'Get it, girl': Tyra Banks shows support for Chelsea Manalo
MANILA, Philippines — From one Black woman to another.
Model-host Tyra Banks expressed her support for Miss Universe Philippines 2024 Chelsea Manalo, just days before the 73rd edition of Miss Universe is set to take place.
On Chelsea's pinned headshot photo — taken by Seven Barretto — on Instagram, which she posted last month, Tyra commented: "Get it, girl!!!!!"
Chelsea liked and pinned the comment which as of writing has earned nearly 20,000 likes, easily trumping the past comments by fellow beauty queens Catriona Gray, Pauline Amelinckx, Ahtisa Manalo, Angelique Manto, and Hannah Arnold.
On another photo set documented by Seven which Chelsea posted last week, Tyra commented: "Work!!!" and a fire emoji. Tyra also now even follows the Filipino beauty queen.
The Philippine delegate also liked that comment, which now has up to 7,600 likes, the only other comment with four digits apart from the one left by Chelsea's roommate Miss Universe Peru 2024 Tatiana Calmell.
Chelsea was clearly surprised and ecstatic to see Tyra's comments, putting up the first one in an Instagram story with accompanying text that read, "OMG!!!!!!"
The Miss Universe Philippines Organization even posted Tyra's initial comment on Chelsea's headshot on its own account.
"When the legend herself, Tyra Banks, notices our very own Miss Universe Philippines, Chelsea Manalo. You deserve all this!" the caption for that post said.
It can be recalled that Tyra previously expressed her support for past Miss Universe Philippines queens Pia Wurtzbach and Catriona Gray, who both went on to win their respective competitions.
Chelsea is the first Filipino-Black American to represent the Philippines at Miss Universe as she guns to be the country's fifth winner after Wurtzbach, Gray, Margie Moran, and Gloria Diaz.
She joins nearly 130 candidates in vying to succeed Sheynnis Palacios as Miss Universe 2024 this November 16 (the 17th in the Philippines).
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