18 Iconic Women Whose Careers Began As Beauty Queens |

Every Hollywood icon had to propel their career somehow. Whether it was adverts, humiliating themselves on reality television, or having a particularly fortunate pal in the industry. The women that we will be discussing in this article, however, are a special breed. They were the magnificently gorgeous women who broke out through the beauty pageant world. Discover who won the crown and what they did with their honored titles, from classic beauties like Michelle Pfeiffer to modern bombshells like Eva Longoria.

18 Iconic Women Whose Careers Began As Beauty Queens

Then: Diane Sawyer

You probably best remember Diane Sawyer as being an ABC World News anchor once upon a time. She was born in Glasgow, Kentucky to a country judge father and a schoolteacher mother. She attended Seneca High School in the Buechel area within Louisville. Throughout her high school senior year, Diane was part of America’s 1963 Junior Miss scholarship pageant as part of the Commonwealth of Kentucky and came out winning. Her essay on the American Civil War was a rousing and emotive piece.

THEN Diane Sawyer

Now: Diane Sawyer

Once her pageant days came to an end, Sawyer studied at the Wellesley College in Wellesley and was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in English. She then began her career within journalism. Her first post was as a WLKY-TV weather forecaster, which she found incredibly boring. Het big break came when she became the deputy press secretary for the White House’s assistant. Eventually, Sawyer would become an anchor on ABC World News, a position for which she would be adored.

NOW Diane Sawyer

Then: Lynda Carter

The beautiful brunette was born on July 24, 1951, full name Lynda Jean Cordova Carter. Her ethnic background is an incredibly diverse one, with a Scottish-Irish father and a Mexican-born mother who has French, Spanish, and Mexican blood. Lynda Carter took the Miss World USA competition in 1972. She would later go on to become Miss World’s American competitor. Despite not having won the global pageant, she did receive plenty of attention for her efforts and grace.

THEN Lynda Carter

Now: Lynda Carter

Lynda would later take acting classes with a variety of acting schools in New York throughout the early 1970s. She was paired with Las Moonves, who would later become the president of CBS. Carter’s first role was in 1974 in “Roots of Anger”, a police drama. After having worked in a number of “B” movies, Carter finally got her big break in the 1975 Wonder Woman television series as the titular heroine. Her name will always be synonymous with the superhero role.

NOW Lynda Carter

Then: Michelle Pfeiffer

The Santa Ana, California native came into this world on April 29, 1958. She was born to a housewife and an air-conditioning contractor. She was only 19 years old when she took the Miss Orange County crown in 1978. She would also take on the Miss California pageant later that year, where she placed sixth. Thanks to her public appearances, she was approached by an acting agent and soon entered the world of TV and movies.

THEN Michelle Pfeiffer

NOW: Michelle Pfeiffer

Pfeiffer’s first role would also be in 1978, as a singular feature in Fantasy Island. Her career-making role would be in the classic crime drama called Scarface as Al Pacino character’s tragic partner. She would later enjoy big roles in films like Dangerous Liaisons, the comic book epic Batman Begins, and the horror What Lies Beneath. She made the most of an eventful acting career in the 80s and 90s. She also owned and ran Via Rosa, a boutique movie production house.

NOW Michelle Pfeiffer

THEN: Vanna White

You probably remember Vanna White best as the Wheel of Fortune game show’s hostess. Before she was spinning the iconic wheel, she was a pageant contestant and model. She was born close to North Myrtle Beach on February 18, 1957, in Horry County, South Carolina. Once White graduated, she migrated to Atlanta, Georgia, and signed up with The Atlanta School of Fashion and Design while also trying modeling out. She ended up taking second place within the 1978 Miss Georgia pageant.

THEN Vanna White

NOW: Vanna White

Vanna would later take on the television world in 1980. She first turned heads when she appeared in The Price Is Right on June 20, 1980. She joined the three other contestants. Despite not having made it to the stage, she would go on to act in a movie that ironically would not be released until June 1990. The following year, she won a few small acting roles, mostly in horror movies. In 1987 she appeared in a Playboy feature.

NOW Vanna White

THEN: Vanessa Williams

It was in 1983 that Vanessa Williams took both the Miss New York and Miss Syracuse crowns. The following year, Williams won national pride when she seized the Miss America throne in 1984. Williams made history when she became the initial African-American Miss America. Sadly, a scandal erupted not long after she won the national honor when Penthouse magazine published explicit images of Williams without her permission. Williams would lose her title as a result of the scandal.

