The Miss Universe pageant airs annually in over 190 countries with contestants from around the world competing for the much-coveted crown. California-based clothing company Pacific Knitting Mills founded the contest in 1952 with the Miss Universe Organization conducting and organizing the pageant.
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U.S. President, Donald Trump, purchased the pageant from ITT Corp in 1996 and in 2015, he sold the company to WME-IMG. Paula Shugart currently serves as the Miss Universe Organization’s president, holding the position since 1997. As of 2018, the pageant has crowned a total of 66 contestants as Miss Universe. Let’s explore what some of the past titleholders are up to now.
Lorraine Downes, New Zealand | 1983
Lorraine Downes is no stranger to the pageant world. She held the Miss Universe title back in 1983, becoming the first winner from New Zealand. In 2018, Downes made her return to the catwalk, attending New Zealand Fashion Week to help raise funds for Mercy Hospice.
Lorraine has been married twice and has two kids. She is a successful businesswoman in New Zealand and made headlines when she participated in Dancing with the Stars, the New Zealand version of the competition, in 2006. She won with her dance partner Aaron Gilmore.
Amelia Vega, Dominican Republic | 2003
Amelia Vega was one of the youngest women to earn the Miss Universe title in 2003 at only 18 years. She was the first contestant from the Dominican Republic to enter the Miss Universe competition and clinch the title. Her name is on record for being the tallest Miss Universe winner, standing at 6 feet 2 inches.
In addition to modeling, Amelia Vega also sings, acts, hosts television shows, writes books and is an entrepreneur. She operates two boutiques in the Miami area. Amelia is married to Al Horford, an NBA player and they have three children.
Leila Lopes, Angola | 2011
After winning Miss Angola UK 2010, Leila Lopes went ahead to claim the Miss Universe crown in 2011. The 60th Miss Universe titleholder, she is also the first woman from Angola to walk away with the title. We wonder which skin care products Leila uses as part of her daily routine because she still looks so young at age 33.
Leila is a great example of beauty and brains. She is not only a beauty queen, TV star, and actress, but she also went to the University of Suffolk to study business management. Leila got married to Osi Umenyiora, an ex-New York Giants member and they have one child.
Riyo Mori, Japan | 2007
Riyo Mori, a Japanese supermodel, won the Miss Universe crown in 2007. She was the second woman from Japan to hold the coveted title and the eleventh Asian woman to win the contest. This allowed her to tour many countries including Spain, Canada, Germany, and Monaco, before going to Japan for her homecoming celebrations.
Before venturing into modeling, Mori was a dancer. A graduate of Centennial High in Ontario, she started dancing when she was only 4. She went to Quinte Ballet School of Canada and still owns her first ballet shoes. She plans to establish a multicultural dance school in the future.
Stefania Fernández, Venezuela | 2009
Stefania Fernández won the Miss Universe title in 2009, a year after winning Miss Venezuela. As a reward, Fernández enjoyed a package including a year-long contract to promote Miss Universe, a luxury apartment, cash, a gift bag, and free access to famous beauty parlors and fashion houses.
Like many beauty pageant winners, Fernández decided to spend a year traveling various parts of the globe promoting HIV awareness and raising sensibility to various humanitarian issues. In 2010, she got into trouble with the Venezuelan government for unveiling the national flag with only 7 stars.
Armi Kuusela, Finland | 1952
The very first Miss Universe in history was Armi Kuusela who earned the title in 1952. She had entered a Finnish national beauty contest that same year and winning it earned her the opportunity to participate in the Miss Universe competition in the U.S.
After winning the crown at just 17, she landed a role in a Finnish movie playing herself. In 1953 she voluntarily gave up the crown, choosing to marry Filipino businessman Virgilio Hilario. They moved to the Philippines and had five children. Kuusela re-married in 1978, three years after Hilario passed away. Now, at age 84, she still lends a hand to community activities through charity work.
Christiane Martel, France | 1953
Christiane Martel was the 2nd Miss Universe titleholder and she held the record as the only French woman to have earned the title up until 2016. She participated in the global pageant after being crowned Miss Cinémonde.
She had three children with her second husband Miguel Aleman Velasco who was once a Governor of Veracruz. Miguel Aleman Magnani, their son, owns Interjet Airlines and he’s also a stakeholder of the Mexican media company Televista. Martel continued gracing several Miss Universe pageants over the years with her last appearance being at the 2011 Miss France pageant.
