Former MTV VJ Daisy Fuentes is getting real about aging in the public eye – and why Hollywood has got it all wrong.
Fuentes, 58, made history as MTV’s first Latina VJ, andwas the first Latina signed to a multi-year, worldwide contract with Revlon.
She’s also built one of the longest-running celebrity lifestyle brands in the U.S., Daisy Fuentes, which has been in business for more than 20 years.
As a model and TV host, she’s been in the spotlight for much of her life.
Fuentes has had a long career in television, including her own talk show, Daisy, which aired on CNBC in 1994.
She’s gone through all different stages of life in the limelight, too, from being 27 years old on MTV to getting married to Grammy award-winning artist Richard Marx at age 49 in 2015.
Over the years, she hasn’t been shy about sharing her ever-changing philosophy on aging – but going through different stages of life in the spotlight isn’t necessarily easy, and according to Fuentes, there’s a lot of pressure that comes with it.
‘I think that our philosophy on aging should reflect who we are, where we are, and our own evolution,’ Fuentes told Royale in an exclusive interview in our New York Citystudio.
Former MTV VJ Daisy Fuentes is getting real about aging in the public eye – and why Hollywood has got it all wrong
Fuentes, 58, made history as MTV’s first Latina VJ, and was the first Latina signed to a multi-year, worldwide contract with Revlon
‘I think that is truly what aging is, our own evolution. I’ve been many versions of myself,’ she explained.
Fuentes shared that over the years, she’s been able to leave certain versions of herself behind – something she says is a normal part of the aging process.
‘You know, I think the first time that I remember leaving a version of me behind was probably as a young adult, when I turned 18 or 19,’ Fuentes explained.
‘I’m realizing that, oh, I am no longer that girl. And that has continued happening every era of my life. It’s continued to happen, and it will continue to happen.’
The star shared that she believes Hollywood, and the rest of society, for that matter, has the wrong idea about how exactly one should age.
‘I think what most of society, especially Hollywood, gets wrong about aging, is that there is one specific way of doing it, that it should look any certain way,’ she said.
‘It just doesn’t. We all have our own way of doing things and of really evolving and feeling good with the different versions of ourselves,’ she said.
‘It’s very personal, and I think that’s what they get wrong, that there’s one right way of doing it. There just isn’t.’
‘I’m realizing that, oh, I am no longer that girl. And that has continued happening every era of my life. It’s continued to happen, and it will continue to happen’
The star shared that she believes Hollywood, and the rest of society, for that matter, has the wrong idea about how exactly one should age
‘You know, I think the first time that I remember leaving a version of me behind was probably as a young adult, when I turned 18 or 19,’ Fuentes explained
But even so, Fuentes admitted that at one time, she was ‘nervous’ about getting older, especially when she thought about being judged by others.
The former Baywatch actress even acknowledged that some users on social media aren’t too kind.
‘There was a time where I was, like most people, nervous about getting older, especially when you grow up in front of the camera, when you’re in your 20s,’ the Daisy Fuentes Style founder shared.
‘You’re doing swimsuit calendars and you’re the girl of the moment, you age in front of the camera and then by the time that you’re 40 or 50, people don’t even know you,’ she admitted.
‘They don’t even know what to say. And some of the comments on social media are so harsh and just so wrong. Not just for me, but for many other women I see who are aging beautifully,’ she said.
‘We all age in very different ways. It’s all very personal. But that part is tough. So I was a little put off by… especially getting into my 50s – and thinking about being judged by everyone.’
But it seems like Fuentes has since let go of that fear, and has embraced every part of her journey.
She told Royale that at the end of the day, the only person who has to be comfortable in her own skin is herself, after all.
‘You’re doing swimsuit calendars and you’re the girl of the moment, you age in front of the camera and then by the time that you’re 40 or 50, people don’t even know you,’ she admitted
‘So those are both legit ways of aging gracefully, if that’s what feels right to you,’ she shared with Royale
‘The only one that has to feel good about what I’m doing as I age is me. And that’s where aging gracefully, I think, has a very different definition for everyone. Aging gracefully is very different for her, and it’s very different for me,’ she continued
‘It’s so silly once you really think about it, because the only one that has to be comfortable in my skin is me,’ Fuentes told Royale.
‘The only one that has to feel good about what I’m doing as I age is me. And that’s where aging gracefully, I think, has a very different definition for everyone. Aging gracefully is very different for her, and it’s very different for me,’ she continued.
‘For some people, you know, you go and you get afacelift and for some people, you let your hair go gray and you don’t even do Botox,’ she said.
‘So those are both legit ways of aging gracefully, if that’s what feels right to you.’
