AusCelebs Forums

Afternoon folks from a nice sunny day here in Brissie.

I've had some happy feedback on the previous Miss Universe threads I started, so here is the current batch fighting for this year's crown. I've just added them alphabetically, not in any choice of who may win.

But Jennifer Kim is the best looking to my eye !

Cheers
Trip

Alana MOORE

Alana was born and raised on the Gold Coast but this year decided to move out of home to Melbourne in hopes to continue her dreams to work in the entertainment industry. An interesting fact about Alana is that she has actually been a fan of Miss Universe Australia since she was 8 years old. Alana always looked up to the girls and thought one day she hoped to be as confident and courageous as they were. Miss Universe Australia actually inspired her to start modelling at the age of 10 which allowed her to travel since a young age and taught her valuable skills like independence, how to work with different people and most importantly, how to be confident in her own skin.

Although Alana will always love home and the beachy, laid-back lifestyle, there is something about the busy, big city that just feels right! She loves that every day is different and gets to go to castings, acting classes and networking events whilst also working to finish her degree in the Creative Industries this year. She feels so lucky that getting to meet new people and is constantly growing and becoming more and more like the women she used to look up to when she watched Miss Universe as a little girl.

Although the life Alana live seems to be very glamorous there is a lot of rejection within this industry but she believes in hard work and perseverance and without those qualities she wouldn’t be where she is today. Through her journey at Miss Universe Australia Alana hopes to inspire other young girls within the Entertainment Industry to take risks and never give up on becoming who they want to be.

Cheers
Trip

Ally DRAPER

Ally is 23 years old and manages a team at a global recruitment agency. She owns her own business running pamper parties for young girls, which she launched while completing her Bachelor of Commerce degree.

Ally loves travelling, if she’s not with her friends or Pomeranian she will be on a plane somewhere!

Ally wants to utilise the platform Miss Universe offers to educate and spread awareness on the issue of violence against women. As someone who was a victim herself, Ally’s goal is to make this something less taboo in our society to encourage people to come forward earlier.

Cheers
Trip

Amy LEE

Amy Lee is passionate about health, nutrition and fitness and uses her platform to inspire and motivate others to live and eat healthier! She is the best selling author of the Nourish in 5 Cookbook, which supports OzHarvest Charity and shares 100+ 5 ingredient zero-waste recipes, runs a popular online healthy recipe blog and also a digital marketing agency supporting other small businesses in the hospitality and food industries. After following Miss Universe Australia for several years, Amy decided to enter the program with the drive to use her platform as an avenue to further advocate for female empowerment and confidence, and provide education in an era where body image disorders and nutrition misconceptions are on the rise, especially amongst women and adolescents.

Amy is currently writing her second cookbook and as a fluent speaker of three languages (English, Chinese and Cantonese) hopes to continue to promote and be a pioneer of diversity in the media.

Cheers
Trip

Bronte DAGG

Bronte is a 20 year old from rural Australia, who moved to Brisbane to pursue her dream of one day becoming a skin cancer doctor, inspired by her mother. Having now completed two years of a pre-medicine degree in health science, Bronte is planning to continue her pathway into medicine by applying for post graduate Doctor of Medicine study in the near future. Beyond her academic pursuits, Bronte is a multifaceted individual with a knack for entrepreneurship and is the founder and director of two thriving online e-commerce businesses. In addition, she has also began obtaining her real estate license.

Beyond these realms, Bronte competes at the highest level in Australian National Show Horse events. Not content with personal success alone, she also devotes her time to coaching aspiring junior riders, fostering their love for the sport. Bronte's aspirations go beyond individual achievement; she seeks to be a beacon of empowerment for women, advocating for self-belief and resilience in every facet of life.

Cheers
Trip

Emily KAUFMAN

Emily, 25 years old, is a student of the Arts, currently completing a Bachelor degree specialising in the Performing Arts and Entertainment Industries. As an avid foodie, her insatiable appetite for new experiences and appreciation of self-expression has led to the discovery of her passion towards creative industries and allowed her to be a vibrant influence to those around her.

Being a third-cultured child, Emily’s Taiwanese and Australian upbringing has shaped the way she interprets the world around her. Considerations of representation and inclusivity are a cause Emily feels deeply passionate about and she seeks to become a supporting voice in such an imperative ongoing conversation. Emily wishes to continue the admirable work of former Miss Universe Australia, Maria Thattil, in this field and take her own strides in pursuit of positive social change.

In 2023, Emily’s budding modelling career culminated with a campaign showcased in Times Square, New York. Emily aspires to use Miss Universe Australia as an opportunity to continue to push herself out of her comfort zone, connect with incredible likeminded women, and to create a platform to continue to spread awareness on the issues she feels most passionate about.

