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  3. 16 Celebs You Didn't Know Were Once Beauty Pageant Queens

16 Celebs You Didn't Know Were Once Beauty Pageant Queens

By Isabel Jones
Updated Sep 04, 2018 @ 4:45 pm
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Credit: Photo Illustration: Getty Images, Shutterstock, Splash News

Miss America 2019 (which, yes, is happening in 2018) is right around the corner, and with it your annual excuse to watch Miss Congeniality judgment-free.

Though the nature of the competition has changed a lot through the last 98 years (this will be the first year without a swimsuit contest component), the gist of it remains the same: tiaras, evening gowns, and a universal desire for world peace. No matter what you think of beauty pageantry, there’s no denying that these competitions give young women a platform. Many pageant queens go on to do great things (ahem, Oprah, Diane Sawyer … ).

VIDEO: Miss America Is Ditching Its Swimsuit Competition

Scroll down below to see 16 women who made the transition from pageant contestant to celebrity.

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Katy Perry

Credit: Katy Perry/Twitpic

Katy (or, uh, JonBenét, if you drink the Kool Aid), competed in pageants as a child.

1 of 16

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Priyanka Chopra

Credit: Michael Crabtree - PA Images/Getty Images

Before she stepped onto the Bollywood scene, Chopra was a star in a different galaxy: that of pageantry. At 18, the Quantico actress's career received a jumpstart when she earned the title of Miss World 2000. 

2 of 16

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Michelle Pfeiffer

Credit: Courtesy

The future three-time Oscar nominee earned her crown as Miss Orange County in 1978. 

3 of 16

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Eva Longoria

Credit: www.SplashNews.com

The future Desperate Housewife got her start as Miss Corpus Christi in 1998. 

4 of 16

5 of 16

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Britney Spears

Credit: Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock

Before the Mickey Mouse Club, Brit was a local pageant queen — she began competing at just 3 years old. 

5 of 16

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Oprah Winfrey

Credit: REX/Shutterstock

The talkshow queen-in-training earned the title of Miss Black Tennessee in 1971. 

6 of 16

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Halle Berry 

Credit: PA Images/Getty Images

The Oscar winner wore the title of Miss Ohio before competing (and placing sixth) in Miss World in 1986. 

7 of 16

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Sophia Loren

Credit: Keystone-France/Getty Images

The Italian screen siren competed in 1950's Miss Italy contest, earning the title of Miss Elegance. 

8 of 16

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Lynda Carter

Credit: Getty Images

Just four years before she'd be known as the face of Wonder Woman, Carter was better known as Miss World USA 1972. 

9 of 16

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Vanessa Williams

Credit: Getty Images

Williams made history as the first African American to win Miss America in 1984, though a nude photo scandal forced her to relinquish her crown before her reign had ended. 

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Diane Sawyer

Credit: Getty Images

The longtime TV journalist earned the title of America's Junior Miss in 1962. 

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Sarah Palin

Credit: Anchorage Daily News/Getty Images

After earning the title of Miss Wasilla, the future politician went on to win third in the 1984 Miss Alaska pageant. 

12 of 16

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Olivia Culpo

Credit: David Becker/Getty Images

The occasional actress and model broke onto the scene when was crowned Miss Universe in 2012. 

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Gal Gadot

Credit: MARTIN BERNETTI/Getty Images

Like her Wonder Woman predecessor, Gadot got her start in pageantry. She represented her country in the 2004 Miss Universe competition as Miss Israel. 

14 of 16

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Selena Gomez

Credit: selenagomez/Twitter

Sel's the most adorable pageant winner we've ever seen — the trophy's bigger than she is!

15 of 16

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Debra Messing

Credit: debramessing/Twitter

The future Will & Grace star was Rhode Island's Junior Miss in 1986. 

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Everything in This Slideshow

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1 of 16 Katy Perry
2 of 16 Priyanka Chopra
3 of 16 Michelle Pfeiffer
4 of 16 Eva Longoria
5 of 16 Britney Spears
6 of 16 Oprah Winfrey
7 of 16 Halle Berry 
8 of 16 Sophia Loren
9 of 16 Lynda Carter
10 of 16 Vanessa Williams
11 of 16 Diane Sawyer
12 of 16 Sarah Palin
13 of 16 Olivia Culpo
14 of 16 Gal Gadot
15 of 16 Selena Gomez
16 of 16 Debra Messing

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16 Celebs You Didn't Know Were Once Beauty Pageant Queens
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