They have grace, they have elegance, they are former beauty queens of the United States!
Before becoming stars, Vanessa Williams, Halle Berry, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas were regular beauty pageant contestants. They won crowns, but they're far from the only famous faces to do so.
Olivia Culpo began her career as Miss Universe, and Oprah Winfrey credits her early beauty pageant performances in the 1970s for paving the way for her burgeoning career as a television presenter. Even Matthew McConaughey has a memorable story about how he nearly became a beauty pageant king.
In 2017, Berry shared an archived photo from her Miss World days on Instagram, captioning the 1986 image: "Where it all began.".
Let's remember the path of stars who once participated in beauty contests.
01 of 15
Hannah Brown
Hannah Brown poses with her Miss Alabama USA sash in 2018. Photo: Wikimedia.
Even before participating in show "Bachelorette"« Things couldn't have gone better for Hannah Brown, who won the title of Miss Alabama USA in 2018.
02 of 15
Michelle Pfeiffer
Michelle Pfeiffer watches an old video of a beauty pageant she competed in during her appearance on "The View" on June 20, 2012. Photo: Lou Rocco/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty
«"Well, we all start somewhere," Michelle Pfeiffer joked on Instagram in February 2021, sharing a video highlighting her time competing in teen beauty pageants as Miss Orange County, noting that the young star "would love to be an actress.".
At the time, she was interested in oil painting and softball.
03 of 15
Chelsea Handler
Chelsea Handler poses for a photo at the Miss Teen of America pageant. Photo: Chelsea Handler/Instagram.
Chelsea Handler's Miss Teen of America hairstyle and bright blue dress looked stunning.
«"My awkward period started in my early 40s," the comedian captioned a nostalgic photo on Instagram in September 2017.
A few months earlier, she shared a backstory photo on Instagram of herself at age 14 competing in the Miss Teen New Jersey pageant, dressed in a bright red dress in a "businesswoman" look.
04 of 15
Halle Berry
Halle Berry competes in the 1986 Miss USA pageant as Miss Ohio. Photo: AP
Then known as Miss Ohio, Berry competed in the Miss USA pageant in 1986. As the Oscar winner recalled in an interview with the magazine W In September 2016, her history of participating in beauty pageants has a unique origin.
«"My then-boyfriend actually wanted a girl to enter into a beauty pageant. So he signed me up, and I got a letter in the mail saying, 'You're a finalist for Miss [Teen] Ohio,' and I was like, 'What is this?'" Berry said. "And then he said, 'By the way, I sent your prom picture, and now you have to go.'".
She continued, "In the end, I won. And when you start winning, it snowballs. You have to go to the next pageant, and if you win there, you go to the next, and I kept winning until the Miss USA pageant, where I lost. I came in second to Christie Fichtner. And that was the end of my pageant career.".
05 of 15
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey was named Miss Fire Safety in Nashville in 1971. Photo: REX/Shutterstock
The doors to Winfrey's illustrious television career opened after her victories in the Miss Fire Prevention and Miss Black Tennessee pageants, as well as her participation in the Miss Black America pageant in the early 1970s.
«"I entered the Miss Fire Safety pageant sponsored by my local radio station, WVOL, in Nashville," she wrote on LinkedIn about her win in February 2016. "Everyone, especially me, was shocked when I won. When I returned to the station to collect my prize—a Longines watch and a digital clock radio—the local DJ saw me looking around in admiration.".
After a DJ heard her performance on tape, Winfrey recalled, "That day, I left the station with the biggest prize of all—my first radio job. I was 17.".
06 of 15
Priyanka Chopra Jonas
Priyanka Chopra of India poses on stage during the Miss World final at the Millennium Dome in London on November 30, 2000. Photo: Gerry Penny/AFP/Getty
Chopra Jonas began her rise to international fame by winning the title of Miss India World and then Miss World in 2000.
In February 2020, the actress series "Quantico"« She shared an archived photo from her time at the Miss World pageant on Instagram with the caption: "Miss World at 18! At the turn of the millennium... 2000! Wow... it feels like yesterday when I was living this dream.".
«"Now, almost 20 years later, my passion for changing the status quo remains as strong and underpins everything I do," she continued. "I truly believe that girls have the power to make a difference if they are given the opportunities they deserve.".
07 of 15
Vanessa Williams
Vanessa Williams poses after making history as the first Black woman to win the Miss America title in 1983. Photo: AP
In addition to her Miss Syracuse and Miss New York titles, Williams made history in 1983 as the first Black woman to win the Miss America pageant, but she later withdrew after a nude photo scandal.
