Who doesn’t like a good old-fashioned beauty pageant with all the gorgeous ladies parading in amazing dresses? Those contestants really have to give it their best to win, or at least to stand a chance, because their future may depend on this one day. As it turns out, beauty pageants have been the first stepping stone to stardom for countless celebrities. Some became singers, others – movie stars, but they all have the same thing in common – beauty pageants.
Here are 10 beauty pageant queens who became popular actresses!
1. Zhang Zilin
After she made it to the top 10 in her first beauty pageant in 2003, Zhang blew up almost instantly, following up with a Miss China World title in 2007. Since 2011 she’s been in 9 movies. Not too shabby!
2. Azra Akin
Today Azra is a fantastic model, talented actress, and a hypnotizing dancer, and it’s all thanks to winning the Miss World pageant in 2002.
3. Gal Gadot
Did you know Wonder Woman was also Miss Israel 2004? And in the same year she took part in the 2004 Miss Universe competition, but didn’t go far. Boy, do those judges feel stupid right now.
4. Priyanka Chopra
Is there anything in this world Priyanka isn’t great at? She sings, gathers crowds in cinemas, and still finds time for modeling? What a woman!
5. Aishwarya Rai
Like Priyanka, Aishwarya Rai is also a spectacular actress, and a model, but instead of singing she’s the beauty ambassador for L’Oreal. No rest for the wicked.
6. Halle Berry
Halle Berry actually was Miss Ohio of ’86, and even managed to almost snag the title of Miss USA.
7. Lucy Lawless
Who knew that the Warrior Princess Xena was crowned Miss New Zealand in 1989? I sure didn’t, but Lucy Lawless deserves every bit of recognition she can get.
8. Eva Longoria
In 1998 Eva Longoria won the title of Miss Corpus Christi, before becoming one of the more desperate of the housewives.
9. Oprah Winfrey
Before giving everyone in the audience a car and becoming a media sensation, little Oprah was Miss Black Tennessee in 1972.
10. Michelle Pfeiffer
You’re looking at 1978’s Miss Orange Country, and a Miss California runner-up – Michelle Pfeiffer! 5 years later she gets her astonishing role in Scarface, which granted her all the fame and glory a woman could only dream of.
