PAGEANT Circle

Miss Universe Curacao 2022 Gabriëla Dos Santos received a warm welcome when she arrived back in her home country from the 71st Miss Universe pageant in New Orleans. The 20-year-old certified life coach managed to achieve a Top 5 placement among 84 contestants during the Miss Universe 2022 final telecast on January 14 despite having tested positive for COVID-19 earlier in the competition. It was Curacao's third-highest placement at Miss Universe next to Annemarie Braafheid (Miss Universe 1968 first runner-up) and Verna Vasquez (Miss Universe 1997 Top 6 finalist). A welcome parade was organized for Gabriëla on Sunday, January 22 to celebrate her well-deserved success on the prestigious international stage. "Yesterday was an experience like no other. I am so grateful for the incredible welcome home parade I received from my dushi Kòrsou," she shared on social media. "Words cannot describe how touched and honored I felt to see people from all walks of life, young and old

Miss Universe Philippines 2022 Celeste Cortesi shared a new photo flaunting her "trauma bangs" in one of her latest posts since coming home from the 71st Miss Universe competition in New Orleans. The 25-year-old model was possibly referring to her failed attempt to bring back her country's fifth Miss Universe crown when she was not called into the Top 16 semifinals. Not only Celeste, unfortunately, missed out on getting a placement but she also broke the longest streak that the Philippines achieved at Miss Universe in the past 12 years. In a lengthy post after arriving back in the Philippines, the proud Filipina shared how the entire year has been the most challenging yet most exciting time of her life. She also added that representing her country was her greatest honor. "I am discovering purposes that go beyond my self-ambitions and I am immensely grateful to have had the chance to represent all Filipinos and all the sweet fans of pageantry around the world," s

The Miss Universe Organization started releasing the closed-door interviews of the 71st Miss Universe contestants on its official social media and streaming platforms. This historic move letting the public get access to the crucial part of the judging criteria for the first time will hopefully help shed light on why some heavy fan favorites failed to enter the semifinals. Fifty percent of the contestants' scores were from the closed-door interview with the selection committee while the other half were from the preliminary evening gown and swimsuit competitions. Fans alleged on social media that the recently concluded Miss Universe 2022 pageant was rigged which the MUO already debunked and called the false allegations "absurd" in a statement. It wasn't the first time for the winner R'Bonney Gabriel to face such allegations. The first Filipino-American Miss Universe also experienced the same challenge after she won Miss USA 2022 in Reno, Nevada last October. With th

Quentin Bourg-Austruy, representing Île-de-France, was proclaimed Mister Universel France 2023 (Mister Supranational France 2023) on Saturday, January 21 at the Centre de Rencontres Innovance in Villieu-Loyes-Mollon. The 24-year-old restaurant entrepreneur hailing from Issy-les-Moulineaux bested 15 other competitors to win the national title. He succeeded last year's winner Pierre Bondon who went on to compete and place in the Top 10 at Mister Supranational 2022 in Poland. Raimana Gerst of Tahiti, Romain Dordé of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Florian Mussard of Réunion, and Kevin Neumann of Nord-Pas-de-Calais were announced as the first, second, third and fourth runners-up, respectively. "A rainbow of emotions running through me. An adventure marked by the magic of a fantastic dream come true. I would like to share my gratitude and my pride. Count on me to honor you and make us shine internationally," the new Mister Universel France shared on social media. The founder of the food b

Miss Universe Laos 2022 Payengxa Lor returned home following her historic achievement during the recently held 71st Miss Universe pageant in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. The business management student received a warm welcome from her supporters and members of the press when she arrived back in her country on January 19. Her Top 16 placement marked the first time ever Laos entered the semifinals at the Miss Universe competition. Payengxa won the 5th edition of the Miss Universe Laos pageant at the Landmark Mekong Riverside Hotel in Vientiane last October 8 and earned her the opportunity to represent her country at Miss Universe 2022. The 21-year-old was the first Hmong to win the national title and also the first one to achieve Laos' highest placement at Miss Universe since its debut in 2017. Surprisingly, Laos was also the only Southeast Asian country to place in the Top 16 while heavy favorites from the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam missed out on the semifinal cut. V