Gladys Zender, Peru | 1957
Gladys Zender became the first Latin American woman to win the Miss Universe title. After she was crowned, it was uncovered that she was actually 17-years-old, which was a few months below the organization's minimum age requirement. However, the officials of the competition allowed her to keep the title.
Instantly, Zender became a fan favorite in her home country of Peru. She went on to grace the cover of Peru's most esteemed magazine called Caretas. She later married Antonio Meier in 1965 and together they are the parents of four children. Christian, their son, is currently a famous actor and entertainer in Peru.
Luz Marina Zuluaga, Colombia | 1958
Before Paulina Vega earned the Miss Universe title in 2014, Luz Zuluaga was the first Colombian woman to have worn the crown. She received a homecoming fit for a queen when she returned to Colombia after the win, with citizens donating funds to build her a new home.
She retreated from the limelight but made headlines when she married a doctor. Thereafter, she moved to the U.S. but returned to Colombia in 1966 and became involved in tourism and the local city council. Zuluaga passed away at 77 in 2015, leaving behind a daughter and three sons.
Akiko Kojima, Japan | 1959
Akiko Kojima holds the record for being the first Asian Miss Universe, hailing from Japan. It wasn’t until another 48 years that another Japanese national won the crown. Kojima was crowned in 1959 when she was 22 and there were rumors about her having gone under the knife.
She denied having had breast augmentation surgery, as the press reported because she measured 37-23-38. Kojima was married to actor Akira Takarada who's best-known for his appearance in the Godzilla movies. Kojima is now 82 and not much is known about what she’s up to because she now lives a quiet life.
Apasra Hongsakula, Thailand | 1965
Apasra Hongsakula became the first Thai woman to wear the Miss Universe Crown in 1965. After being crowned, she was appointed Thailand’s cultural ambassador by the country’s Tourism Authority. She also served as the president of her self-titled slimming spa and she currently judges the Miss Universe Thailand contest.
Hongsakula has also returned to the contest twice, as a judge. She received a new crown in 1991 from the Miss Universe Organization at a private function when Thailand hosted the pageant. Previously, titleholders didn’t get to hold on to the coveted crown.
Margareta Arvidsson, Sweden | 1966
In 1966, Margareta Arvidsson became the second beauty queen from Sweden to win the coveted Miss Universe title. She also earned the Miss Photogenic title during the contest and was thereafter, crowned as the pageant’s 15th winner. After winning, Arvidsson signed up with Ford Modeling Agency and became a successful international model.
Arvidsson also appeared in several movies and stage films in the years that followed. In 1999, she graced the Miss Sweden pageant as a guest of honor to mark the contest’s 50th anniversary. She had two children with her late husband, photographer Otto Stupakoff.
Martha Vasconcellos, Brazil | 1968
Martha Vasconcellos became the 2nd Miss Universe winner from Brazil and the pageant's fifth Latin American titleholder, in 1968. Despite being homesick, she had to spend the next year living in New York before returning to Brazil in 1969.
She married Reinaldo Loureiro soon after her return and they had two children together. She’s also the proud grandmother of two. Vasconcellos lives in Boston, Massachusetts but has kept a relatively low profile. She spends most of her time working as a victims rights counselor for an organization in the area.
Margarita Moran, Philippines | 1973
Margarita Moran won Miss Universe in 1973 after being crowned Binbining Pilipinas in her home country. She also earned the Miss Photogenic award during the competition. Moran comes from a prominent family in the Philippines and her grandfather was the nation’s 5th president.
After the pageant, she attended the University of London and proceeded to head Pearl Farm, a private resort company on the Samal Island and also on Davao del Norte. She married Antonio R. Floirendo, a Filipino congressman, and they had two daughters. After 30 years of marriage, they are now separated.
Cecilia Bolocco, Chile | 1987
Cecilia Bolocco won the Miss Universe crown in 1987 and holds the record as the first woman from Chile to earn the title. Since then, she’s become a successful TV host. She worked with CNN on their Spanish edition, Telemundo, and several Chilean TV networks.
She also had a stint as an actress, appearing in several Spanish soap operas leading to two Emmy wins. Bolocco has been married twice, first to Michael Young and then to Carlos Menem, a former Argentinian president. Their divorce was finalized in 2011 after ten years of marriage.
Porntip Nakhirunkanok, Thailand | 1988
Porntip Nakhirunkanok still holds the record of winning both the Miss Universe title as well as the award for Best National Costume during the competition. Her pageant history began in 1983 when she participated in Miss Teen USA at the age of 15 and placed as the 1st runner-up.
