Finally, we HAD a Miss Universe sighting!
For the first time since her management, Cornerstone Entertainment, shared with the universe about the challenges the relationship between its talents, Catriona Gray and Sam Milby, has been facing and which they have been actively working out, we spotted Queen Cat in the flesh at the K Essentials by Katinko health and beauty event in Quezon City, where she is the new face of the brand.
She wore a bright yellow dress with a huge local woven bow that was as big as her smile, energy, and happiness that day.
Now usually, whenever we see celebrities going through a major challenge in their personal lives that the public suddenly dips on, the celebrity would shy away, ignore or not even entertain the press in an event sighting.
With Queen Cat, it was the opposite. She indulged and stayed all throughout the program and had a conversation with us one-on-one afterwards.
Catriona was still not wearing her engagement ring. But prior to the interview, it was nice enough of her team to courteously relay that enough had been shared about her and Sam, and that she was just grateful to talk about all other issues that would be of more concern.
Just last week, their friend and fellow Cornerstone artist John Prats shared photos on his Instagram where Sam and Cat were spotted playing pickleball.
We threw some questions to her, and boy, did she eat up the microphone on these topics.
First up, the faux pas that has been surrounding the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) since the leaked video of co-owner Anne Jakrajutatip went viral.
For those who don’t know, the video was about Anne allegedly saying on video that the pageant’s efforts to promote inclusivity are just but a form of “communication strategy” and it does not mean that the ladies who fall under the category would stand a chance to win.
This is a big no-no for the Miss Universe 2018 as she shared, “I just hope that the brand would really take accountability for it. Inclusivity is not just a token for the pageant community.
“Like yes, we’re inclusive, but just for the look of it and sana na-embrace naman nila. Inclusivity is not a token thing. It is something that needs to be embraced.”
She continued, “I love the movement of inclusivity because I have always believed what pageantry is and why should we afford (the opportunity to) women who fit in a certain shape and perception of beauty, which is ever changing in our society?
“I don’t know what actions were taken after that video happened, sana accountability was taken.”
Catriona didn’t stop there. She also had her own opinion on the “divisive” viral video of the legendary tattoo artist Apo Whang-od touching actor Piolo Pascual’s crotch.
Since her pageant days, Catriona was very much close to ethno-linguistic groups and she has been actively helping communities have better living conditions and growth opportunities.
So, for Queen Cat, she has a positive take on the video that circulated widely online.
“It’s a great way to boost and invite people to learn more our tribes, our ethnic linguistic groups because we are so diverse and if it is not as accessible to people and to be able to invite our people to learn more as a positive thing,” she concluded.