Five married beauty queens will make their big-screen debut in Titulada, a Filipino advocacy film about women taking control of their lives, when it premieres in select cinemas on Nov. 30.
Directed by Kent Martin Dy and produced by Richard Hiñola II, the film follows eight women fighting for their rights, and it also stars actresses Ara Mina and Patricia Javier. The Inquirer first reported the lineup of pageant winners trading the stage for the screen: Mrs. Universe Grand Winner Ultimate 2025 Charina Carmen, Mrs. Universe Philippines Western Philippines 2025 Angela Villanueva, Mrs. Universe Philippines Pacific 2025 Jenny Ortega, Mrs. Universe Pacific Philippines 2026 Scarlet Chua, and lawyer-beauty queen Atty. Claire May Tamondong.
From crowns to characters
For Carmen, who many Filipinos will recognize from a Hansel TV commercial with her son Gerard, acting offers something pageants cannot. There is no panel of judges waiting to score her every move.
'Sa acting, you get to play different roles. Maganda rin siyang self-expression,' she said, explaining that playing different characters lets her revisit past experiences and understand herself better.
She was blunt about the difference. 'Pag sumali ka sa pageant, grabe yung kaba. Grabe yung pressure doon. Hindi mo ma-enjoy. Ito kasi parang feeling ko, no pressure. Na-enjoy ko lang siya,' she said.
Carmen wants the film to carry her advocacy for women's empowerment and integrity in pageantry. 'Gusto kong ipaalam sa lahat, lalo na sa kababaihan, na yung halaga ng isang tao, hindi nasusukat sa korona,' she said. 'As long as you're doing your best, with all honesty. Do your best, and mas maganda pa kung in-offer mo pa sa taas [kay Lord]. Then for me, you're a winner.'
A battered wife role that broke a beauty queen's image
Villanueva, born and raised in Surallah, South Cotabato, takes on the heaviest role among the five: a battered wife. It is a stark departure from the glamorous persona she built in pageantry, and that is exactly why she accepted the part when Hiñola offered it.
'Pageantry, I'm always like, appearing sa mga tao, glamorous. So dito naman, ako lang yung kaisa-isang na-deglamorized dito,' she said.
The role demanded more than a change of wardrobe. Villanueva recalled breaking down during filming and thanking God for an ability she did not know she had. 'Hindi na ako yung Angela Villanueva. I mean, I'm the Angela na asawa na ni Nestor. I forgot me, and I was deep into that character, and I respected her,' she said in tears.
As a mother, she hopes audiences see the sacrifices and strength that come with raising a family. 'Pag nanay ka talaga, hindi ka pwedeng sumuko,' she said, describing mothers as the foundation of the family and of society itself.
Jenny Ortega brings her advocacy to a wider audience
Ortega, an architecture graduate and multidisciplinary artist who has worked as a visual artist, singer, musician, dancer, businesswoman and fashion designer, is the most seasoned performer of the group. She has television acting credits to her name, and her fashion designs were featured in the September 2026 show and in British Harper's Bazaar, with a profile in Vogue Sweden Online.
Still, she said a movie hits differently because it reaches a wider audience with a meaningful message. 'It's not about age. It's about what you want to do in your life. It's also your purpose,' she said, adding that she sees the project as a gift from God.
Her advocacy is to tell the world what Filipino women can do. 'My advocacy is to tell the world na yung mga Pinay is exceptional. Lahat yan in every aspect,' she said. 'I go international because of cultural promotion. It's part of my advocacy as a beauty queen.'
She is clear about where her priorities sit. 'For me, kahit sobrang busy ko, kapag sinabi ng husband ko na, basta talagang ang usapan namin is, I have to be always on call sa mga anak ko,' she said. 'If it's regarding kung anong kailangang kong gawin for my kids, I will drop everything for them.'
Scarlet Chua plays a woman with a secret
Chua, a mother of three from Taguig City who was named Mrs. Universe Pacific Philippines 2026 and finished first runner-up at Mrs. Universe Philippines 2026, plays Violet, a socially prominent and wealthy woman who projects confidence and glamour while hiding a secret she fears the world will discover.
The role forced her into emotional territory far from her real-life disposition. 'Sa real life, as much as possible, happy-go-lucky tayo. Kaya sobrang ang laki ng growth ko dito sa acting na ito,' she said. 'I'm so blessed to really have this role in the Titulada movie.'
Beyond her character's struggles, Chua hopes the film pushes mothers to think about how their choices shape their children. 'Every child deserves love, guidance and understanding, no matter their circumstances,' she said. 'I hope the film encourages mothers to lead with compassion.'
A lawyer who wants justice within reach
Tamondong, a litigation lawyer from Quirino Province and an associate at Patron Law Office handling criminal, civil, labor and family law cases across Metro Manila and nearby areas, rounds out the five. HATAW! D'yaryo ng Bayan also reported on her move into acting, noting her earlier pageant run as 2026 Mrs. Universe North Philippines (Top 3), where she won Best in Advocacy Video, Best in Tourism Video, and Best in Q&A.
In the film she portrays a lawyer whose personal experience with injustice drives her to help those who cannot afford legal services.
'I believe that justice should be accessible to everyone regardless of background, status, social standing and circumstances. I believe that justice should never be a privilege reserved only to those people who can afford it,' Tamondong said.
She also wants to challenge the idea that motherhood erases a woman's identity. 'Motherhood should not allow them to lose themselves,' she said. 'They can be loving mothers and at the same time, they can be independent also.'
Tamondong hopes the film encourages parents to raise children who are compassionate, understanding and respectful of other people's differences.
Why this matters beyond the cinema
Pageantry has long been a national pastime in the Philippines, and the institution itself has evolved from judging physical attributes toward personality, talent, causes and charitable involvement, as Wikipedia's overview of beauty pageants notes. Titulada pushes that evolution one step further: it takes women celebrated for crowns and gives them material that asks them to act, to be deglamorized, and to speak for wives, mothers and survivors.
That five titleholders, a lawyer among them, chose a film about women's struggles over another round of pageant appearances says something about where Filipino women in public life want to go next. The answer arrives in select cinemas on Nov. 30.
FAQ
When does 'Titulada' premiere in Philippine cinemas?
The film premieres in select cinemas on Nov. 30, 2026.
Who are the five beauty queens making their film debut in 'Titulada'?
Charina Carmen, Angela Villanueva, Jenny Ortega, Scarlet Chua and Atty. Claire May Tamondong.
Who directed and produced 'Titulada'?
Kent Martin Dy directed the film, and Richard Hiñola II produced it. Ara Mina and Patricia Javier also star.