Gloria Diaz Returns to Pageantry as Judge for MGI All Stars Season 2
Gloria Diaz, the first Filipina to be crowned Miss Universe, is heading back to the pageant world as one of the judges of the second edition of MGI All Stars.
According to ABS-CBN News, the announcement came through a video on the official Facebook page of MGI All Stars, which called her “an icon across generations” and highlighted her journey from beauty queen to award-winning actress. Fans quickly welcomed the news in the comments.
INQUIRER.net reported that the organizers revealed her inclusion in the selection committee on the evening of November 1. She joins returning judges Osmel Sousa of Venezuela and Omar Harfouch of Lebanon, along with a returning judge from Thailand, US-based pageant coach Lu Sierra, and 2026 Miss Grand International first runner-up Shyare Andrade of Ecuador.
The veteran actress is known among pageant fans for her sharp and witty questions during Q&A rounds. Many candidates who picked her as their questioner did not go on to win, which led some observers to jokingly call it the “Gloria Diaz curse.”
MGI All Stars is organized by the team behind Miss Grand International and gathers women who have already competed on an international stage but have not yet won a crown. Its first edition was held in Thailand in May, where Colombia’s Vanessa Pulgarin took the title. She will defend her crown this season.
The Philippines will have several familiar faces in the lineup, including Miss World 2019 and Miss Universe 2023 veteran Michelle Marquez Dee and Miss Eco International 2025 Alexie Mae Brooks. As stated by Philstar.com, the second edition will be held on December 12 at the MGI Hall in Bangkok, Thailand.
Gloria made history on July 19, 1969, when she won Miss Universe in Miami Beach, Florida. In a 2025 interview with Boy Abunda, she recalled that the pageant was her first trip to the United States at 18 and that she simply chose to enjoy the experience.
More than five decades after her historic win, Gloria is once again set to play a part in deciding who takes home an international crown, and pageant fans are surely looking forward to her questions.