Miss Universe Dominican Republic 2022 Andreína Martínez Founier had the chance to meet with her country's President Luis Abinader and the First Lady after placing third at Miss Universe 2022. Their meeting happened at the national leader's official residence, the Palacio Nacional in Santo Domingo, following Andreína's homecoming from the recently concluded 71st Miss Universe competition in New Orleans. The 25-year-old was able to achieve a well-deserved Top 3 placement during the Miss Universe final show on January 14. Her highly celebrated second runner-up finish at Miss Universe 2022 was the Dominican Republic's highest placement since 2009. "What an honor it was to be received by Luis Abinader, President of the Dominican Republic, and by our beloved First Lady," she posted on social media. "I am excited about the possibility of working together for the well-being of our youth and I also see this as an opportunity to continue supporting those young Domi

Former Miss Universe Catriona Gray reunited with Ne-Yo during the Grammy award-winning singer and songwriter's "Live in Concert" tour in Manila. Back in 2018, when Catriona won Miss Universe in Bangkok, Thailand, Ne-Yo was the special guest performer. The R&B superstar performed his hit single "Miss Independent" during the iconic Miss Universe 2018 Top 3 final look. Ne-Yo's Manila concert was held at the Araneta Coliseum, the same venue where Catriona was also crowned Miss Universe Philippines 2018. Catriona went to social media to share her "fangirl moment" with her followers. She wrote: "Obviously had the best night ever last night at the [Ne-Yo] concert in Manila. I actually watched him in concert in SM MOA back in 2010. I am such a fan. Then backstage at MU2018, I was too shy to say hi." The former beauty queen turned host and television personality went on stage during last night's concert when Ne-Yo asked for members of the

Miss Universe Ukraine 2022 Viktoria Apanasenko received the "Spirit of Carnival" award during the 71st Miss Universe competition held in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. The award was presented to her by Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy "for embodying the company’s values of fun, friendship, diversity and inclusion." "Viktoria Apanasenko has made it her mission to remind us that the war is ongoing and people across Ukraine are working to support their military, as well as their neighbors affected by the war – especially those displaced from their homes," said Duffy. "I’m impressed by Viktoria’s strength and her kind and giving character which truly embodies the ‘Spirit of Carnival.' And through this recognition, we are also letting the people of Ukraine and especially our Ukrainian crew members know that we continue to support and admire their spirit as well." A short video of the award presentation was featured during the 71st Miss

New York City, NY, USA – ImpactWayv™, the pioneering Social [Impact] Media Platform, congratulates Miss Universe Thailand, Anna Sueangam-iam, for winning the Miss Universe ImpactWayv Challenge during the 71st annual Miss Universe competition. The ImpactWayv Challenge showcased and celebrated the delegates’ commitment to social good. The 24-year-old beauty from Bangkok was announced as the winner of the ImpactWayv Award by Miss Universe Organization (MUO) owner Anne Jakrajutatip during the live broadcast of the 71st Miss Universe competition on Saturday, January 14, in New Orleans, Louisiana, presented by MUO’s media partners The Roku Channel and Telemundo (subsidiary to NBC Universal). ImpactWayv is a healthier and more meaningful alternative to major social networking platforms. It operates as an entirely new kind of digital ecosystem, focused on social good and enabling users - people, businesses, and nonprofits - to effect, engage in and share social impact on a global scale. In the

Miss Universe Vietnam Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Châu has been officially announced as the winner of the Swimsuit Cape Vote — an official fan vote conducted by the Miss Universe Organization on its official app. The winning cape was showcased during the 71st Miss Universe preliminary swimsuit competition which was held on January 11 in New Orleans. Ngọc Châu chose the design for her personalized cape as it motivates her to conquer her Miss Universe dream. Wearing it feels like she has all the support of the entire Vietnamese people. She believes her people love to protect and take care of each other. The entire message she also wants the design to have is to inspire dreamers that not all dreams come true, or simply must be postponed, but everyone should keep dreaming and dare to live their passions in order to live a meaningful life. "This award is not just for me, but for everyone's dreams. Keep dreaming and strive for it, one day your dream will come true," she wrote on social med