaways (La regina di tutti i naufraghi), that is the moral winner of that reality, having been voted the favorite by all contestants. Yéspica in the 2012-2013 season took part, as a guest star, to the talk show of Sky Uno Celebrity Now - Satira Selvaggia.

In the summer of 2013 Yéspica has definitely left the Italian system of showbusiness because she moved in Los Angeles where actually she works as a model and actress.

Career as actress

In spring 2004 Yéspica debuted as actress reciting (with Digei Angelo, Nicola Savino and Camila Raznovich) in Sformat, a satirical sitcom aired in the late night slot of Rai 2 and directed by Cristian Biondani; subsequently she recited in two TV movies Domani è un'altra truffa and Di che peccato sei? aired in the prime time of Canale 5 respectively in January 2006 and in January 2007 (the producer is the Compagnia del Bagaglino, a famous theater company in Italy). She debuted in the cinema in December 2007 reciting (with Christian De Sica, Michelle Hunziker and Fabio De Luigi) in Natale in crociera (a cinepanettone directed by Neri Parenti); Yéspica obtained the consent of critics and public.

Yéspica in 2013 launched herself in a new adventure that sees her fully engaged with her friend, the Italian promising young director/producer/writer Simona Ilaria di Michele; Yéspica became the protagonist of the artistic-social short film UnderSense, a travel in a woman's mind: Yéspica felt in love with the project and she decided to become also the executive producer. Moreover, always in 2013, Yéspica became the female lead, with Mexican actress Gloria Patricia Contreras, in the short film The Night Club - Osare per credere directed by the Italian television celebrity Lory Del Santo.

Controversies

For some years in Italy, Yéspica was involved in some funny controversies: the most famous was the furious quarrel with Antonella Elia at L'isola dei famosi 2 in autumn 2004.

In January 2007 Veronica Lario, the wife of Italian [then former] Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi published a scathing front page letter to the editor in La Repubblica, in which she asked Berlusconi to apologize for flirting openly with two women at a public event: in the letter, she said that her dignity had been violated; Berlusconi's party (FI) issued a public statement saying he would always protect her dignity: however, at an awards dinner only weeks later, Berlusconi was quoted as saying «If I wasn't already married I would marry you right away» (Se non fossi già sposato ti sposerei subito) to Mara Carfagna, deputy of Forza Italia, and «With you I'd go anywhere» (Con te io andrei ovunque) to Yéspica.

In February 2008 some newspapers speculated a candidacy of Yéspica in the April 2008 elections in Silvio Berlusconi's lists of the PDL, but the showgirl and the former prime minister («all invented the offer to a foreign citizen») belied; Yéspica also declared that «if I had to choose, I will run with Veltroni», the prime minister candidate of PD, the center-left party rival of Berlusconi's center-right. Note that the Italian Constitution doesn't allow to foreign citizens (including Yéspica) to run as a candidate for Parliament.

Personal life

Yéspica has a son, Aron Ferrari, born on 27 November 2008, with her former boyfriend, Italian footballer Matteo Ferrari. Shortly after the birth of Aron, Yéspica suffered of postpartum depression and her career suffered serious damage; in January 2009 Matteo Ferrari finally left Aída Yéspica after a two year relationship. In July 2012 Yéspica married a Venezuelan lawyer, Leonardo Gonzales, in Las Vegas. In February 2013 Gonzales left Yéspica, and wile still legally separated from Gonzales, Yéspica had an affair with Roger Jenkins, a British businessman. Since March 2013, Yéspica, along with her son Aron Ferrari, and Jenkins have been living permanently in Los Angeles, the city where Yéspica works as a model and actress.

Programms

Reality Show

Fiction

Cinema

Short films

Nude calendars

Videoclip