Yaya DaCosta

Birth name

Camara DaCosta Johnson

Nickname

Cammy

Height

5' 8" (1.73 m)

Yaya DaCosta (born Camara DaCosta Johnson in 1982) is an American fashion model and actress from Harlem, New York. She was the runner-up in Cycle 3 of America's Next Top Model. Yaya and Eva Pigford are both short by most modeling standards. Yaya is 5' 8" and at the time of the Top Model competition was a 21 years old and had just graduated from Brown University.

Before Top Model

Johnson was educated at the Northfield Mount Hermon School and Brown University, where she majored in International Relations and African Studies. She graduated with an A.B. in May 2004. She speaks Portuguese, Spanish, and French, in addition to her native English and she is of Nigerian descent.

Modeling Career

Since ANTM, Yaya has signed with Ford Models and Models 1.

Yaya has modeled for Sephora, Interview Magazine (April 2006), Essence Magazine, CharmaineLouise, Jewel Magazine, DJA Clothing Company, Issac Mizrahi, and Target.

Yaya has appeared in commercials for Radioshack, Garnier Fructis, and Lincoln Townhouse Commercial.

Her runway shows include Marc Bouwer Fall 2005.

Acting Career

* In 2006, she appeared in the music video "Pulling Me Back" by Chingy and Tyrese.

* She appeared in the 2006 New Line Cinema release, Take the Lead, starring Antonio Banderas.

* Yaya also guest-starred on the TV show, Eve, in the 2005 episode, "Prom Night".

* She is currently (2006) working on the film Shanghai Hotel, starring as Kendra.

Trivia

Can speak Portuguese, Spanish and French

First runner-up on season 3 of "America's Next Top Model" (2003).

Graduated from Brown University.

Her father is a Yoruban priest.

Majored in International Relations and African Studies at Brown University

Has stated in interviews that she is currently teaching herself Swahili [2006]

In an interview with Seven Magazine, she said she was offered a job with UN, but turned it down because her French wasn't good enough.

Take the Lead

chick,thank u.

she's one of my fave.

but i think she should be in the models section

her style is,"earth mother"

she's an ivy league student...

really brilliant and smart..

oh,and she's a dancer

ye i now..

u right.. maybe i should put her into models thread..

but she is an actress so she can have her thread also here

but she's really really smart!

she used to have skin problems..

skin problems ?

why?

cos she had like acne,in ANTM cycle 3..

here's YAYA and her dance troupe from brown uni,they're called...FUSION

i think it looks a lil "hoochified"

Yaya poses on a motorcycle on the streets of Tokyo

Yaya models in Japan for t-mobile

Yaya models diamond jewelry, while also accessorized with a live tarantula

i think it's the "veraggio diamond"

Yaya poses in an alter-ego photo shoot

Yaya poses on roller skates

for dooney & burke.

the judges thought that this pic was too "dancer-ish"

Yaya models Lee Jeans

Yaya photographed by Troy Word after her dramatic makeover

oh,they had to airbrush out the bumps on her skin

spot tha yaya