IN this country, the biggest doors that automatically open for beauty queens who have finished their reign and relinquished their crowns are those from the entertainment circuit.
Take, for instance, Ariella Arida, who finished third runner-rp in the Miss Universe 2013 held in Moscow, Russia. Before she won the top crown of Binibining Pilipinas, Arida competed at the Miss Philippines Earth the previous year.
Now carrying the screen name Ara Arida, this chemistry graduate from the University of the Philippines Los Baños succumbed to the lure of show business a few years ago by way of a small role in the TV series Playhouse. She was then “exploring the possibilities” if she would fit as an actor in the crazy jungle that is the Philippine television industry.
Last year, Arida became more determined to be an actor and took on a bigger supporting role role in The Killer Bride, which just ended its airing two weeks ago. According to cynical TV followers, her character Tatiana de la Torre did not make any mark and could be played by just any beautiful celebrity.
Not to dampen her spirits, but Arida does better as one of the hosts for Umagang Kay Ganda, the early morning show of the network. She is more natural and spontaneous exchanging banter with her more popular cohosts.
But like the beauty queen aspirant she was before bagging the Miss Universe Philippines crown, Arida continues to seek greener pastures in the local acting scene. She is very chummy with the owners of a leading fashion retail chain, who are very influential in the entertainment industry. Her new manager is line producing a new movie where she is part of an ensemble cast.
The movie is titled Coming Home, and it is the comeback movie of actor-politician Jinggoy Estrada who was incarcerated for many years because of graft and corruption. Arida plays the mistress to Estrada in her introductory movie role. We wonder if the backlash on these controversial comebacking politicians-actor would rub on Arida, and those who work with them in their new projects.
Another beauty queen who took on hosting chores recently for a noontime variety show is Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray. Although it was announced that Gray will only be a guest cohost, many reckon that she should have waited a little longer so she could play her cards better. She is a very popular Miss Universe anyway, and bigger opportunities might be waiting for her outside the country.
Our very first Miss World Megan Young also had the world on her feet after her reign in 2013, but she chose to star in the local remake of Marimar in 2015, a bad decision because the series did not in any way catapult this lovely beauty queen into a bigger celebrity. In fact, she was immediately included in the “mediocre wannabe actors” lists of many hard-nosed critics.
Young did a few forgettable TV shows with her mother studio and starred in a movie called Our Mighty Yaya, which has zero recall value.
Miss Universe Philippines 2016 Maxine Medina and Reina Hispano Americana 2017 Winwyn Marquez are now working on a cable series titled Beauty Queens.
Despite years of trying to find their niche in this already crowded industry, both have not found the project that will propel them to big-time status.
Both Medina and Marquez broke up with their showbiz boyfriends last year. Medina ended her romance of many years with model-actor Marx Topacio, while Marquez broke up with actor Mark Herras. It is interesting to note that Gray also broke up with her boyfriend of six years, model Clint Bondad, during her reign in the early part of 2019.
Our beauty queens should try to emulate the likes of Miss World 1994 Aishwarya Rai and Miss World 2000 Priyanka Chopra, both from India; Miss Universe 1993 Dayanara Torres of Puerto Rico and Miss Universe Israel 2004 Gal Gadot who became worldwide sensations and A-list celebrities because of the right decisions they made, and the people they chose to love and associate with.
But we cannot force them if they do not want to. Maybe they believe in destiny and the stars. But as they say, every thing is a decision. We still wish them the best of luck.