The Renowned Television Personality Will Share Her Pageant Experience to Support the Contestants Vying for the Prestigious Miss Universe® Latina Crown
Miami, FL – June 19, 2025 – Telemundo announced that Miss Universe® 2020 and acclaimed TV personality Andrea Meza will join Miss Universe® Latina, El Reality as the new captain for Team Ruby, with exciting live galas airing weeknights and Sundays at 7pm/6c. Meza, who made history as the third Mexican woman to win the Miss Universe® crown, brings her international pageant experience, empowering voice, and unique charisma to the most ambitious reality competition on Spanish-language television.
Alongside Alicia Machado, Team Emerald captain, Meza will serve as a mentor and leader for Team Ruby, guiding the contestants as they compete for the first-ever Miss Universe® Latina crown and the chance to represent U.S. Latinos during the 74th edition of Miss Universe® later this year.
Born and raised in Chihuahua, Mexico, Meza is currently a host on Telemundo’s morning show Hoy Día. She began her career with the network following her reign, appearing on En Casa con Telemundo, and has participated in numerous network specials, including the Billboard Latin Music Awards and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Throughout her career, she has been celebrated for her talent, intelligence, and activism, especially her advocacy for women’s rights and gender equality. During her reign as Miss Universe®, Meza also collaborated with Smile Train’s Cleft Leadership Centers (CLCs), which provide comprehensive care for individuals with cleft lip and palate. These services include medical treatment, education, research, surgeries, speech therapy, nutritional support, orthodontics, and more.
The contestants who are still in the competition on Andrea Meza’s Team Ruby are: Andrea Aguilar, Andrea Bazarte, Ashley Flete, Azalia Arredondo, Gemmy Quelliz, Génesis Dávila, Joseline Rodríguez, Laura Pérez, Marcela Delgado, Nathalia Tasama, and Skarxi Marte.
The remaining contestants on Alicia Machado’s Team Emerald are: Britthany Marroquín, Daniela Londono, Ediris Joan, Elba Mendoza, Isbel Parra, Jelly Gilart, Natali Rodríguez, Nitza Valdez, Osmariel Villalobos, and Yamilex Hernández.
Miss Universe® Latina, El Reality is a multiplatform format that features a group of contestants selected through a rigorous audition process, following the standards of the Miss Universe® Organization. Hosted by Jacqueline Bracamontes, the show follows talented Latinas competing for the title of Miss Universe® Latina and the opportunity to represent the U.S. Latino community at Miss Universe® to be held in Thailand later this year. While Alicia Machado and Andrea Meza contribute their expertise to the growth of the contestants on their respective teams, Emerald and Ruby, the judges Aracely Arámbula, David Salomón, and Fabián Ríos, combined with the audience vote, will decide who advances in the competition. Each episode showcases moments of bonding, training, and challenges, both at the Mansion and the Miss Universe® Latina School, as well as behind-the-scenes action hosted by Sebastián Villalobos. In the end, only one will be crowned Miss Universe® Latina, earning the right to compete in Miss Universe®.
Miss Universe® Latina, El Reality airs live on Telemundo Monday to Friday and Sundays at 7pm/6c. It is also available on the Telemundo app and streaming the next day on Peacock. The reality competition also airs simultaneously on Telemundo Internacional for viewers across Spanish-speaking Latin America.
For exclusive content, viewers can visit the @TelemundoEntretenimiento YouTube channel, Telemundo.com, and the Telemundo App, in addition to joining the conversation on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, WhatsApp and X via @Telemundo, and @TelemundoRealities, using #MissUniverseElReality and #MULER. Get the latest updates by downloading the Telemundo app, available on Google Play Store and the Apple Store.
Miss Universe® Latina, El Reality is a Telemundo original production under the executive production of Francisco ‘Cisco’ Suárez, EVP, Primetime Unscripted and Specials, along with Federico Lariño as executive producer.
The first season of Miss Universe® Latina, El Reality, was selected to receive the CINA incentive (Certificate of Audiovisual Investment), granted by the Colombian government and administered by Proimágenes Colombia, a tax rebate equivalent to 35% of the money spent on audiovisual services in the country.
About Proimágenes Colombia:
Dedicated to the development of the Colombian film industry, Proimágenes Colombia (Fondo Mixto de Promoción Cinematográfica) is a non-profit organization supported by the public and private sectors. It administers the Film Development Fund – FDC, which provides cash resources to national productions and co-productions, and promotes Colombian cinema in the international arena. It also has acts as the Colombian Film Commission which promotes the country as a filming location, channeling incentives to national and international productions with cash refunds and tax incentives for international audiovisual projects.
About NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises:
NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises leads the media industry in the production and distribution of Spanish-language content for U.S. Hispanics and audiences around the world. The company serves U.S. Hispanics through its national broadcast network, the cable network Universo, and digital platforms including the Telemundo app, a suite of FAST channels, and streaming services, such as Peacock, among others. The Telemundo Network offers Spanish-language entertainment, news, and sports content reaching 95% of U.S. Hispanic TV households in 210 markets through 30 owned stations and 91 affiliate stations. Telemundo also owns an independent station serving Puerto Rico. Anchored on Telemundo Studios, the network is the #1 producer of scripted Spanish-language content in the U.S., and the only network to produce original content specifically for US Hispanic audiences. Offering over 600 hours of reality TV shows a year, and top-rated live specials such as the Billboard Latin Music Awards and Miss Universe, Telemundo is considered the undisputed Home of Live TV in Hispanic media. The network is also the exclusive Spanish-language home of the world’s two most popular sporting events, the FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games. NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises is a division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.
Press contact:
Gerardo Oyola
Director, Alternative Programming Publicity
gerardo.oyola@nbcuni.com
