Beauty queens transitioning to acting is no longer new to Philippine show business. From Gloria Diaz, Precious Lara Quigaman, Bianca Manalo, and Kylie Verzosa, among many others, plenty of titleholders have made their mark as some of the country's most sought-after actresses. Now, Miss Universe Philippines 2022 Celeste Cortesi is set to further her career, recently signing with Viva Artists Agency (VAA).'I feel like Viva is really known for transforming beauty queens into actresses, especially movie stars, so that's one big reason why I chose this family. I also have friends who work here at Viva, like Kylie Verzosa, for example. It's really an honor to get an opportunity like this,' she said.Although she has appeared in several shows such as 'Darna,' 'Pepito Manaloto: Tuloy ang Kuwento,' and 'Walang Matigas na Pulis sa Matinik na Misis,' Cortesi said joining Viva will enhance her acting skills.'I've been very excited to join this family. I've always expressed my desire to do movies, so I feel like Viva is a perfect fit for that. Hopefully, we're expecting a lot of projects. I'm very excited to join workshops so I can improve my acting skills. Let's see what happens,' the 26-year-old said during a press conference.While she does not have projects lined up with Viva yet, Cortesi said she hopes to pursue action films when the opportunity arises. 'If I have the opportunity to do movies, I'd love to focus on action. I think there's a niche for that here in the Philippines. Viva is the perfect agency and mentor to help me enter that space,' she elaborated.She also shared that she admires Anne Curtis, another Viva talent, 'She's my role model when it comes to acting. I met her in person, but we didn't get much interaction, to be honest. But I really admire her.'Currently, Cortesi is busy with her latest business venture, a lip-care brand called Azul. She said she had been considering entering the beauty industry right after her reign.'I started Azul and thought of it two years ago, after Miss Universe. I feel like the beauty market here in the Philippines doesn't yet have a brand that really focuses on lip care. I always say we should take care of our lips as if they were our skin because they're part of our face. I wanted to create a brand and product that offers quality but is also accessible to everyone,' Cortesi said.'I've always wanted to create something I'm passionate about, and beauty is something I love. I know it's not easy to have your own business or brand, but you have to start somewhere. Azul represents me because I put so much effort into this brand,' she added.With Miss Universe 2024 taking place on Nov. 16 in Mexico, the spotlight is now on the Philippines' representative, Chelsea Manalo.As someone who was in Manalo's shoes two years ago, Cortesi said she believes Manalo has 'great opportunities' ahead of her.'I think she can do it and even win. Unfortunately, I haven't met her in person — hopefully soon. The only advice I can give her is to really listen to her heart and stay true to how she wants to present herself on stage because that's what matters,' Cortesi said.'Stick to your ideas, values, and principles. Don't ever let go of those. Also, enjoy the competition because it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and representing the Philippines is truly an honor,' she added.
