Happy, humble, homely

Erica Robin is determined that Miss Universe shouldn't be her lasting legacy

You don't have to have a burning interest in beauty pageants to have at least heard of Pakistan's Miss Universe, Erica Robin. Erica's gruelling journey through the Miss Universe platform may not have been as well documented as the hatred she received for it, but with perseverance and a positive attitude, here is a grounded model who powered through against the odds without a hint of bitterness. Erica's most recent interview on Ahmad Ali Butt's podcast shows that she is a role model for anyone aspiring to reach their dreams, learn new skills, and remain humble through it all.

Entering Miss Universe

"I entered the fashion industry by myself," explained Erica as she discussed her entry into the world of modelling. "I worked at a software house during the day and was a model night. That got really hectic, though, so I switched to modelling full-time."

When, as a full-time model, Erica was tagged into the Miss Universe contest, it took her a week to accept that it was not a hoax. Entering her details on a whim without expecting anything to come from it, Erica was astonished to find that she was one of the final five as the contestants were whittled away with every round.

"I didn't even realise that this would be the point where they would select the final candidate!" she recalled in wonder.

Battling the backlash

Erica's happiness was short-lived when her success began attracting attention from the public for being 'shameful', topped by a terse email from a government official demanding to know who had permitted her to represent Pakistan in the global beauty pageant.

"I got an email from a government official - I won't say who - asking who had given me permission to enter the Miss Universe contest, and then a lawyer contacted me to ask the same thing. I didn't even know this was a thing! My family thought I should step away."

Erica added that her agent allayed her fears and assured her that since the Miss Universe contest was run by a private body, she was not required to seek permission. However, Erica's next battle began with the pageant itself. Unwilling to be mired in controversy, Miss Universe considered removing the Miss Pakistan category altogether. However, by pulling together a series of supportive tweets as evidence, Erica was able to convince Miss Universe officials that the backlash would eventually die down. The rest, as they say, is history: soon Erica was on her way to endure a gruelling training programme where she was taught how to walk and talk before the camera and brush up on topics she would be interviewed for.

A gruelling process

"I cried a lot," admitted Erica. "The training was very tough. My first public appearance was on CNN, and there was a lot of pressure on me. I wasn't properly trained. I am a working model, but I was camera shy."

However, with hard work and perseverance, Erica was able to overcome her obstacles. "When it comes to Miss Universe, what you see on TV is just entertainment," she pointed out. The main thing is your topic, your advocacy - mine was gender equality. What you see on TV is just entertainment. Every interview of yours is recorded, and you get marks for it. I had to study hard for a month!"

Despite the public hatred she had received for taking part in the pageant, Erica was determined to shine her home country in a positive light now that she had such a public platform. "The country is good!" insisted Erica. "There is a bad image, but that is only because of a few people. The media only shows the bad side, but I live in this country because I'm happy, and I knew that this platform [Miss Universe] is an opportunity to show the good side."

The strongest takeaway Erica had from the contest, however, is how unnecessarily hard everything was. "It's sad, because there is no support from the government," she lamented. "I had so many visa problems, issues with outfits and flights, and I hope there is more acceptance of Miss Universe going forth."

On acting and being remembered

Erica may be a successful model - but that does not mean that she believes she is ready to conquer every aspect of showbiz. Acting, for example, is an area that Erica feels requires a completely different skill set. "Acting is hard!" she protested. "It's not easy. I want to test myself. If I'm a great model, it doesn't mean I'll be a great actor. Maybe I'll do a short course from NAPA, because I want to know whether I can do it or not."

If she ever finds herself playing the lead in a drama, however, Erica knows who she would want to act alongside her. "I love Bilal Abbas's acting," she admitted. "I'm a big fan of him and Imran Ashraf. When you work with great actors, you learn a lot."

For now, however, Erica is content with using her voice to speak up for her beliefs. "I don't feel pressured now that I have all this fame," she maintained. "I don't think I've let my fame get to my head, and I want to use my platform to raise my voice against whatever is wrong."

That, at the end of the day, is what Erica wants to be remembered as. "I want people to remember me as someone who made a difference," Erica said with a note of finality. "People should remember me as someone who made a change - not just with Miss Universe, but in the future, for the industry, and for the country."