She became a Thai Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations in 1989 after winning the contest. Nakhirunkanok has a psychology degree and she became the lead anchor of Thailand’s 60 Minutes II. In 2002, she tied the knot with American businessman Herbert Simon who owns the Simon Property Group and the Indiana Pacers.
Carol Morris, USA | 1956
Beauty queen and actress, Carol Morris, became Miss Universe in 1956, making her the 2nd American woman to earn the title. She won her first beauty pageant while she was still in high school and later won the Miss Iowa title while attending Drake University.
Morris still holds the record of being the only Miss Iowa to have won the Miss USA title. During her reign as Miss Universe, she had the honor of meeting two U.S. presidents and performing for the American troops alongside Bob Hope. She married Texas oilman Ed “Buzz” Burke when she was 23 and he was 45. They had three children and when Burke died, Morris remarried.
Gloria Diaz, Philippines | 1969
Gloria Diaz became Miss Universe in 1969, making her the first Filipina to earn the title. A pageant aficionado scouted Diaz while she was still in college to participate in Binibining Pilipinas. She won the contest and subsequently the Miss Universe crown.
After the pageant, Diaz switched to acting and she appeared in several productions in the Philippines. Her exceptional performances as an actress have earned her several accolades including a FAMAS Award from the Filipino Academy of Arts & Sciences. Diaz separated from businessman Gabriel Daza with whom she had three children.
Marisol Malaret, Puerto Rico | 1970
Marisol Malaret received one of the grandest welcomings at the time after she won Miss Universe and returned to Puerto Rico via the Verde International Airport. She ended up participating in the international contest after stylist Carmen Andino convinced her to try her luck at the Miss Puerto Rico pageant.
Malaret started working at quite a young after her father died and her mother suffered from health complications. She worked as a secretary with a telephone company before winning the pageant. Since then, Malaret has appeared in several advertising campaigns and she also gives motivational speeches to aspiring business leaders and young women.
Iêda Maria Vargas, Brazil | 1963
Ieda Maria Vargas was crowned Miss Universe in 1963, making her the first Brazilian to win her country such a major title. She, unfortunately, became the subject of rumors after being accused of stealing clothing from a Miami store during her term as Miss Universe.
The incident led to her arrest but the charges were dropped after investigations revealed it was all a misunderstanding. She went on to open the Maryland-based Capital Plaza Mall during her reign. Vargas married Jose Carlos Athansio and they had two children together. She then retreated from the public eye, attending a few events every now and then.
Kiriaki Tsopei, Greece | 1964
Greece had their first Miss Universe win when Kiriaki Tsopei claimed the crown in 1964. After her reign, she switched to acting and achieved modest success in Hollywood, appearing in productions like A Man Called Horse and Valley of the Dolls.
Tsopei also serves as the chair for an organization that works with children with leukemia. She was married twice, first to professional plastic surgeon Dr. Steven Zax and then to Hollywood agent Freddie Fields who died in 2007. She has three children from her first marriage with Steven Zax.
Georgina Rizk, Lebanon | 1971
Georgina Rizk from Lebanon became the first Middle Eastern woman to wear the Miss Universe crown. She participated in the contest in 1971 when her country was in the middle of a war. She used this platform to highlight the issue and make diplomatic steps towards conflict resolution.
Rizk went on to serve as the Miss Lebanon pageant’s main judge. She received backlash when she started an extramarital affair with Palestinian official Ali Hassan Salameh who was married at the time. They married and she quit her modeling and acting career, in line with the Lebanese culture. She later married Lebanese actor and singer Walid Toufic.
Amparo Muñoz, Spain | 1974
Amparo Muñoz became Miss Universe in 1974 and she’s still the only Spaniard to have held the title in the history of the contest. However, she gave up the crown and title just after six months of her reign for refusing to follow the organization’s regulations.
Munoz had a successful career in showbiz soon after, appearing in several comedies like The Other Bedroom and Mama Turns 100. However, she always attracted mysterious claims about her mental state, chronic illnesses, and her general well-being. The shame of the rumors led her to withdraw from society. She died in 2011 from undeclared causes at the age of 56.
Anne Marie Pohtamo, Finland | 1975
In 1975, Anne Marie Pohtamo became the 2nd Miss Universe winner from Finland, however, she is also partly Russian. She won the crown 23 years after Armi Kuusela earned it for Finland for the first time. Australian news anchor and commentator, Anne Wells, crowned Pohtamo, as Amparo Muñoz had given up the crown the previous year.
