Maya Acra was born in Peru. As a child, she was taken under the care of her foster family until she was given away to relatives in Quenqo, Peru. She was raised in Quenqo and began a career as a dancer at a young age, traveling to other parts of the country before settling down as a dancer in San Juan del Sur, Mexico. It was there that she met Jose P. Mena, who would take her to Bogota, Colombia for a modeling job. She was signed by Models International and continued to work there for the next several years.
There have been multiple allegations that Ms. Acra has used her height to her advantage, though those claims are yet to be proven. She has, however, had several run ins with the law, most notably in 1994 when she was arrested for driving under the influence. At the time, her profession as a dancer did not include legal representation; therefore, she was unable to seek bail or obtain any form of compensation from her arrest. Her associates in the Profession argue that she suffered emotionally due to this arrest and in turn, she was unable to give up her membership in the Profession.
The legal question in regards to Maya Acra’s height will most likely never be resolved, though it is unlikely that she will ever face legal proceedings for using her height advantage. However, it is clear that her height does create a perception of her age in the eyes of many. It is important that all models, male or female, understand that regardless of how good one is at modeling, being perceived as older than one’s actual age can hurt a career. It is recommended that all models, male or female, realize that their height difference will always be blown out of proportion if they choose to pursue careers that require them to use their skills at an older age. There are many different agencies and photographers that specialize in photos that are made for people of all different heights.