Frankie Russell already tried to be a beauty queen a decade ago
Former Pinoy Big Brother housemate Franki Russell admitted that back in 2014, she already applied for Miss Universe New Zealand.
Franki rose to fame as one of the housemates in the Kapamilya reality show in 2018, the Pinoy Big Brother: Otso, which was the 8th season and the 14th edition overall. Although she did not win that season, she was given opportunities in show business.
Among her recent movies was Pabuya with her ex-boyfriend Diego Loyzaga and she also had a small appearance in the film Martyr or Murderer in 2023.
Just recently, it was announced that Franki Russell will represent New Zealand in the Miss Universe 2024 competition which is set to be held in Mexico this coming September.
Following that announcement, Franki shared a post on her Instagram page, expressing what she feels about the new chapter in her life. She revealed that it was not her first time trying out pageantry.
She shared that back in 2014, she auditioned for Miss Universe New Zealand but this did not have a successful result.
“This really feels like a ten year journey in the making. I applied for Miss Universe New Zealand in 2014 – I was 19 at that time and really didn’t know who I was as a person. A lost girl just wanting to find her purpose and her place in this world,” she wrote in the caption of her post.
The aspiring beauty queen also said that now that she is already 29 years old, she was able to acquire life experiences. She stressed that life works in mysterious ways and that everything happens for a reason, and this led her to her new role.
Franki Russell also dedicated this endeavor to her late father. She shared that her father would always ask her in the past about the highlight of her day and this has taught her to embrace positivity. She also thanked her Filipino mom and her siblings as her support system.