Anne Pohtamo began a successful career in acting soon after her victory and her film portfolio includes appearances in the movies Wolfen and An Unknown Friend. In 1980, Pohtamo married Arto Hietanen in 1980 and they are still together. The happy couple currently has four children.
Rina Mor, Israel | 1976
Rina Mor became the first Israeli to wear the Miss Universe crown in 1976. She worked for a Jewish Agency based in New York for four years after her reign. In 1991 she pursued a law degree in Israel; soon, she left for the Netherlands along with her family where she furthered her studies, specializing in family law.
She returned to Israel six years later and took up a weekly morning show on the nation’s free to air network Channel 10, offering advice on family law. Mor also penned a book, documenting her experience as a beauty queen. She judged the Miss Israel contest from 1989 to 2004 as well.
Janelle Commissiong, Trinidad and Tobago | 1977
Trinidad and Tobago celebrated their first Miss Universe win in 1977 when Janelle Commissiong took home the title. Commissiong also became the first black woman to win the crown. She had migrated to the U.S. when she was 13 and attended the Fashion Institute of Technology before returning to Trinidad.
Commissiong received the highest award given in her country, The Trinity Cross, in recognition of her advocacy efforts for world peace and black rights. She also had three postage stamps issued to honor her. She was married to Brian Bowen up until his passing in 1989.
Margaret Gardiner, South Africa | 1978
The continent of Africa had its first Miss Universe winner when Margaret Gardiner from South Africa won the crown in 1978. She was the only titleholder from the country until Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters won the title in 2017. Gardiner was crowned by her predecessor Janelle Commissiong.
Gardiner attended Charleston where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She has also authored two publications about beauty. She is affiliated with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) and currently works as a Los Angeles-based TV and print journalist. She’s married to UCLA professor Andre Nel.
Lupita Jones, Mexico | 1991
Lupita Jones became the first Mexican Miss Universe in 1991. Before the contest, she studied business and industrial administration in Mexico. She founded Promocertamen in collaboration with Televisa in 1994 and they launched the official Mexican pageant that sends representatives to international contests.
From 2008 to 2014 she collaborated with Osmel Sousa to judge a reality TV show dubbed Nuestra Belleza Latina that aired on Univision. She endorsed the withdrawal of the Mexican participant from the 2015 Miss Universe in response to the negative comments Donald Trump made about Mexicans.
Dayanara Torres, Puerto Rico | 1993
Dayanara Torres became Miss Universe in 1993 as well as a UNICEF ambassador during her reign. She created a foundation to provide education scholarships for needy students in the Philippines and Puerto Rico. Torres also launched her acting and singing career after the contest.
She’s released only one album in her music career and it topped the Latin American and Philippines charts. She appeared in The Young and the Restless in 2005 and also had several theatrical performances. Torres also authored Married to Me after separating from singer Marc Anthony in 2003.
Sushmita Sen, India | 1994
The first Indian Miss Universe was Sushmita Sen; she won the crown in 1994. Subsequently, she launched I Am She, a project to choose Miss Universe contestants from India, spearheading it from 2010 to 2012 until the contract was renewed in 2013.
She also returned to the Miss Universe 2016 pageant as a judge. Sen launched her acting career in Bollywood and she’s received accolades for her appearance in several films. She is a mother of two beautiful daughters, received through adoption and she is currently in a relationship with Rohman Shawl.
Chelsi Smith, USA | 1995
Chelsi Smith became the third African American Miss USA and sixth American to win Miss Universe, in 1995. She appeared on Wheel of Fortune as a celebrity contestant after her coronation. She worked with several brands including Pure Protein and Hawaiian Tropic during her modeling career.
Producer Damon Elliot recorded her very first single "Dom Da Da" which became one of the soundtracks for the 2002 movie The Sweetest Thing. Smith also tried her luck at acting, appearing in Playas Ball. She also hosted an HBO special on singer Beyonce Knowles. Smith separated from Kelly Blair, a fitness coach, who she had married after her reign.
Yoseph Alicia Machado, Venezuela | 1996
Venezuela’s fourth Miss Universe winner, Yoseph Alicia Machado, didn’t shy away from speaking against the pageant’s former owner Donald Trump in 2016. She also shared that she went on an extreme diet when competing for the crown and weighed just 116 pounds at the time.
