From Crowns to Stardom: 15 Celebrities Who Won Beauty Titles Before Hitting the Big Time!

Before they were gracing red carpets and winning Oscars, many of your favorite stars were competing in beauty pageants, vying for crowns and titles long before they became household names. From beauty queens to pageant kings, these celebrities’ early days in the spotlight gave them a different kind of fame—and often set the stage for their future success. So, let’s take a trip down memory lane and revisit the journeys of these iconic stars who once strutted their stuff in the pageant world before hitting the big time.

Eva Longoria

Texas native Eva Longoria wasn’t always a Desperate Housewife—she was once Miss Corpus Christi! The stunning star, who first captured attention as a beauty queen in 1998, has since blossomed into one of Hollywood’s most beloved actresses. Longoria’s effortless beauty and magnetic charm catapulted her to fame, with her iconic role on Desperate Housewives cementing her place in pop culture history.

Hannah Brown

Before rose ceremonies and dramatic exits on The Bachelorette, Hannah Brown was already winning titles, having snagged the crown of Miss Alabama USA in 2018. But the pageant world wasn’t all glitz and glam for Brown. She opened up about the pressure she faced, revealing how a pageant director once sent her an image of another contestant’s body with a demand to look like that in time for the swimsuit competition. The intense scrutiny took a toll, leading Brown to battle anxiety and body image issues, something she shared candidly during a 2021 appearance on At Home with the Robertsons.

Michelle Pfeiffer

Who would have guessed that the glamorous Ant-Man and the Wasp star Michelle Pfeiffer started her career with a crown? Back in her teen years, Pfeiffer was Miss Orange County, dreaming of stardom. In a playful Instagram post in 2021, she shared a throwback to her pageant days, revealing that her talents back then included oil painting and softball—long before she became a Hollywood legend.

Chelsea Handler

Comedian Chelsea Handler wasn’t always the queen of comedic roasts—she was once a pageant contender with big hair and even bigger dreams. In 2017, Chelsea Handler shared a hilarious throwback of herself at 14, competing in the Miss Teen New Jersey pageant. In the photo, she’s rocking a striking red businesswoman ensemble, giving fans a glimpse of her quirky fashion sense long before she became a comedic icon. Her caption? "My awkward phase came in my early 40s." Looks like Handler has always had the perfect mix of humor and confidence, even in her pageant days!

Halle Berry

Before becoming an Oscar-winning actress, Halle Berry was a pageant contender, coming oh-so-close to the Miss USA crown in 1986, where she was named first runner-up. But the story behind her pageant debut is one for the books! Berry revealed in a 2016 W Magazine interview that she was entered into the Miss Ohio competition by her boyfriend at the time, who sent in her prom picture without her knowledge. "I thought, 'What is this?'" she recalled. From there, it was a whirlwind of wins that led her to Miss USA, though she didn’t claim the top spot. Still, Berry's beauty pageant run was the start of a much bigger career.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas

Before becoming a global icon, Priyanka Chopra Jonas made her mark in the pageant world, first winning Miss India and then taking home the prestigious Miss World title in 2000. Fun fact: Her husband, Nick Jonas, was only 7 years old when he watched her claim the crown! Chopra’s pageant victories helped launch her international career, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Vanessa Williams

Vanessa Williams made history in 1983 as the first African American woman to win Miss America. However, her reign was cut short after a scandal involving a nude photo shoot, leading to her stepping down from the crown. Yet, Williams never let the controversy define her. "One day you’ll see what I’m made of," she declared. And they did—Williams went on to become a successful actress and singer, returning to judge the Miss America pageant in 2015.

Gal Gadot

Before she became Wonder Woman, Gal Gadot was Miss Israel at the age of 18. But she wasn’t expecting to win. In fact, she shocked herself when she took the crown, admitting that she went into the Miss Universe competition with a rebellious attitude. "I didn’t want to follow all the pageant rules," Gadot admitted, recalling how she showed up late, refused to wear gowns to breakfast, and did things her own way. Who knew that the woman who would later embody an icon of strength and empowerment once rebelled against the rules of beauty?

Lynda Carter

Before donning the iconic Wonder Woman costume, Lynda Carter was already a beauty queen, claiming the title of Miss World USA in 1972 after representing Arizona. Her pageant win helped pave the way for her legendary role as the original Wonder Woman, solidifying her status as a pop culture icon.

Vanessa Lachey

Long before becoming a TRL host and marrying singer Nick Lachey, Vanessa Lachey (née Minnillo) was making history as the first-ever Miss Teen USA from South Carolina in 1998. She also earned the coveted Miss Congeniality award, proving she had both beauty and charm in spades.

Cybill Shepherd

Before her rise to fame as an actress, Cybill Shepherd made waves in the beauty pageant world. The Memphis-born star competed in the Miss Teenage America Pageant at just 16, where she not only earned the title of Miss Congeniality but also captured the public's attention with her undeniable presence.

Olivia Culpo

Olivia Culpo took the pageant world by storm in 2012, first winning Miss USA and then going on to take the Miss Universe crown—the first American to do so since 1997. Culpo, who started as Miss Rhode Island, shared a hilarious detail in 2021, revealing that she won the state title while wearing a rented $20 dress with a hole in the back. Talk about turning a humble start into global fame!

Delta Burke

Delta Burke was a beauty queen long before her fame in Hollywood. She was crowned Miss Florida in 1974 and went on to compete in the Miss America pageant, where she won a talent scholarship. Her pageant background gave her a strong foundation before she became a beloved TV star.

Ali Landry

Ali Landry’s pageant career soared after she was crowned Miss Louisiana Teen USA and later Miss USA in 1996. She went on to compete in Miss Universe, but it was her breakout moment in a memorable Doritos Super Bowl commercial that truly launched her into television stardom.

Selena Gomez

Selena Gomez gave fans a delightful trip down memory lane in 2015 with a throwback post that showcased her early pageant days. The Only Murders in the Building star shared a vintage pic on X (formerly Twitter), where she’s all smiles in a white gown, clutching a trophy and a bouquet of flowers. Captioning it, “Oh my... Talk about tbt,” Gomez couldn’t help but laugh at her younger self, giving fans a glimpse into her cuteness before the Hollywood fame.