MANILA, Philippines — What looked like a glamorous new beauty pageant featuring some of the Philippines’ biggest beauty queens and actresses has finally revealed its surprising connection to the big screen.
Sanya Lopez, Michelle Marquez Dee, Faith Da Silva and several other Sparkle stars and pageant veterans are set to bring the fictional “Queen of the Islands” competition to life in “Red Crown,” an upcoming satirical comedy from GMA Pictures.
The revelation comes after weeks of buzz surrounding “Queen of the Islands,” which had generated attention online with its candidate announcements, pageant-style content and reported P25-million cash prize.
From a supposed new pageant to a movie reveal
When “Queen of the Islands” first surfaced, it appeared to be an exclusive new beauty competition. Its initial roster included several familiar names from the Philippine pageant scene, including former Miss Universe Philippines titleholders Michelle Dee, Ahtisa Manalo, MJ Lastimosa, Gazini Ganados and Ariella Arida.
Actresses Sanya Lopez, Faith Da Silva, Shuvee Etrata and Ashley Ortega were also announced among the candidates.
Philstar previously reported that the competition had introduced 25 candidates and promoted a P25-million prize, adding to speculation that it was a genuine new pageant.
PEP.ph also reported that the pageant had been surrounded by considerable curiosity, with its connection to the upcoming film becoming increasingly apparent before the official reveal.
Now, the mystery has been cleared up.
“Queen of the Islands” is part of the world of “Red Crown,” a fictional pageant at the center of the upcoming movie.
Michelle Dee gets to combine pageantry and showbiz
For Michelle Dee, the project offers a unique opportunity to bring together two worlds she already knows intimately: beauty pageants and acting.
The former Miss Universe Philippines titleholder said she is excited to see how actual beauty queens adjust to acting while actresses experience the demands of pageant life.
Her involvement is particularly fitting because of her experience both on the pageant stage and in Philippine entertainment.
Sanya Lopez faces the pageant challenge
Sanya Lopez, meanwhile, admitted that stepping into the world of pageantry was challenging, particularly when it came to the runway.
The actress said the cast received guidance from experienced beauty queens, including Michelle, who helped them navigate the demands of pasarela and other pageant activities.
Rather than simply portraying contestants on screen, the actresses underwent preparations designed to make their performances feel closer to an actual pageant.
Faith Da Silva fulfills a pageant dream
For Faith Da Silva, “Red Crown” represents another milestone: it is her first movie.
The actress also shared that joining a beauty pageant had long been one of her dreams, making her role in the project particularly meaningful.
The movie gives her the chance to combine that personal ambition with a new acting challenge.
The cast actually trained like beauty queens
To make the fictional competition more convincing, members of the cast underwent pageant-style preparations.
These included pasarela training, swimsuit photoshoots, evening-gown activities and other exercises associated with beauty competitions.
Shuvee Etrata described the experience as being remarkably similar to an actual pageant, with contestants going through events such as swimsuit and long-gown competitions.
For Ahtisa Manalo, who has firsthand experience in pageantry, the challenge was different. Instead of simply being a beauty queen, she had to portray an actress who was herself portraying a beauty queen.
That distinction adds another layer to the film’s comedic take on the pageant world.
A powerhouse cast of beauty queens and actresses
“Red Crown” brings together an unusually large ensemble of real-life pageant personalities and actresses.
The cast includes Michelle Dee, Ahtisa Manalo, MJ Lastimosa, Gazini Ganados, Ariella Arida, Herlene Budol, Yllana Aduana, Alethea Ambrosio, Tarah Valencia, Sanya Lopez, Faith Da Silva, Shuvee Etrata, Ashley Ortega, AZ Martinez, Haley Dizon, Ara Arida, Skye Chua, Maika Kemmochi, Rein Hillary, MJ Encabo, Aira Lopez, Vanessa Peña, Sandy Riccio, Jade Tecson, Yna Angela Uy and Yza Thalia Uy, among others.
The combination of seasoned pageant veterans and actresses is expected to give the film plenty of room for comedy, competition and behind-the-scenes drama.
“Red Crown” puts the spotlight behind the crown
Directed by Dominic Zapata, “Red Crown” takes a satirical look at the beauty-pageant world, exploring the personalities, rivalries and pressure surrounding contestants competing for the crown.
The project is particularly timely after “Queen of the Islands” successfully blurred the line between a real-life pageant campaign and movie promotion, prompting many people to believe they were watching the launch of an actual competition.
That marketing strategy helped generate online curiosity before the movie connection was revealed.
And now that the secret is out, the bigger question is no longer whether “Queen of the Islands” is real.
It is:
Who will ultimately emerge as the queen when the fictional pageant takes center stage in “Red Crown”?
The film is scheduled to premiere in Philippine cinemas in October 2026.
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