Michelle Dee. Image: Screengrab from YouTube/Miss Universe
Michelle Dee was chosen as one of the Top 20 semi-finalists at the Miss Universe 2023 pageant at the Gimnasio Nacional Jose Adolfo Pineda in San Salvador, El Salvador on Saturday, Nov. 18 (morning of Nov. 19 in the Philippines).
After the preliminary competition and closed-door interviews, Dee was selected as one of the semi-finalists who will advance to the pageant’s swimwear competition.
Below is the list of candidates who advanced to the Top 20:
- Sheynnis Palacios (Nicaragua)
- Athenea Pérez (Spain)
- Karla Guilfu (Puerto Rico)
- Jameela Uiras (Namibia)
- Diana Silva (Venezuela)
- Shweta Sharda (India)
- Anntonia Porsild (Thailand)
- Celeste Viel (Chile)
- Jordanne Levy (Jamaica)
- Noelia Voigt (USA)
- Jane Garrett (Nepal)
- Camila Escribens (Peru)
- Issie Princesse (Cameroon)
- Camila Avella (Colombia)
- Erica Robin (Pakistan)
- Moraya Wilson (Australia)
- Michelle Dee (Philippines)
- Marina Machete (Portugal)
- Bryoni Govender (South Africa)
- Isabella Garcia-Manzo (El Salvador)
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The crossover stunner spoke about her many pursuits apart from pageantry during her VTR, where she opened up about being an award-winning actress, air force reservist, and a passionate advocate for autism awareness and inclusivity.
Dee has brought back the Philippines to its semi-final streak in Miss Universe after Cortesi failed to advance to the Top 16 in the pageant’s 2022 edition.
The Filipino actress and model was named as one of the favorites to win the Miss Universe 2023 crown by international pageant publications Missosology and Sash Factor earlier this weekend.
Dee was also praised by Missosology for her strong performance in the preliminaries where she donned a red one-piece swimsuit and a dark green evening gown by Mark Bumgarner. She also caught the attention of pageant fans after wearing an aviation-inspired national costume by Michael Barassi.
Should Dee be crowned, she will be the fifth Filipina to win the Miss Universe crown after Gloria Diaz in 1969, Margarita Moran in 1973, Pia Wurtzbach in 2015, and Catriona Gray in 2018.