Michael Cinco to reunite with Nova Stevens in Miss Universe 2024

Michael Cinco (left) and Nova Stevens/MISS UNIVERSE FACEBOOK PHOTOS

Remember the beauty queen in the middle of the drama between Michael Cinco and a Canadian team in 2021? She will join the renowned Filipino designer in the 2024 Miss Universe pageant’s selection committee.

Nova Stevens, who represented Canada in the 69th Miss Universe pageant, will return to the competition as a member of the panel that will choose the new queen, a body that also includes Cinco.

In announcing the Canadian beauty queen’s inclusion in the selection committee, the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) said Stevens is “[a] passionate advocate for racial justice, mental health, and resilience.”

MUO’s social media post continued: “Nova inspires with her story and work, showing that true beauty lies in authenticity, strength, and compassion. We’re thrilled to see how her expertise and vision will enrich our competition. [crown emoji]”

Cinco provided gowns for Stevens for the 2020 Miss Universe pageant, belatedly held in May 2021 in Florida in the United States because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mexico’s Andrea Meza won the title.

After Stevens’ failed bid for the crown, her team hurled accusations against Cinco, saying he intentionally sabotaged the Canadian queen and that his gowns were ill-fitting.

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Cinco, who had previously avoided drama on social media, refuted the Canadian team’s statements. The Filipino designer cited how he flew Stevens to his base of operations in Dubai for a photoshoot in his couture pieces to help with her publicity.

He also said the gowns arrived on time and were tailored to Stevens’ actual measurements, as seen on the beauty queens’ social media posts prior to the competition.

Stevens, who bowed out early in the competition after missing the first cut to 21 semifinalists, received hate online as a result of the feud. “I have been getting death threats, racist trolls are hurling despicable insults at me, and people are dragging my character with lies. What amazes me is that people seem to be more outraged at my alleged ‘lack of thanks’ rather than me being asked to die and receiving racist hate. I don’t deserve that,” she said.

She and her publicist Miguel Martinez of MGMode subsequently issued a public apology to Cinco, ending the drama.

Stevens will not be the first non-placing Miss Universe candidate to sit on the pageant’s judging panel. Bollywood actress Urvashi Rautela went home empty-handed in the 2015 contest won by Filipino queen Pia Wurtzbach, but was tapped to join the selection committee in 2021. 

The 73rd Miss Universe pageant will hold its coronation show at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico, on Nov. 16 (Nov. 17 in Manila). More than 120 delegates are competing this year.

Chelsea Manalo, the first black woman to represent the Philippines, will try to become the fifth Filipino delegate to win the title.