The Beauty Queens Who Made It Big

02 / 11

Aishwarya Rai Miss World 1994

Aishwarya Rai has established herself as one the most popular and high-profile celebrities not just in her homeland, India but also worldwide. Quite an ace actress, she has received several awards, including two Filmfare Awards. She was awarded with the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2009 and the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the Government of France in 2012. She has often been cited as the "Most Beautiful Woman in the World" and has lately been honored as the “Most Successful Miss World”. Every year, she is invited to the Biggest Film Festival of the World, The Cannes Festival. Netherlands has even named a flower after Aishwarya in her honor.

03 / 11

Priyanka Chopra Miss World 2000

Priyanka Chopra is cited by various media outlets as the world's sexiest Asian woman, as well as one of the most fashionable Indian celebrities. She has received numerous awards and nominations, including a National Film Award for Best Actress and Filmfare Awards in five categories, making her the first and the only actress in the history to win five Filmfare Awards in five different categories. Recently, the beauty queen won People’s Choice Award for her very popular show, Quantico and will be soon seen in the Hollywood project, Baywatch too. The lady has also made her mark felt through her musical singles.

04 / 11

Amelia Vega Miss Universe 2003

Amelia Vega Polanco is celebrated as a Dominican actress, singer, model, charity worker and beauty queen. She became the first Dominican woman to be named Miss Universe. Vega has appeared on the cover of several magazines, from her country's local Mujer Unica and “Oh” Magazine, along with Cosmopolitan, Caras, InStyle, Vanidades, Harper's Bazaar, Glamour, and Selecta. She is also the lead image for the campaigns of Cover Girl, since the past four years. She also hosted several editions of "Festival Presidente" which was attended by more than 60,000 people. Amelia's first music single "Pasa Un Segundito" was released in 2010, which became a top Latin song in just two days. She owns two boutiques in Miami, Florida. Donald Trump named her his favorite Miss Universe ever, even mentioning her in one of his books.

05 / 11

Mimilanie Marquez Miss International 1979

Mimilanie Marquez won the Miss International crown back in 1979. She is not just a beauty queen but also a prominent lawyer in Philippines. Apart from working as a lawyer, this Filipina beauty is also a personality development and modeling coach, actress, film producer, author, and celebrity endorser. Marquez also won Best National Costume Award at Miss International 1979. In 1985, Marquez became the Face of the 80s winner in New York and was described as the "Most Glamorous Woman in Italy". In 2000, she was voted the "Most Beautiful Miss International Winner", and in 2005 she was one of the 6 finalists in the Mrs. World pageant.

06 / 11

Jennifer Hawkins Miss Universe 2004

Jennifer Hawkins is a distinguished Australian model, brand ambassador, entrepreneur and television presenter. She is currently the host of Australia's Next Top Model, face of Australian department store Myer, Lovable Intimates, Mount Franklin Lightly Sparkling and Range Rover and is also the founder and CEO of two successful brands, Cozi by Jennifer Hawkins swimwear and Jbronze tanning line, alongside working on an ever-growing property portfolio with husband Jake Wall in her spare time. She has made cameo appearances in multiple episodes of The Apprentice with Donald Trump. Hawkins turned down the role of Sophie Solandres in The Pink Panther 2 due to scheduling conflicts, which was eventually given to Former Miss World and Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai.

07 / 11

Kaiane Aldorino Miss World 2009

Kaiane Aldorino is an international level Gibraltarian dancer and beauty queen who was crowned as the first Miss World from Gibraltar in 2009. She was the first Miss Gibraltar ever to reach the semifinals of the Miss World beauty pageant. Since 2014, she is the Deputy Mayor of Gibraltar. On 7 July 2011, Aldorino was the invested with both the Freedom of the City of Gibraltar and the Gibraltar Medallion of Honour by a unanimous vote in the Gibraltar Parliament. Kaiane participated at the 2008 International Dance Organisation World Showdance Championships, in Germany, where she represented Gibraltar in the Formation category as part of the Gibraltar National Dance Team. She obtained 17th position, and made history by making Gibraltar pass the first round for the first time.

08 / 11

Catharina Svensson Miss Earth 2001

Catharina Brink is a Danish lawyer, model and beauty queen who won the first ever Miss Earth in 2001. Catharina has judged two editions of Miss Earth pageant, the first one in 2005 and the second in 2015. Apart from working as a part time model and lawyer, Catharina is now serving as the co-director of Miss Earth Denmark pageant owned by the Face of Denmark Organization. She is truly a versatile queen.

09 / 11

Heather Whitestone Miss America 1995

Heather Leigh Whitestone McCallum is a former beauty queen who was the first deaf Miss America title holder. She also served as an executive member on the President's Committee on Employment of People Disabilities. She was appointed as the US Senate to the National Council on Disability by President Bush. She was also a board member for the Helen Keller Foundation for Research and Education, from 1995-2002. She was appointed to the Advisory Council for the National Institute of Health on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, in 2002. She has also been in print articles for USA Today and People Magazine. In 2003, she filmed two public service announcements to bring awareness about "Dogs for the Deaf", which is a hearing-dog organization. She became a spokesperson for the Starkey Hearing Aid Foundation and Cochlear America's. She has written three books: Listening with My Heart, Believing in the Promise, and Let God Surprise You.

10 / 11

Stella Araneta Miss International 1960

Stella Márquez Zawadski Araneta is a Colombian director and beauty queen who was crowned the first Miss International and also the first Latin American titleholder in 1960. Since 1964, she has been the organizer of Binibining Pilipinas, a Philippines national pageant which sends its winners to various pageants. She is currently Charge d' Affaires of the Honorary Consulate of Colombia to the Philippines in Manila. She is inducted to the Eastwood City Walk Of Fame in Quezon City, Philippines in 2013, and also she is the first and only Female Colombian Beauty Queen inducted in the Eastwood City Walk Of Fame Philippines.

11 / 11

Halle Berry Miss Ohio 1986 and Miss USA 1986 First Runner Up

Halle Maria Berry is an Oscar winning American actress, film producer, and former fashion model. She won an Academy Award for Best Actress in 2002, which made her the only woman of color to win a Best Actress Academy Award to date, as of 2016. Berry was one of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood during the 2000s. She is also a Revlon spokes model. Before becoming an actress, she started modeling at quite early age and entered several beauty contests, finishing as the 1st runner-up in the Miss USA 1986 pageant and coming in 6th place in the Miss World 1986 pageant.