Cheers
Trip

Indira STRECKFUSS

Indira, a twenty-one-year-old, holds a Bachelor of Commerce with a major in Marketing and a specialisation in Entrepreneurship and Event Management from Curtin University. Currently, she thrives in the wedding industry as a planner, stylist, and coordinator for a local Perth company, while also managing her freelance marketing business, overseeing multiple social media accounts.

Beyond her entrepreneurial ventures, Indira is the proud founder of Sari The Label, a sustainable fashion brand offering eco-friendly activewear and swimwear. Yet, her heart truly lies in her role as Clinic Manager at the Perth Scoliosis Clinic, where she guides and supports patients through their journeys with scoliosis. Diagnosed herself at age 14, Indira's personal experience with scoliosis and her commitment to raising awareness inspired her to create EmBraced, an adaptive clothing range for children and adolescents facing similar challenges. Indira is passionate about making a difference and advocating for early detection in scoliosis.

Cheers
Trip

Jennifer KIM

Jennifer Kim, 23, is an aspiring model who was selected and awarded a 7-year contract out of 100 girls who auditioned at YG KPLUS, South East Asia’s top entertainment agency based in South Korea. Since returning back to Sydney post covid, Jennifer has continued to pursue her career and shot national campaigns for brands such NOVO shoes and the NBA. This

Coupled with her degree in marketing and media, she aspires to leverage her knowledge to growing her platform and starting her entrepreneurial journey.

Jennifers diverse interests includes Motorsports. She has previously been paired with a Fiat Abarth 695, a former Bathurst 12 hour winning car, however has recently been coupled with a Toyota 86 and plans to enter her first series late 2024. She also enjoys endurance running, fitness, cooking, reading and fashion.

She hopes this experience will allow her the platform to really push her career and at the same time advocate for health centric living with high regard and emphasis on nutrition and exercise. She deeply believes and wants everyone to understand the power and importance small positive changes can make that deliver exponential return.

Cheers
Trip

Mikaela GIANCASPRO

Mikaela is currently working as a personal and group fitness trainer, whilst also studying a Bachelor of Education (Primary). Mikaela has always been involved in sports, athletics, acting and dancing from a young age. Graduating from the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts with a Diploma in Acting in 2020, Mikaela has continued to pursue acting and modelling alongside her work and studies.

Mikaela hopes to use her platform to advocate for healthy bodies and minds. Her own personal experiences regarding mental health and self-image have driven her into her current career as a fitness instructor. Through her experience training clients that are predominantly young women, she has seen the need to advocate for authenticity in the health and wellness sector. False information is readily spread to girls and adolescents about their bodies which can create negative impacts in their future regarding mental health, healthy eating and exercise. She believes that advocating for positive self-image is important as it generates girls who can grow into strong and confident women with positive perceptions of themselves, and girls who are unafraid to be their own unique person.

Cheers
Trip

Octavia BECK

While Octavia Beck is just 18, her determination to achieve her goals has already put her on a pathway to achieve her ambition to become a registered nurse, currently studying an associate degree which will lead to her completing the degree required for her desired profession. Octavia’s decision to become a nurse has been reinforced by seeing first-hand the care her younger sister has received in hospital after being diagnosed recently as a diabetic. As a teenager she was also inspired by stories of the extended care and hope that burns nurses bring to their patients, especially to people like Turia Pitt, who has been able to illustrate that despite such enormous setbacks there can be a rewarding life for victims.

In the meantime, Octavia has fully embraced the opportunity to participate in the Miss Universe Australia competition and in particular learn more about its registered charity, ToyBox Australia. Earlier in 2024, Octavia attended Camp Quality for cancer victims supported by ToyBox Australia and was struck not only by the impact on children suffering from cancer, but also to the wider families, who she was able to meet. That only enhanced her determination to increase her fund raising efforts.

Being a finalist in Miss Universe Australia has been an important catalyst in boosting her own confidence and understanding of how subjective the perception of beauty can become, something she also learned by completing a diploma in beauty therapy at the age of just 17. Octavia would hope to use the Miss Universe platform to continue to inspire confidence in young women who feel the pressure to conform and become a positive role model in encouraging all young people that anything is possible. Family is the bedrock of Octavia’s life in Melbourne while she pursues the next phase of her career, and loves spending time with her three younger siblings, parents and extended family. Octavia believes she has grown enormously as person in undertaking this challenge to participate in Miss Universe Australia, which is something which will have a lasting positive legacy on her life.

Cheers
Trip