Catriona Gray Is Ready For A New Title

Catriona Gray didn’t set out to be Miss Universe because she liked beauty pageants. She didn’t even think she would qualify. “I was told that I wasn’t fierce enough, wasn’t sexy enough, and didn’t look Filipina enough to hold my own in Binibining Pilipinas,” Catriona tells Mega. She later learned, after already winning Miss World Philippines in 2016, that a different title — that of Miss Universe — would help her champion her cause better, particularly education as a means out of poverty. So, she rebelled against her naysayers and tried out for the renowned competition.

Of course, now known the world over, Catriona — a fan favorite for her famous sultry lava walk — was crowned Miss Universe in 2018. Three years since her majestic coronation, she now funnels her 12 million-strong Instagram following to promote awareness on and siphon donations to her many partner charities. She endorses a breadth of coveted brands like Cream Silk and Samsung. Even “Deja Vu” crooner Olivia Rodrigo calls