Mexico's bullied pageant contestant gets payback by capturing Miss Universe crown

BANGKOK (AP) — Fátima Bosch Fernández of Mexico was crowned Miss Universe 2025 on Friday, a dramatic victory for a 25-year-old at the center of the turbulent 74th staging of the popular beauty pageant in Bangkok who stood up to public bullying from one of the hosts.

The issues at this year’s event sprang from a sharp-tongued scolding of Bosch, which sparked a controversy marked by a walkout, feminist solidarity and a teary, melodramatic apology from the local organizer who set it all off.

When Bosch was announced as the winner, cheers and screams erupted from the audience, with Mexican flags waved by elated supporters.

Speaking to the media after her victory, Bosch said that she would like to be remembered as “a person that changed a little bit the prototype of what is a Miss Universe and a real person that gives the heart.”

She also paid tribute to the pageant, describing it as “a platform that is strong because they have the space that women are searching to have a voice.”

The first runner-up was 29-year old Praveenar Singh of Thailand and 25-year-old Stephany Adriana Abasali Nasser of Venezuela placed third. Rounding up the finishers were Ahtisa Manalo, 28, of the Philippines, and 27-year-old Olivia Yacé of Ivory Coast who came fifth.

At the livestreamed sashing ceremony for the more than 100 contestants on Nov. 4, Thai national director Nawat Itsaragrisil hectored Bosch for allegedly not following his guidelines for taking part in local promotional activities. He called security when she spoke up to defend herself.

Bosch walked out of the room, joined by several others in a show of solidarity, including Miss Universe 2024, Victoria Kjær Theilvig of Denmark.

“What your director did is not respectful: He called me dumb,” an unbowed Bosch told Thai reporters. “If it takes away your dignity, you need to go.”

Nawat insisted that he did not call her “dumb.”

The Miss Universe Organization president, Mexican businessman Raúl Rocha Cantú, released a statement condemning Nawat’s conduct as “public aggression” and “serious abuse.”

Even Mexico’s first woman president, Claudia Sheinbaum, piled on, saying at a news conference in her country’s capital that she wanted to give “recognition” to Miss Mexico for voicing her disagreement in a “dignified” way.

“It seems to me that it is an example of how women should raise our voices,” Sheinbaum said.

Sheinbaum recalled being told in the past that “women look more beautiful when they keep quiet.”

“We women look more beautiful when we raise our voice and participate, because that has to do with the recognition of our rights,” she said.

Nawat later apologized for his actions, appearing both tearful and defiant at the same time.

“If anyone (was) affected and not comfortable it happened, I am so sorry,” he said in front of the contestants. He then turned to them and said “It’s passed. OK? Are you happy?”

Bosch's official Miss Universe biography says she studied fashion in Mexico and Italy and has focused on creating sustainable designs and working with discarded materials. It says she has volunteered with sick children, promoted environmental awareness and engaged in supported migrants and mental health issues.

This year's competition also saw a report that two judges had quit, with one of them suggesting that there was an element of rigging to the contest. The allegation was denied. Separately, Thai police investigated the alleged illegal promotion of online casinos as part of the event’s publicity.

Mishaps and controversies are not rare for the pageant. The 2021 event attracted criticism because it was held in Israel, to the dismay of supporters of the Palestinian cause.

An example of a minor misstep — literally — occurred Wednesday when Miss Universe Jamaica, Gabrielle Henry, fell off the stage during the evening gown competition. She was not badly hurt.

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Associated Press writer Grant Peck contributed to this report.

Miss Venezuela Stephany Abasali competes during the final round of the 74th Miss Universe Beauty Pageant in Nonthaburi province, Thailand, Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Miss Venezuela Stephany Abasali competes during the final round of the 74th Miss Universe Beauty Pageant in Nonthaburi province, Thailand, Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Miss Japan Kaori Hashimoto competes during the final round of the 74th Miss Universe Beauty Pageant in Nonthaburi province, Thailand, Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Mexico Fatima Bosch competes during the final round of the 74th Miss Universe Beauty Pageant in Nonthaburi province, Thailand, Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Miss Mexico Fatima Bosch, center, is celebrated by other contesters after winning the 2025 Miss Universe pageant in Nonthaburi, north of Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

NEW YORK (AP) — Paramount has gone hostile bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, challenging Netflix which reached a $72 billion takeover deal with the company just days ago.

Paramount said Monday that it is going straight to Warner Bros. shareholders with a bid worth about $74.4 billion, or $30 per share in cash. Paramount, unlike Netflix, is also offering to buy the cable assets of Warner Bros., and asking shareholders of the company to reject the Netflix bid.

It said its offer is worth about $18 billion more than the competing bid from Netflix, which it says is based on an “illusory prospective valuation" of those cable assets.

It is the same bid that Warner Brothers rejected in favor of the offer from Netflix in a merger that would alter the U.S. entertainment landscape.

Paramount criticized the Netflix offer, saying it “exposes WBD shareholders to a protracted multi-jurisdictional regulatory clearance process with an uncertain outcome along with a complex and volatile mix of equity and cash.”

Paramount said it had submitted six proposals to Warner Bros. Discovery over a 12 week period.

“We believe our offer will create a stronger Hollywood. It is in the best interests of the creative community, consumers and the movie theater industry," Paramount Chairman and CEO David Ellison said in a statement. "We believe they will benefit from the enhanced competition, higher content spend and theatrical release output, and a greater number of movies in theaters as a result of our proposed transaction,”

On Friday Netflix struck a deal to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, the Hollywood giant behind “Harry Potter” and HBO Max. The cash and stock deal is valued at $27.75 per Warner share, giving it a total enterprise value of $82.7 billion, including debt. The transaction is expected to close in the next 12 to 18 months, after Warner completes its previously announced separation of its cable operations. Not included in the deal are networks such as CNN and Discovery.

But President Donald Trump said Sunday that the deal struck by Netflix to buy Warner Bros. Discovery “could be a problem” because of the size of the combined market share.

The Republican president said he will be involved in the decision about whether the federal government should approve the $72 billion deal.

Paramount's tender offer is set to expire on Jan. 8, 2026, unless it's extended.

Shares of Warner Bros. and Paramount jumped between 5% and 6% at the opening bell Monday. Shares of Netflix edged lower.

The Warner Bros. water tower is seen at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, Calif., Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

The Warner Bros. water tower is seen at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, Calif., Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)