THEN Vanessa Williams

NOW: Vanessa Williams

Williams would not allow this tragic loss to derail her, however. Quite the opposite, in fact, as she left the pageant industry in the dust to pursue a hugely rewarding television career. She ended up winning plenty of SAG and Emmy nominations for her impressive acting abilities. Younger television fans probably best recognize her for her part in Ugly Betty as the cruel Wilhelmina Slater. She was also in 1997’s Soul Food, a biopic about Teri Joseph, which Williams played outstandingly.

NOW Vanessa Williams

THEN: Sarah Palin

You might now know it, but Sarah Palin was quite a successful beauty pageant contestant before she entered the world of politics. Indeed, the Sandpoint, Idaho-born Palin migrated with her family to Skagway, Alaska when she was just a few months old. After a successful sporting career in high school, Palin entered a local beauty pageant called Miss Wasilla and took the crown. In the Miss Alaska pageant, she took third place, also being awarded the “Miss Congeniality” title.

THEN Sarah Palin

NOW: Sarah Palin

Palin would eventually begin her career in politics, with one of her most notable roles being Senator John McCain’s vice presidential nominee in 2008 for the Republicans. She made enormous strides in the world of politics as the first female vice presidential nominee for the Republican Party. Palin and her senior, McCain, would not end up taking the White House in 2008, with former President Barack Obama and his vice president Joe Biden winning the 2008 election for the Democratic Party.

NOW Sarah Palin

THEN: Halle Berry

Halle Berry is another surprising former member of the beauty pageant world. That being said, Berry is a uniquely beautiful woman, so her 1985 and 1986 titles of Miss Teen All American and Miss Ohio USA respectively might not be that surprising. She came second in the 1986 Miss USA pageant, where despite not winning first place, was awarded the highest score for her interview by the judges. It was clear that Berry was destined for greatness.

THEN Halle Berry

NOW: Halle Berry

In the 90s, Berry began her acting career in earnest when she got her big break in the 1992 romantic comedy called Boomerang where she costarred with Eddie Murphy. She then featured in the 1994 family comedy called The Flintstones. Berry would continue appearing in mostly mild family comedies until 2001, when she shocked audiences with her revolutionary role in 2001’s Monster’s Ball. She would end up winning an Academy Award for Best Actress for the role, becoming the first woman of color to do so.

NOW Halle Berry

THEN: Eva Longoria

Actress and producer Eva Longoria was a beauty pageant contestant years before she became an actress, and a highly successful one at that. Longoria is a Corpus Christi, Texas native and was born on March 15, 1975. After she graduated from high school and ended her enjoyable time waiting at Wendy’s, Longoria entered the Miss Corpus Christi beauty pageant in 1998, which she won. She also earned a Bachelor of Science degree in kinesiology from the Texas A&M University-Kingsville.

THEN Eva Longoria

NOW: Eva Longoria

Longoria’s acting career would be kickstarted by a talent contest that led her to move to Los Angeles. It didn’t take long before a theatrical agent came across her and quickly had her signing a contract. She would continue to audition for parts while headhunting for a period that lasted four years. Longoria’s biggest role would come in the early 2000s when she landed the role of Gabrielle Solis in the domestic drama series, Desperate Housewives.

NOW Eva Longoria

THEN: Olivia Culpo

Next up we have our youngest contestant on this list so far with Olivia Culpo, who was born on May 8, 1992, in Cranston, Rhode Island. Olivia attended St. Mary Academy – Bay View. When she graduated from school she enrolled at Boston University, but would not end up graduating. She would find far more success in pageantry than academia, however. When she won the Miss Rhode Island USA pageant in 2012, which was an especially impressive win, seeing as it was her first. She also won Miss USA in the same year.

THEN Olivia Culpo

NOW: Olivia Culpo

Being a young 21st-century beauty icon, Culpo became a popular influencer and successful model on the back of the pageantry successes. She has a large follower base on YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter. She has also worked with a number of leading fashion companies like Uberliss, Kipling, and L’Oreal. Olivia also collaborated with Sports Illustrated, where she appeared on the cover of its Swimsuit Issue. In 2018, Olivia made her reality television debut in the fashion-based Model Squad.

