Miss Eco International 2021 1st Runner-Up Kelley Day shared that she found a personal connection to her role as Olivia in the film ‘All About Her’, which centers on two beauty queens whose friendship turns into rivalry.
According to Kelley, the storyline mirrors her own experience during her first major pageant.
“Iyong kasing unang pageant na sinalihan ko which was Miss World Philippines, I was actually competing with one of my best friends at that time. She ended up winning the crown and ako iyong naging first runner-up, so, talagang nakaka-relate ako,” she said.
While pageants are often viewed as highly competitive, Kelley offered a more balanced perspective on winning.
“Supposed to be,” she said. “But you know, not all winners have to be strong about that. Sometimes you could win.. I mean, if it’s meant for you, it’s meant for you. If it’s your year, it’s your year. If that is gonna be coronation night and you have a good Q and A, it’s not automatic.. I mean, actually, there are things to consider. Even if you have the strongest drive pero bagsak ka sa Q&A o bagsak ka sa pasarela, it’s actually a balance of everything.”
The film tackles deeper themes beyond friendship, including ambition, jealousy, betrayal, and the lengths people go to achieve their dreams.
Kelley also acknowledged hearing “horror stories” about pageants, including alleged sabotage and unfair practices, though she clarified she has not personally experienced such situations.
“Personally, I did’nt experience that in the pageant world. Maybe I’m not the type na.. you go get it. Go, get it. Dapat na competitive ako. I wanna share the spotlight with everyone. I’m not super competitive when it comes to pageants. For me, it was just the experience, so siguro kaya I didn’t end up having problems with anyone. I’m just enjoying making friends. I did not take it super seriously that I would have to sacrifice friendships,” she said.
She added that she values fairness in competition.
“I always believe in fair game. Mas masarap kung pinaghirapan mo siya,” she said.
Kelley also expressed gratitude for portraying a complex character in ‘All About Her’.
“We have a different story. I like that lahat kami ay may flaws, may dark sides and that makes our characters more human. Lahat may issues and that makes storytelling more realistic than portraying the perfect girl na we’re used to seeing,” she said.
‘All About Her’ is a crime-drama-thriller film directed by Joel Lamangan and written by Quinn Carrillo. It explores the darker side of beauty pageants, including intrigue surrounding the disappearance of a beauty queen.
The film, which also stars Yuki Sonoda, Tony Labrusca, Pancho Magno, Marco Gomez, and Angelica Cervantes, is part of the 8th Sinag Maynila Independent Film Festival.
It is currently screening in select cinemas, including Gateway, Eastwood, Uptown, Venice Cineplex, and Lucky Chinatown, until March 29, 2026.
