Filipina-Australian Catriona Gray, aged 24, is a TV host, singer, model, stage actress — and now Miss Universe 2018.
She was born in Cairns, Queensland to Scottish-born father, Ian Gray, and Filipina mother, Normita Ragas Magnayon, from Oas, Albay.
After completing high school in Australia she moved to Manila to work as a commercial model. Catriona also has a Masters degree in Music Theory and is also involved in various good causes.
She is an advocate for HIV/AIDS at Love Yourself PH and volunteers as a Teacher’s Assistant to the students of Young Focus NGO.
Earlier this year, she released her debut single We’re In This Together.
Now Catriona has been crowned the winner of Miss Universe in Bangkok, Thailand. The crown was presented today (Monday, December 17) by Miss Universe 2017, Demi Leigh Nel-Peters from South Africa.
Catriona won the title of Miss World Philippines in 2016 and finished in the top five at Miss World in Washington DC.
She is currently dating Fillipino-German model Clint Bondad.
Catriona Gray is the fourth woman from Philippines to be named Miss Universe. Previous winners were Pia Wurtzbach (2015), Margarita Moran (1973) and Gloria Diaz (1969).
In the final question-and-answer round of the pageant, she was asked: “What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your life and how would you apply it to your time as Miss Universe?”
Her reply:
I work a lot in the slums of Tondo, Manila and the life there is poor and it’s very sad. And I have always taught myself to look for the beauty in it; to look in the beauty in the faces of the children and to be grateful. And I will bring this aspect as a Miss Universe, to see situations with a silver lining. And to assess where I could give something; where I could provide something as a spokesperson. And if I can teach people to be grateful, we can have an amazing world where negativity cannot grow and prosper, and children will have smiles on their faces.
She had previously deftly answered a question about medical cannabis, giving it her backing but only in carefully controlled conditions.
The finale was hosted by Steve Harvey who famously announced the wrong winner in the 2015 contest. The theme of this year’s pageant was “Empowered Women” and was judged by seven women including former pageant winners and female entrepreneurs.
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