Celeste Cortesi says Pia Wurtzbach is her 'ultimate favorite' beauty queen

ABS-CBN News Posted at Jul 18 2022 03:02 PM

Miss Universe Philippines 2022 Celeste Cortesi (left) and Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach. Photos from @celeste_cortesi and @piawurtzbach on Instagram

MANILA -- Miss Universe Philippines 2022 Celeste Cortesi revealed that Pia Wurtzbach is not just her favorite beauty queen, but is also the person who made her want to try pageantry.

In her first vlog, Cortesi said she was impressed by Wurtzbach's performance in Miss Universe 2015, where she ended the Philippines' 42-year title drought.

"I would say Pia Wurtzbach, like she's my ultimate favorite," she said, when asked about the beauty queen she looks up to the most. "I remember in 2015 when I was living in Italy and I didn't know anything about pageantry. And my mom was going crazy because the Philippines won, Pia won."

"And that was the time I got very interested in joining pageants, just because I saw her performance," she added. "I was just so amazed at the overall performance of Pia. And she really inspired me in joining beauty pageants."

Cortesi said she was greatly inspired by Wurtzbach that she thought of joining Miss Universe herself. Fast forward to 2022, she is the country's representative in the upcoming edition of the pageant.

"At the time... I still didn't know what I wanted to do with my life. So that was the time that I actually said for the first time, 'I want to go to the Philippines and represent the Philippines in Miss Universe.' But it was just like a random thought, and then look at me now, I am doing it," she said.

Cortesi was crowned Miss Universe Philippines 2022 earlier this year. Wurtzbach was one of the hosts of the national pageant, along with fellow Miss Universe titleholders Iris Mittenaere of France, and Demi Tebow of South Africa.

Prior to winning Miss Universe Philippines, Cortesi represented the country in Miss Earth 2018, where she finished in the Top 8.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/07/18/22/celeste-cortesi-says-pia-is-her-favorite-beauty-queen