Vaitiare Hirshon, born Vaitiare Eugenie Hirshon in Tahiti, French Polynesia, became known as Vaitiare Bandera following her marriage to producer Peter Bandera from 1994 to 1997. She began her career in modeling shortly after graduating high school at the age of 16, signing with a prestigious agency in Los Angeles. By 17, she had caught the eye of international singer Julio Iglesias, landing the leading role in his Christmas Special music video filmed in her native Tahiti.
Despite being offered a part in the 1984 remake of The Bounty alongside a young Mel Gibson, she chose to pursue a career in acting instead. In her early twenties, she starred in the Spanish comedy film Tahiti's Girl (1990) before training under esteemed acting coach Larry Moss in Los Angeles. Vaitiare hosted the acclaimed documentary series "Tahiti and her Island" for TVE-Spain and served as the Hispanic spokesperson for Miller Beer from 1993 to 1995. Her advertising work included campaigns for major brands like Toyota and J.C. Penney.
Her most recognized role came in the sci-fi series Stargate SG-1 (1997), where she portrayed Sha're, Daniel Jackson's wife. Vaitiare has a daughter, Tatiana, with actor Michael Shanks, whom she met while filming the series. Now married to business owner Edgars Asars, they have a son, Kenta, born in 2005. Residing in Los Angeles, Vaitiare continues to engage in modeling and acting, often showcasing her family in various advertising campaigns.