NOW Olivia Culpo

Then: Candice Bergen

Bergen would get her biggest role in 1988 when she portrayed the titular character in Murphy Brown, a CBS sitcom. She would stay with the role until 1998 and would win two Golden Globe Awards and five Primetime Emmy Awards. Bergen’s pageantry successes began when she enrolled with the University of Pennsylvania and was awarded the titles of Miss University and Homecoming Queen. Despite her popularity, Bergen’s poor academic performance would lead to her being requested to exit the university.

THEN Candice Bergen

NOW: Candice Bergen

Despite Bergen’s failure to graduate, she still went on to have a superb career in modeling and later acting. She featured on a few Vogue covers before going to acting school in New York City. She then appeared in 1966 in her first role in The Group, where she ironically played a university studio. Later in the 60s she also starred in a French romantic drama called Live for Life in 1967, a film directed by Claude Lelouch. Her other leading performances include Miss Congeniality, Carnal Knowledge, and Murphy Brown.

NOW Candice Bergen

THEN: Priyanka Chopra

We finally have our first Indian beauty with Priyanka Chopra, who was born in Jamshedpur, Bihar, on 18 July, 1982. Chopra was 13 years old when she relocated to the United States and would be raised in New York, Massachusetts, and Iowa. She would later return to her home country, where she took the May Queen title, a local beauty pageant. She went on to win the Femina Miss India World crown, and later, Miss World 2000.

THEN Priyanka Chopra

NOW: Priyanka Chopra

Not long after tremendous victories in global pageantry, Chopra was catapulted into India’s film industry and rapidly became a leading figure. Her first real Bollywood role only materialized in 2003, however, as the second female lead in The Hero: Love Story of a Spy. After a monumentally successful career in Bollywood, Chopra was welcomed back to the United States in the mid-2010s to begin a moderately successful career in Hollywood with films like Isn’t It Romantic and the Baywatch reboot.

NOW Priyanka Chopra

Then: Michelle Yeoh

We now move on to an example of Malaysia’s wonderful woman with Michelle Yeoh, who hails from Ipoh, Perak, on 6 August, 1962. She is of Malaysian Chinese descent with some Cantonese blood thrown in for good measure. Yeoh was bound for ballet fame at the age of 15, but she sadly suffered a debilitating spinal injury that ended those dreams. It was in 1983 that Yeoh triumphed in the 1983 Miss Malaysia when she was 20 years old. In the same year, she also won Miss Moomba and Queen of the Pacific.

THEN Michelle Yeoh

Now: Michelle Yeoh

Yeoh’s first bit of exposure came when she featured alongside Jackie Chan in a TV commercial. She caught the eye of a D&B Films (which was just beginning to take off at the time) talent scout. Her film career was then set in stone, particularly in the martial arts genre. She ended up marrying the captain of the D&B Group, Dickson Poon, and went on an acting hiatus in 1987. She would return in 1992 and would continue to make successful martial arts films.

NOW Michelle Yeoh

Then: Lee Meriwether

Lee Meriwether is a Los Angeles, California-born beauty who was born on May 27, 1935. Her San Francisco upbringing led to her taking on the miss San Francisco pageant in 1954, which she won. The following year, Meriwether entered Miss America and conquered the national competition. It was an incredibly busy week for Meriwether, as she also appeared on What’s My Line? on Sunday. She later ended up on the Today show. Meriweather and Richard Ben Cramer were apparently engaged in 1956, but this was just a rumor.

THEN Lee Meriwether

Now: Lee Meriwether

The classic beauty appeared on The Today Show as part of NBC’s channel as a “Today Girl”, a role which she maintained for a year between 1955 and 1956. Her film career began in 1959 when she starred in 4D Man. She would continue to be presented with minor roles in various television shows until 1966, when she played Catwoman in Batman. Meriwether has continued acting all the way up to modern times with a respectably long career.

NOW Lee Meriwether

Then: Vanessa Lachey

This Filipina-American beauty was born Vanessa Joy Minnillo in Angeles City, Philippines. Her father’s job in the Air Force meant that Vanessa moved around the world frequently during her childhood. She lived in Nevada, Japan, Washington, Germany, California, and Florida. Her family eventually settled for some time in California. Vanessa would take the Miss South Carolina Teen USA title in 1998, and in the same year won Miss Teen USA. She was the first young woman to do so from South Carolina.