However, her victory was accompanied by death threats and racist comments from people who believed, "Being Black means you don't represent America," she told PEOPLE in July 2024. "It was overwhelming and terrifying. Thank God my parents were there for me.".
A few months later, when her reign suddenly ended, she turned to her parents for support.
«"Luckily, I have a wonderful family, and in times of crisis, they're the ones you can rely on," she said. "When you have a team by your side, you can accomplish anything.".
However, her path came full circle when in 2015 the CEO of the Miss America pageant invited the actress from Ugly Betty« become a member of the competition jury again.
08 of 15
Gal Gadot
Gal Gadot competes in the Miss Israel pageant in 2004. Photo: AFP/Getty.
Gal Gadot rose to fame as Wonder Woman, but in 2004 she won another title: Miss Israel.
«"At 18, I was asked to participate in the Miss Israel pageant. I thought, 'This would be a great experience.' I never thought I'd win!" the actress said.« Snow White"» Glamour magazine in March 2016.
«"I was shocked when I was crowned; when I went to the Miss Universe pageant, I rebelled," she added. "I was afraid they might choose me again... I was late. I didn't have an evening gown. You have to wear a dress to breakfast. And I thought, 'There's no way I'm going to breakfast in a dress!'"«
09 of 15
Linda Carter
Lynda Carter is photographed wearing a cowboy hat at London Airport after winning the Miss World USA pageant in 1972. Photo: Bettmann/Getty.
Another "Wonder Woman" who began her career in the world of beauty pageants, Lynda Carter, was named Miss World USA in 1972, representing her home state of Arizona.
10 out of 15
Olivia Culpo
Olivia Culpo of Rhode Island waves on stage while holding her tiara and bouquet after winning the 2012 Miss USA pageant. Photo: Isaac Brekken/Getty.
Culpo, who began her pageant reign as Miss Rhode Island, gained recognition after becoming Miss USA 2012. That same year, she won the Miss Universe title, becoming the first American to win the title since 1997.
In June 2012, she told GQ magazine , who won the state title wearing a rented "$20 dress... with a hole in the back.".
In 2025, the blogger told PEOPLE that she was "saving everything," including her dresses, for her baby daughter, Colette Annalise, who was born in July 2025 to her husband, NFL player Christian McCaffrey.
«"I have a whole storage room for her with all my wedding dresses, beauty pageant dresses—all my really prized things," she said, adding that she wants her treasured items to "stay safe and sound" for Colette as she gets older.
11 of 15
Delta Burke
Delta Burke poses for a photo in Orlando, Florida, on June 30, 1974, after being named Miss Florida 1974. Photo: AP
In 1974, Delta Burke was named Miss Florida and competed in the Miss America pageant, where she reportedly won a talent scholarship.
According to Publishers edition Weekly , During her beauty pageant career, Burke won 18 titles. .
12 of 15
Ali Landry
Ali Landry of Louisiana adjusts her new crown with the help of Shanna Lynn Moakler after winning the Miss USA 1996 pageant in South Padre Island, Texas, February 2, 1996. Photo: Pat Sullivan/AP
Miss Louisiana Teen USA Ali Landry won the Miss USA pageant in 1996 and later competed in the Miss Universe competition. Her success in beauty pageants brought her television fame, particularly thanks to her memorable Doritos commercial during the 1998 Super Bowl.
In 1998, Landry was named one of PEOPLE magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People in the World. She has also been repeatedly included in the magazine's 100 Sexiest Women in the World list. FHM .
13 of 15
Diane Sawyer
Diane Sawyer (center) won the annual Miss America Junior Pageant in Fort Whiting, Alabama, in 1963. Photo: Bettmann/Getty.
Renowned journalist Diane Sawyer was a revered beauty queen in 1963 when she was named Miss Teen America at the age of 17.
14 of 15
Gretchen Carlson
Gretchen Carlson takes a triumphant stroll after winning the 1989 Miss America pageant. Photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
Former Fox News anchor and special correspondent PEOPLE (TV show!) Gretchen Carlson tearfully celebrated her victory at the 1989 Miss America pageant. She later became chair of the Miss America Organization, attempting to modernize the pageant, including controversially eliminating the swimsuit competition, but resigned in 2019.
15 out of 15
Selena Gomez
A young Selena Gomez in a white dress poses with the beauty pageant trophy, flowers, and a gold tiara after the competition. Photo: Selena Gomez/X
In 2015, Selena Gomez gave us an adorable #ThrowbackThursday post, sharing a photo of herself looking like a little beauty queen.
«"Oh my god... Wow, memories from the past," the film's star captioned the photo. «"Only murders in the building »"A post on X in February 2015, showing a young Gomez in a large white dress holding her trophy and a bouquet of flowers.
Read the original article on People.