Catriona Gray shines in New York

Catriona Gray is once again making the Philippines proud—not from the pageant stage this time, but from behind the lens as a creative force.

The 2018 Miss Universe recently took to her Facebook page to share her latest international milestone: winning the Diamond Award—the highest honor—at Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked 2025 Content Awards in New York City.

Over 100 content creators from 35 countries gathered to showcase their vision using the newly launched Galaxy Z Fold7. Among them, Catriona and long-time collaborator and friend Jolo Luarca stood out for their uniquely Filipino storytelling, capturing the hearts of judges and audiences alike.

“Always a proud Filipina 💜 Until next time, New York!” Catriona wrote in her heartfelt post.

“As a creative, it’s not every day your work gets recognized… and to be able to represent our country on this kind of global stage is really, really special.”

Together with their creative partner Liz Alvarez, Team Philippines had a tight window of just over five hours to shoot their entry across the bustling streets of New York—a city that once lived in their dreams and is now a canvas for their artistry.

“We’re both storytellers,” Catriona said of her collaboration with Jolo, with whom she’s been working for nearly eight years.

“We feed off each other’s creative energies.”

The award ceremony was no less intense. With three gold and two platinum winners announced, Catriona admitted feeling a wave of doubt as she saw the cinematic flair and advanced visual effects from other entries.

“Maybe our approach wasn’t out-of-the-box enough,” she recalled.

But then came the announcement: only one Diamond awardee—and it was Team Galaxy Philippines.

“Our table cheered so loud!! 🥺🥺🥺 So proud to be able to represent the Philippines 🇵🇭” she added.

“Such a special moment—one I’m so grateful to share with my pamili @jololuarca @lizalvarez.ph 🫶🏽”

With this latest achievement, Catriona Gray continues to evolve far beyond her beauty queen title, proving herself as a storyteller, creative visionary, and proud Filipina making her mark on the global stage.

From the crown to the camera, Catriona’s brilliance continues to shine—this time, with a Diamond award to match.