Machado claimed that Trump had about 80 reporters present when she was exercising and she found to be of poor taste. Two years after winning the crown, she appeared in her first telenovela and she’s continued acting since then. She became a U.S. citizen in 2016.
Wendy Fitzwilliam, Trinidad and Tobago | 1998
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Wendy Fitzwilliam earned the Miss Universe crown in 1998 and became the second Trinidadian to ever hold the title. Fitzwilliam modeled for a local brand as a teenager before winning Miss Trinidad and Tobago, followed by the international title. The United Nations honored her during her reign for raising awareness about HIV treatment.
She joined the legal profession in 2000 and she’s judged several regional and international beauty pageants over the years. Fitzwilliam also serves as a judge on Carribean’s Next Top Model. She has a son from her former relationship with David Panton.
Mpule Kwelagobe, Botswana | 1999
Mpule Kwelagobe was the first black African woman to win Miss Universe, in 1999. She was also the youngest woman to be crowned Miss Botswana at 17. Before winning the international beauty pageant, Mpule was the first woman to wear the Miss Botswana title two times.
Kwelagobe is a businesswoman, focusing on the investment field. She wears many hats and she has received recognition as a human rights activist for her fight against AIDS. Mpule is also passionate about advocating for women and youth to have access to sexual reproductive services and information.
Ximena Navarrete, Mexico | 2010
Mexican actress, Xinema Navarrete, was the winner of Miss Universe 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. She was the second Mexican delegate to earn the title. During her reign, she was very instrumental in pushing the rights of children, working with humanitarian organizations that assist less fortunate kids.
After her reign, Navarrete got a job as the official spokesperson for Old Navy and L’Oreal Paris, a makeup company. In 2013, her acting career took off when she was cast to star in the soap opera La Tempestad. On this telenovela, Ximena got to work with renowned actor William Levy.
Maritza Sayalero, Venezuela | 1979
1979 was a great year for Maritza Sayalero, winning both Miss Venezuela and Miss Universe. During the Miss Universe competition, she led in the swimsuit, evening gown, and interview segments. Reports indicate that the stage collapsed after the live telecast because too many photographers and journalists wanted a photo with Maritza.
Off the runway, Sayalero is a businesswoman and a talented fashion designer. While residing in Mexico with her husband and kids, she was operating a boutique that exclusively carried her designs. Her success inspired many and in the ’80s newborn girls and a ship were named after her.
Shawn Weatherly, USA | 1980
Shawn Weatherly is one of numerous beauty pageant titleholders who has managed to look even better than she did when she won the Miss Universe title in 1980. She was, without a doubt, the star of the show in Seoul, South Korea, winning all rounds of the competition.
After her Miss Universe win, Shawn went on to enjoy a successful TV career, earning a considerable amount of money from productions including Baywatch, Dukes of Hazzard, Police Academy 3: Back in Training, Love in Time of Monsters, and many other shows
Irene Conde, Venezuela | 1981
If Irene Conde was to run for Miss Universe today, she would wow the judges just as she did in 1981 when she was 19. Might we also confess that we are in dire need of her skincare regimen? She only seems to be aging backward; such a timeless beauty she is.
Irene is a political science graduate who has served as a mayor, governor and has been on the race to become president. After school, she worked with the United Nations as their cultural representative for Venezuela. Her main duties were to expand international contacts developed into the jurisdiction of diplomacy and culture.
Karen Dianne Baldwin, Canada | 1982
The winner of the Miss Universe title in 1982 was none other than Karen Baldwin. The actress and TV host from Canada was the first representative from the country to earn the title. Years later in 1989, she was one of the co-hosts of the Miss Universe competition in Mexico.
Karen is among the few beauty queens who have chosen a different career path after Miss Universe. She has been an actress in several movies like Who’s That Girl, Sudden Death, and Night Eyes. She now works as a real estate agent in California.
Deborah Carthy-Deu, Puerto Rico | 1985
In 1985, Deborah Carthy proudly wore the Miss Universe crown which she won in Florida. Her journey to winning the title started in college when she was picked for Miss San Juan. Later on, Carthy was able to claim the Miss Puerto Rico title to represent her country on the international stage.
After she was done with her Miss Universe duties, she decided to join the acting industry. Deborah was cast as a leading character in El Cisne Blanco. While acting, she was also juggling other careers like modeling, and being a TV host and Emcee for Telemundo and Univision Network.