THEN Vanessa Lachey

Now: Vanessa Lachey

In 2003, Vanessa secured her role on Total Request Live, or TRL, an MTV show. Her position lasted between 2003 and 2007. She was also an Entertainment Tonight correspondent in New York City in 2005. Since 2007, Vanessa has hosted or appeared on a variety of shows with media channels like E! and ABC. She has also made a few movie and television series appearances in films like Disaster Movie and series such as CSI: NY.

Now Vanessa Lachey

Then: Gal Gadot

Gal Gadot is an Israeli bombshell who was once a member of the Israeli Defense Force, as were most Israelis at one stage due to the nation’s mandatory conscription policies for young adults. She later entered the Miss Israel pageant in 2004 and took first place. She also took on Miss Universe in the same year but did not win. Gadot commented on an episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! that she was virtually ushered into Miss Universe’s ranks.

THEN Gal Gadot

Now: Gal Gadot

Gadot is today recognized as the most prominent Israeli figure in Western media. Her initial American movie role was as Gisele Yashar in the 2009 installment of the long-standing Fast & Furious film franchise alongside Vin Diesel and company. Her most iconic role is perhaps as Wonder Woman in the DC Extended Universe, having appeared several times in the superhero role. Gadot remains a patriotic Israeli despite having garnered so much international attention and success.

NOW Gal Gadot

Then: Ali Landry

When Renella Landry watched Love Story in 1970, she was so moved by Ali MacGraw’s character that she decided to name her daughter after her. Ali Landry was then raised in Cecilia, Louisiana and graduated in 1991 from Cecilia High School, where she was the cheerleading captain. In 1990, Landry entered the pageantry world and won Miss Louisiana Teen USA. She also entered Miss Teen USA in the same year, where she, unfortunately, came seventh.

THEN Ali Landry

Now: Ali Landry

Landry eventually won the 1996 Miss USA competition and did incredibly well in the Miss Universe of the same year. Following her successful time in pageantry, Landry went on to become a model. She was also a Doritos representative and appeared in various acclaimed adverts in the late 90s and 2000. In the 2000s, Landry made a few television appearances in shows like Spy TV in 2002, where she was the second season’s host, and joined the Eve cast from 2003 to 2006.

NOW Ali Landry

Then: Kenya Moore

Kenya Moore was only three days old when her mother walked out of her life, leaving the Detroit, Michigan baby girl to be raised by Doris Grant, her grandmother on her father’s side. Despite a troubled upbringing, Moore managed to graduate in 1989 from Class Technical High School and later from Wayne State University with a psychology major. In 1993, Moore took the Miss Michigan USA crown and later Miss US. In the same year, she placed fifth in Miss Universe.

THEN Kenya Moore

Now: Kenya Moore

The 90s were a fruitful time for Moore beyond pageantry, however, as she also became a widely enjoyed television actress with roles in hit shows like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Homeboys in Outer Space, and The Steve Harvey Show. She was also featured on a variety of magazine covers like Ebony, Essence, Seventeen, and Glamour. Moore also appeared in a variety of mostly made-for-television films, like Senseless, Deliver Us from Eva, and Trapped: Haitian Nights.

NOW Kenya Moore

Then: Sophia Loren

Sofia Villani Scicolone was safely delivered on September 20, 1934, in Rome, Italy’s Clinica Regina Margherita. Loren survived World War II, with her city having been bombed frequently. Once the war ended, Loren took on Miss Italia in 1950 at the age of 14. She won the “Miss Elegance 1950” title but not the overall crown, which went to Anna Maria Bugliari, the Miss Italia for that year. Loren would then go on to become a film actress.

THEN Sophia Loren

Now: Sophia Loren

Sofia Lazzaro, as she was known in the 50s when she began her acting career, attended the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia, which was Italy’s national film academy. Her first role was in Quo Vadis in 1951 where she played a nameless extra. After her name was changed to Sophia Loren, she appeared in Aida, a part which gained her much critical acclaim and overall fame. She then went on to become one of the 20th century’s most legendary actresses.

NOW Sophia Loren