It is common for beauty queens to make a crossover to show business. Michelle Aldana, Anjanette Abayari, Charlene Gonzales, Precious Lara Quigaman, and Venus Raj are some of the beauty titlists, who made their names in showbiz after being crowned pageant queens.
But we also have a few women who already have showbiz careers and yet were brave enough to try the world of beauty pageants, and became successful at that.
Here are the Philippines’ celebrities turned beauty queens:
Mutya Crisostomo
Mutya was one of the first batch of stars of That’s Entertainment, the country’s definitive variety show and career launchpad of many stars in the 1980’s. When she decided to quit showbiz, she forayed into the world of pageants and won Mutya ng Pilipinas Asia Pacific in 1990. Mutya was able to finish her studies in spite of the hectic schedules of showbiz and pageants. Her education paid off as she is now the country manager of Lux Asia Philippines.
Ruffa Gutierrez
Ruffa began her showbiz career in the 80’s in the afternoon variety show That’s Entertainment. She was already a big star when she sashayed into the runway and won the modeling competition Look of the Year Philippines in 1992. The following year, she joined the Bb. Pilipinas pageant and was crowned Bb. Pilipinas-World. She took home the 2nd runner-up crown when she competed in the Miss World pageant in Sun City, South Africa that same year, making her the first Filipina to place in the top 3 of the pageant since Evangeline Pascual was adjudged 1st runner up in 1973.
Joanne Quintas
Joanne started her career as a teenage model, and then joined showbiz and starred in the movie Marikina Files in 1994. When she set her foot on the pageant world the following year, she bagged the Bb. Pilipinas-Universe crown. In 1997, she was sent to represent the Philippines in the Miss Tourism International pageant and eventually won the crown. She did not stop winning pageants even if she got married, as she won as Mrs. Philippines-World in 2003.
Lalaine Edson
Hosting in Eat Bulaga was Lalaine’s first showbiz job. In 1999, she joined Bb. Pilipinas and was crowned Bb. Pilipinas-International. However, due to dethroning and reshuffling issues that happened in that year, she was sent to complete in the Miss World pageant instead. There, she was reported to have been kidnapped by a foreigner lover, and no word was heard from her. The mystery deepened when she didn’t come home to the Philippines after the pageant and failed to relinquish her Bb. Pilipinas crown the following year. Later reports, however, revealed that Lalaine is now happily married in London, and that the kidnapping allegations were false.
Krista Kleiner
American-born Krista Kleiner was successfully enjoying TV hosting jobs before she decided to try her luck in beauty pageants, and did so successfully. In 2010, she joined Bb. Pilipinas and was crowned Bb. Pilipinas-International. She also bagged the Miss Talent and Best in Swimsuit awards. She pursued a recording career thereafter. In November 2013, Krista married the Australian internet and digital media entrepreneur Patrick Grove.