PAGEANT Circle

Texas-born R'Bonney Gabriel, 28, was crowned the 71st Miss Universe (Miss Universe 2022) on Saturday, January 14 at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Apart from her winning looks and undeniable stage presence, R'Bonney also gave impressive answers during the question-and-answer rounds. During the Top 5 Q&A, she was asked by Vyral Media PR co-founder Mara Martin: "Miss Universe recently made an inclusive change, allowing mothers and married women to compete this year. What's another change you'd like to see, and why?" She replied: "For me, I would like to see an age increase because I am 28 years old and that is the oldest age to compete, and I think it's a beautiful thing. My favorite quote is "if not now, then when" because as a woman, I believe age does not define us. It's not tomorrow, it's not yesterday, but it's now. The time is now that you can go after what you want." R'Bonney advanced to the

Miss USA R'Bonney Gabriel beat 83 other contestants to win Miss Universe 2022, the 71st Miss Universe pageant on Saturday, January 14 at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. The 28-year-old fashion designer, model, and sewing instructor received the new Mouawad crown "Force for Good" from her predecessor Miss Universe 2021 Harnaaz Sandhu of India. Amanda Dudamel of Venezuela and Andreína Martínez were named the first and second runners-up, respectively, while Gabriëla Dos Santos of Curacao and Ashley Cariño of Puerto Rico rounded out the Top 5 finalists. The rest of the Top 16 were beauties from Australia, Monique Rile, Canada, Amelia Tu, Colombia, María Fernanda Aristizábal, Haiti, Mideline Phelizor, India, Divita Rai, Laos, Payengxa Lor, Peru, Alessia Rovegno, Portugal, Telma Madeira, South Africa, Ndavi Nokeri, Spain, Alicia Faubel, and Trinidad & Tobago, Tya Jané Ramey. Chile's Sofia Depassier and Malta's Maxine Formosa Gruppetta were both a

Miss USA R'Bonney Gabriel went to social media to share a photo with her fellow Miss Universe contestant from Ukraine and wrote "I stand with Ukraine" along with their countries' flag emojis in the caption. The beauty queens, who are now in New Orleans competing in the 71st Miss Universe pageant, posed for a photo while combining their hands to form a heart-shaped gesture. R'Bonney expressed: "I am mesmerized by the strength and beauty of my Universe sister [Viktoria Apanasenko]. I had a few moments to sit and talk with her about protecting human rights. I support her resiliency and am inspired by her heart." Miss Universe Ukraine first shared the same photo on her page and said, "Yesterday we did interview together about war in Ukraine, about human rights, about future, about our countries." "I’m so grateful USA for supporting Ukraine, and all people who help Ukrainians in this difficult time overcome evil and fight against it," she

Miss Casco Bay, Juliana Morehouse, was crowned Miss Maine USA 2023 on Sunday, November 20 at the Sheraton Sable Oaks in South Portland. The 23-year-old master's student in theology and an advocate of Alzheimer's disease will go on to represent Maine at the Miss USA 2023 pageant. She is the daughter of former Miss North Carolina USA and Miss USA 1994 second runner-up Lynn Jenkins Morehouse. "I have been passionate about finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease since I was a child. My grandmother and my aunt both had the disease and lived with us for a portion of their sicknesses," Juliana shared on social media for Alzheimer’s Awareness month. "Alzheimer’s is the 6th leading cause of death in America and memory loss is not a normal part of aging. I enjoy working with the Alzheimer’s Association in Maine to speak to the public about what Alzheimer’s is, how to prevent it, and what we can continue to do to find a cure," she added. Rounding out this year's Top

Miss Georgia South, Rachel Russaw, was crowned Miss Georgia USA 2023 on Saturday, November 19 at the Henry County Performing Arts Center in McDonough. The 24-year-old University of Alabama graduate with a degree in human environmental science is an entrepreneur, vlogger, and influencer living in Atlanta. She is also an advocate for mental health and uses her platform to motivate and empower women through #influenceherirl . "Last night my dream came true as I was crowned Miss Georgia USA 2023! I am honored and humbled to have been chosen from the amazing group of women I spent the past several days getting to know. You ladies will always hold a special place in my heart. I hope to make you all proud," she shared on social media after winning her title. Rachel succeeded last year's winner Holly Haynes and will now be heading to the Miss USA 2023 pageant. This was her second attempt at the state pageant, she placed in the Top 15 and bagged Miss Photogenic at Miss Georgia USA

Miss King County, Samantha Gallia was crowned Miss Washington USA 2023 in the state competition held on Sunday, November 13 at the Renton IKEA Performing Arts Center. The 24-year-old breast cancer support advocate is a graduate of a doctorate degree in dentistry from the University of the Pacific and is currently an oral and maxillofacial radiology resident at the University of Washington. She succeeded last year's winner Mazzy Eckel and will now represent Washington at Miss USA 2023 in Reno, Nevada. Green Lake's Taylor Mann and Stanwood's Stephanie Yerigan were respectively announced as the first and second runners-up while Mukilteo's Jesi Williams and West Bellevue's Starla Sampaco rounded out the Top 5 finalists. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Samantha Gallia, DDS (@drsamanthagallia) "I have about a million thank yous to make, but for now- thank you to every person who has ever believed in me and poured into me. I am so gra

