Nuestra Belleza Latina 2009 is the third season of Nuestra Belleza Latina premiered in March 2009. Auditions were once again held in five major US cities (Los Angeles, California; Dallas, Texas; Miami, Florida; Chicago, Illinois; and New York City, New York) and in San Juan, Puerto Rico. During the audition process, 75 young women were given passes to the semi-finals in Miami, Florida. With the twist of adding one more contestant named "La Intrusa" (Francheska Mattei). For several weeks, Francheska Mattei, a professional actress, posed as one of the contestants to know the rumors, secrets, and even gossip from the girls. The elimination process was quick, with 15 women leaving the first day, 40 on the second week, and finally 8 women were eliminated leaving the 12 finalists who will be moving into a Miami mansion where they will be living together for the rest of the competition. Each week, viewers will have a chance to vote for their favorite finalists. The three women with the fewest votes will then be in danger of being eliminated. However, two of the women in the bottom three will have the chance of being saved, one by her fellow finalists, and the other by the judges. This year they had an "Intrusa", the one that spilled the gossip about the contestants and it was Puerto Rican, Francheska Mattei.
Greidys Gil contestant representing Cuba won the competition.
Changes
There were some mayor changes to this Season, Julian Gil left the show, and was replaced with Model/Actor Jorge Aravena. Osmel Sousa and Lupita Jones became the main Judges. Melissa Marty became a correspondent in the show, she went backstage and had a one-on-one with the girls during the Show and at the "Belleza House". The show moved from Tuesdays to Sundays at 8pm/7c. For the first time in Nuestra Belleza Latina history a girl was expelled. Contestant, Stephanie broke the main rule of Nuestra Belleza Latina of having contact with an outside member. The contestant was soon replaced by Chastelyn.
Stephanie Figueroa Puerto Rico - Disqualified during the first week of the series for seeing her boyfriend, which was against the competition rules of complete isolation from the outside world. Chastelyn Rodriguez replaced Stephanie.
Original Air Date—8 March 2009
The 75 selected contestants arrive to Miami. 20 of them receive an envelope the very first day. 10 of them are eliminated.
Season 3, Episode 3: The Coaches Eliminate
Original Air Date—15 March 2009
The Choreography, Diction and Runway coaches cut 15 more girls from the group. The remaining 50 girls have to show their best talent onstage. After the performance, the show judges eliminate another 10 contestants.
Season 3, Episode 4: Group Task
Original Air Date—22 March 2009
The 41 remaining girls are divided in groups to perform onstage. Four groups have musical numbers and the other four acting scenes. At the end of the show, the judges eliminate 20 girls.
Season 3, Episode 5: Revealing the Mole
Original Air Date—29 March 2009
The mole is revealed and the 20 remaining girls face the judges one more time to receive their final evaluation. 12 of them are named finalists and go to the next stage of the show. The rest of the girls are eliminated.
Original Air Date—5 April 2009
The 12 finalists move to the mansion, where they start training while they are tested every day. The first challenge of the season is a no-make up photo-shoot. The winner will appear in People en Español magazine (as part of the 50 most beautiful edition).
Season 3, Episode 7: Hurricane Report
Original Air Date—12 April 2009
The 11 remaining girls have to endure the hardest challenge of the season, reporting on location while a Hurricane hits the city with winds up to 100 miles per hour.
Season 3, Episode 8: The Rope Course
Original Air Date—19 April 2009
The 10 remaining girls have to compete in a challenging rope course, where they have to be the fastest and the smartest in order to win.
Season 3, Episode 9: Tarantula Photo Shoot
Original Air Date—26 April 2009
The 9 remaining girls face another breathtaking challenge. They have to pose for a print ad with a live tarantula walking over their shoulders, hands and face.
Season 3, Episode 10: Novela Scenes
Original Air Date—3 May 2009
The 8 remaining girls are paired to do a sequenced telenovela scene, live onstage. The three girls in danger of elimination answer questions while connected at a lie detector machine.
Season 3, Episode 11: The Final Question
Original Air Date—10 May 2009
The 7 remaining girls face the judges to hear them read the crudest critiques the audience posted online. They are challenge to respond to those critics -live- as if they were part of an interview.
Season 3, Episode 12: The Finale 2009
Original Air Date—17 May 2009
The 6 finalists chosen by the popular vote hit the runway for the last time. Greidys Gil was crowned "Nuestra Belleza Latina 2009"
The mole (La Intrusa) A contestant who was put in by the producers
Top 12
The contestant won the challenge of the week
Week 1-7
The contestant won the challenge of the week but was eliminated
Week 4
Contestants Notes
Catalina Lopez competed in Miss Ecuador 2006 where she won. She later represented Ecuador at Miss Universe 2006 in Los Angeles. She didn't classified as semifinalist. Then she represented Ecuador at the Miss Continente Americano 2006, where she finished in the Top 6.
