After her dethronement as Miss Universe New Zealand, Filipino-Kiwi model-turned-actress Franki Russell is set to represent New Zealand in this year's Miss Cosmo pageant.

Miss Cosmo organization shared the news on social media, introducing her as an official candidate for the pageant: "Franki Russell is a professional film and television actress who has starred in several movies and TV series in Asia and the Philippines."

To recall, Russell was told that she couldn’t participate in the Miss Universe New Zealand pageant because of her Australian residency.

“Which is crazy to me because I was born and raised in New Zealand. I had just gone to Australia for six months for work experience, but things were a lot more strict back then,” she said in an interview with talk show host Boy Abunda.

Russell, who grew up in Dunedin, New Zeland, was born to a New Zealander-Europen father and a Filipino mother.

The 29-year-old beauty queen was a former PBB housemate, Vivamax babe, and TV actress, who appeared in some series, including "Ang Probinsyano".