Miss Benton County, Manju Bangalore, was crowned Miss Oregon USA 2023 on Saturday, October 15 at the Sherwood Center for the Arts in Sherwood, Oregon. The 25-year-old physicist, actor, model, and founder of two nonprofits edged out over 20 other competitors to win the state title in her third attempt. She succeeds last year's winner Arielle Freytag and will now prepare to represent Oregon at Miss USA 2023. "As an Oregonian, this has been a dream of mine for so long and I'm just in shock," she excitedly told her predecessor in a video clip shortly after winning her title. "It's literally surreal, I mean, this is the pageant that I grew up watching, like admiring all the intelligent, beautiful, strong girls. I'm just in shock," she added. Rounding out the Top 5 finalists were Miss Klamath Falls, Amulya Chava; Miss Progress Ridge, Brooklyn Lowery; Miss Multnomah County, Kelly Smith; and Miss West Portland, Aly Nordie. The new Miss Oregon USA is also an

Following the "rigged" allegations against Miss USA, the Miss Universe Organization has immediately suspended Crystle Stewart's The Miss Brand Corp, producers of the competition. The suspension happened after MUO's "thorough deliberation" and this has been confirmed in an official email sent to the state pageant directors. Miss USA will now be under MUO while "a comprehensive, third-party investigation is conducted" by the law firm Holland & Knight and the next appropriate action will be based on their findings. The email signed by MUO President Paula Shugart and CEO Amy Emmerich also mentioned Crystle's cooperation through the process and brought up MUO's commitment to the contestants and fans as the top of their priority. Photo: Miss Universe / Facebook

Miss USA 2021 Elle Smith of Kentucky went to social media to defend her successor R'Bonney Gabriel of Texas whom she crowned on Monday, October 3 in Reno, Nevada. "Right now, all I feel is concern and pity for R'Bonney," she said amid the viral allegations attacking the Miss USA Organization. "I understand how isolating it is to win Miss USA and I also understand what it is like to have your class try and discredit your win, and say that they are attacking the organization and not you," she added. Elle then went on to share her own similar experience with her fellow competitors after winning last year. "Last year, my class attempted to say that the organization favored me and they came up with all these different claims, I then debunked all their claims to prove them wrong, this class [2022] is doing the same exact thing to R'Bonney," she said. She continued, "There's not one person in the pageant world and not one person in that class

Miss USA 2022 R'Bonney Gabriel sat down with E! News to set the record straight on the viral "allegations and smear campaign" shared by Miss Montana USA Heather Lee O'Keefe on social media against the Miss USA Organization. The drama came after the Filipino-American beauty from Texas won the coveted title on Monday, October 3 at the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino in Reno, Nevada. Allegations include favoritism and unfair advantage from the organizers and sponsors. Some contestants also went online to share frustrations over their "unjustifiable losses, heartbreaks, and broken dreams" implying R'Bonney's victory was fixed. During the exclusive interview with the host of E! News' The Rundown Erin Lim Rhodes on October 6, the new Miss USA said the pageant "was not rigged" and she emphasized: "I would never enter any pageant or any competition that I know I would win. I have a lot of integrity." Just in case you missed it, here yo

Macel Leilani Wilson became the first Asian American to be crowned Miss USA on Thursday night of July 12, 1962, in Miami, Florida, from a field of 40 contestants. The Hawaiian beauty, a 19-year-old receptionist, was born in Honolulu to a Portuguese mother and her father, a plumber, is of Hawaiian, Chinese, and English descent. She was also the first non-caucasian woman to win the national title. Diane Zabicki from Middletown, representing Connecticut, was named first runner-up while crowd favorite Tennessee's Gail White from Chattanooga finished as the second runner-up.  California's Marilyn Tindall from Hollywood and Nevada's Janet Hadland from Las Vegas rounded out the Top 5 finalists as they were announced third and fourth runners-up, respectively. Two days after winning the Miss USA pageant, Macel went on to compete against 51 other contestants in Miss Universe 1962 at the Miami Beach Auditorium in Miami Beach, Florida, where she placed as one of the Top 15 semi-finalis

Miss Texas USA, R'Bonney Gabriel was proclaimed Miss USA 2022 last night at the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino in Reno, Nevada. Here are 8 things to know about the new Miss USA: 1. She is the 10th Miss Texas USA to win Miss USA next to Crystle Stewart (2008) and the first Filipino-American in history to win both the state and the national pageant. View this post on Instagram A post shared by R’Bonney Nola (@rbonneynola) 2. She was born to an American mother from Beaumont, Texas, and a Filipino father who left the Philippines for the US as a young student. 3. She is originally from Missouri City, Texas, and grew up in Houston with three older brothers. As the only girl of four siblings, she considers herself the baby of the family and often joked about being the favorite child. View this post on Instagram A post shared by R’Bonney Nola (@rbonneynola) 4.  At age 28, she is the oldest Miss USA winner in the pageant's 71-year history. Bu