Viva actress and former Pinoy Big Brother housemate Franki Russell surprised everybody when she was announced on March 21 as the representative of her native New Zealand to Miss Universe 2024 in Mexico City.

Calling herself a pageant "rookie," the 29-year-old Franki stated: "I was focusing more on acting in the last few years. The opportunity has just always been not aligned, I guess. And now I feel like I know now why it led me to this very moment. Miss Universe New Zealand is my destiny."

The door opened for Franki when Filipino entrepreneur Josh Yugen was named the new national director and franchise owner of Miss Universe New Zealand. NZ is the latest in the Yugen Group's growing beauty empire, which also includes the MU franchises in Pakistan, Bahrain, and Egypt. Previously, Franki competed in Miss Universe UAE, where she even landed in the top 30 in 2021, and that is how she entered Josh's radar.

Josh announced in a pocket conference on March 21 that Franki will be crowned as the NZ queen at the Miss Universe headquarters in Bangkok, and the present Miss Universe, Sheynnis Palacios, will also be there.

Being a beauty queen has been Franki's lifelong dream.

"I think some of you may not know it, but in 2014, I auditioned for Miss Universe New Zealand while living in Australia. Ten years ago, I couldn't push forward because I went with a different opportunity."

Now that she will go into serious training for the 2024 Miss Universe pageant, Franki revealed that she will take a leave of absence from acting.

Of her Viva management, she said: "They're supportive with everything that I do. I spoke to Boss Vic (Del Rosario)  this morning, and he said, "I'm so happy for you."

"Miss Universe will definitely be my only focus right now. I mean, all I'm looking for is how I can give back, and this is definitely my focus," Franki stated.

In 2022, Franki and Filipino actor Diego Loyzaga admitted they were dating. They appeared in the movie together, "Pabuya," but they never professed they were in a relationship.

Half-Kiwi, Half-Pinoy

Franki holds a New Zealand passport, although she admitted that she had already applied for a Philippine passport because her mom is Pinoy. NZ allows dual citizenship.

Coming from a country with more sheep than people, Franki hopes to encourage other Kiwi women to be more active in pageantry so that they can make a difference for others. New Zealand has had only one winner in Miss Universe history, Lorraine Downes, who won in 1983.

"In New Zealand, we have this thing called the Tall Poppy Syndrome. It's when people like to cut down someone who's trying to aim for the stars. And I feel that maybe it's why pageantry isn't such a big thing there. Or they're scared to promote themselves or to push themselves on a platform like that," she observed.

Franki only has the nicest memories of her childhood growing up "in a very small town called Waitati, just out of Dunedin" where one can see "stretches of hills and roads for miles."

"It's very stunning. The fresh air, the produce, the dairy products. In my hometown, we have a Cadbury factory. When I was in school, we would take a school excursion to do the Cadbury factory tour. That was probably a highlight in my old school. If you see Cadbury chocolate, it's from my hometown originally," she proudly stated.

"New Zealand is so much more than Lord of the Rings!" Franki gushed. "That's maybe the first thing you think of. But do try to visit Queenstown. That's my number one favorite city. I feel like in a day or two, you could really see so much. It's known as the adventure capital, so you can go bungee jumping, you can go to a winery if you want to do something more relaxed, or take the gondola overlooking the beautiful mountains and the lakes."