5 Things to Know About Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray

Congratulations are in order for the new Miss Universe, Miss Philippines Catriona Gray.

Miss South Africa Tamaryn Green was the first runner-up and Miss Venezuela Sthefany Gutiérrez was the second runner-up.

The 2018 Miss Universe pageant was held in Bangkok, Thailand where nearly a hundred women from around the world vied for the coveted crown. Steve Harvey returned as the host and Ashley Graham co-hosted alongside Carson Kressley and Lu Sierra.

The competition whittled down to the final 5 women, which included Gray, Miss Vietnam H'Hen Nie, Miss Canada Marta Magdalena Stepien, Miss South Africa Tamaryn Green and Miss Venezuela Sthefany Gutiérrez. 

In honor of Miss Philippines winning Miss Universe 2018, here are five things to know about Catriona Gray.

1. She's half-Scottish, half-Filipino: Catriona's father Ian Gray is Scottish and her mother Normita Magnayon is Filipino. She said during the pageant that she was "very, very close" to her parents, especially her father.

As if that wasn't international enough, the 24-year-old was born in Cairns, Australia and moved to the Philippines when she was 18, according to Newsweek. She reportedly used modeling money to buy a plane ticket from Australia to the Philippines to begin a career there, and the rest is history. 

Miss Universe 2018 is... PHILIPPINES! pic.twitter.com/r2BkN8JpXh

— Miss Universe (@MissUniverse) December 17, 2018

2. She attended college in the U.S.: Catriona went to school at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. She received a degree in Music Theory and is also a singer. At the Miss Universe pageant, Steve Harvey asked, "If you were going to write a song about your experience here at Miss Universe, what would you call it?"

"As Miss Philippines I've always felt the love and support of the Filipino people and I think I brought half of my country here tonight," she responded. "I would name the song 'Raise Your Flag' because I stand here not as one but as 104 million Filipinos!"

Catriona expressed at another point in the night to Harvey, "Once I started music, it just was fulfilling in a way that everything else wasn't. My mom told me even in the womb I was dancing."





E!