Early Life:
Birth and Family:
Pia Loyola Blanco was born on November 2, 1983, in Viña del Mar, Chile, to former fashion designer Angélica Blanco.
Relocation to Australia:
She moved to Australia with her mother, brother, and sister when she was four years old. Her grandmother later joined the family.
Career:
Modeling:
Early Recognition: Pia gained prominence at the age of fourteen by winning Dolly’s annual modeling competition in 1998.
Modeling Career:
She secured a contract with Chadwick Models and traveled worldwide for catwalk shows by the age of sixteen.
Advertising Campaigns:
Pia featured in advertising campaigns for various brands, including Myer, Mossimo, Midas, Australian Unity, Crown Casino, Samsung, and Cadbury.
Ambassador Roles:
Named the official ambassador for the 2010 Australian Grand Prix and the first Australian celebrity tourism ambassador for Chile in 2014.
Brand Collaborations:
Became a brand ambassador for Megan Gale’s swimwear line, Mazda CX-5, Maybelline, Gillette Venus, and Caltrate vitamins.
Acting and Presenting:
Transition to Acting:
Pia took acting lessons and presentation classes at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in 2009.
Presenter:
She became a presenter on Nine Network’s travel show “Postcards Victoria” in 2010.
Television Appearances:
Pia made guest appearances on shows like “East West 101,” “Neighbours,” and “The Circle.”
Acting Career:
Her acting career includes roles in “Big Mamma’s Boy,” “Conspiracy 365,” and a regular role as Kat Chapman in “Home and Away” from 2015 to 2017.
Bite Club:
Pia starred in the crime thriller “Bite Club” on Nine Network in 2018.
Film Role:
Co-starred in the 2019 film “Dora and the Lost City of Gold.”
Personal Life:
Relationships and Family:
Pia became a mother at the age of nineteen and later had a son with AFL footballer Brad Miller. They married in 2007 but announced their separation in 2015. Pia and film producer Tyson Mullane were engaged from 2017 to 2019.
Citizenship:
Pia became an Australian citizen in 2010.
Current Marriage:
Pia announced her engagement to businessman Patrick Whitesell in November 2020, and they got married in May 2021.
Pia Whitesell’s journey spans from early success in modeling to a versatile career in acting and presenting. Her personal life, marked by motherhood and relationships, continues to evolve, and she remains active in the entertainment industry.