Leila Lopes Explained

Leila Lopes
Birthname:Leila Luliana da Costa Vieira Lopes
Birth Place:Benguela, Angola
Alma Mater:University of Suffolk
Birth Date:1986 2, df=yes
Height:1.80m

Leila Luliana da Costa Vieira Lopes Umenyiora (born 26 February 1986) is an Angolan beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Universe 2011. She had previously won Miss Angola UK 2010 and Miss Angola 2010.

Early life

Lopes was born on February 26, 1986, in Benguela, Angola.[1] [2] [3] Prior to being a contestant in beauty pageants, she studied business management at the University of Suffolk in Ipswich, UK.[4] [5] Lopes is actively involved in raising awareness about HIV/AIDS and the discrimination that people with the disease experience.[6] [7]

Pageantry

Miss Angola UK 2010

While living and studying in England, she participated in Miss Angola UK on 8 October 2010. Lopes won the title, giving her the opportunity to represent the British Angolan community in Miss Angola 2010.[8]

Miss Angola UK controversy

After Lopes was crowned Miss Universe 2011, allegations arose that false documents were used to allow her to participate in Miss Angola UK, which enabled her to compete in Miss Angola and subsequently Miss Universe.[9] [10] It was claimed that Lopes had never lived outside of Angola at the time she competed, so she should not have been allowed to enter a competition that was exclusively for Angolan citizens living in the UK.[11] The use of false documents has since been denied by both Lopes and the Miss Universe organizers[12] and Lopes herself has stated that she had lived in England for a total of four years.[13]

Miss Angola 2010

Lopes competed against 20 other candidates to win Miss Angola in Luanda on 18 December 2010, gaining her the right to represent Angola in Miss Universe 2011. She also obtained the Photogenic Award during the contest.

Miss Universe 2011

On 12 September 2011, Lopes was crowned Miss Universe in São Paulo, Brazil, receiving the title from the former Miss Universe 2010 Ximena Navarrete of Mexico.[14] [15] She was the first Angolan woman to hold the position.[16]

In October 2011, Lopes paid a visit to Indonesia where she attended local charity events and Puteri Indonesia 2011 Pageant held at Jakarta Convention Center, in Jakarta.[17] [18]

In December 2011, Lopes was invited to attend the first edition of the Miss Gabon Pageant in Libreville, Gabon where she crowned the first Gabonese representative to Miss Universe, Marie-Noëlle Ada Meyo from Ngounié Province.[19]

In February 2012, Lopes visited Johannesburg, South Africa. On arrival she was welcomed by Miss South Africa 2011 Melinda Bam at a red carpet event in Sun City. During her visit, Lopes attended a launch event for African Fashion International on February 16 in support of Joburg Fashion Week 2012. She also visited one of Melinda Bam's supported charities - Thuthuzela, an NGO in Alexandra, Johannesburg. Lopes also attended the State of the Province Address by Honourable Thandi Modise, Premier of the North-West, on 17 February at the North-West University, Mafikeng Campus.[20]

Lopes travelled to Düsseldorf, Germany for the week-long USO/Armed Forces Entertainment tour from 9–14 March 2012. There, she also participated in the Beauty International Trade Show at the Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre.[21]

Lopes attended the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France on 23 May 2012. She also attended the De Grisogono Glam Extravaganza held at the Hotel Du Cap Eden-Roc in Cap d'Antibes on the same day. Prior to her visit to France, she was in Lisbon, Portugal for a series of photoshoots and television appearances, at the invitation of Maxim Portugal Magazine.[22] [23]

In June 2012, Lopes embarked on a tour of Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo and Nigeria.[24] Later that month, Lopes attended the Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.[25] [26]

Personal life

In February 2013, she became engaged to former New York Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora in Monaco.[27] They were married on 30 May 2015.[28] [29]

In October 2023, Lopes started practicing Brazilian jiu-jitsu at Alliance Jiu Jitsu London under Renata Marinho and Fábio Gurgel.[30]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Congratulations Miss Angola! Latinas Dominate Audience Voting . Gil, Liliana . . 13 September 2011 . 23 September 2012.
  2. Web site: Leila Lopes Bio . Miss Universe Speakers Bureau . 23 September 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130226082314/http://missuniversespeakers.com/leila_lopes/bio . 26 February 2013 . dead .
  3. Web site: Miss Universe Leila Lopes Covers Maxim Portugal . 4 July 2012 . Mankind Unplugged . 23 September 2012.
  4. Web site: Beleza made in Benguela . 6 October 2011.
  5. Web site: Rendezvous With Miss Universe and Puteri Indonesia 2011 Part 1 . YouTube . 25 September 2012.
  6. Web site: Miss Universe 2011 Leila Lopes Named Ambassador of HIV Prevention For AID FOR AIDS International. . 28 October 2011 . 23 September 2011.
  7. Web site: Miss Universe on Mission To Educate Africa & The World. Anurun Productions . 23 September 2012.
  8. Web site: Miss Universe 2011 Accused of Fabricating Documents . Dupri, Alexx . 21 September 2011 . 21 September 2011.
  9. Web site: ¿Hubo fraude en Miss Universo 2011? (Short version) . Infobae.com . 14 September 2011 . 23 September 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110923173924/http://america.infobae.com/notas/33570-Hubo-fraude-en-Miss-Universo-2011 . 23 September 2011 . dead .
  10. Web site: Miss Universe Accused of Faking Documents for Pageant . . 17 September 2011.
  11. Web site: Mid Day: Miss Universe accused of faking documents . . 18 September 2011.
  12. Web site: PIX Morning News – Miss Universe 2011 Leila Lopes First Interview (9-19-11) . YouTube . 7 October 2011.
  13. Web site: Miss Universe Leila Lopes Responds to Her Haters and More . Eurweb.com . 7 October 2011.
  14. News: Miss Universe 2011 pageant crowns Miss Angola, Leila Lopes . . 14 September 2011 . 23 September 2012 . Christopher . Elliott.
  15. http://www.beautymania.biz/2011/09/royals-update-miss-universe-2011.html Miss Angola Leila Lopes is Miss Universe 2011!
  16. Web site: Miss Angola Leila Lopes named Miss Universe at 60th annual pageant in Brazil . . 25 September 2012.
  17. Web site: Miss Universe Goes Sideways in Indonesia . . 25 September 2012.
  18. Web site: Miss Universe 2011 in Indonesia . YouTube . 25 September 2012.
  19. Web site: Marie Noelle Ada : Miss Universe Gabon 2012 . Livewireworld . 25 September 2012.
  20. Web site: Leila Lopes Miss Universe arrived to South Africa . modenook.com . 11 October 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171011023902/https://modenook.com/leila-lopes-miss-universe-arrived-to-south-africa/ . 11 October 2017 . dead . 19 July 2023.
  21. Web site: MISS UNIVERSE, MISS USA, MISS TEEN USA SET TO TRAVEL TO GERMANY ON USO TOUR . . 25 September 2012.
  22. Web site: Leila Lopes Attends 65th Cannes Film Festival Party . 25 September 2012.
  23. Web site: Leila Lopes mostra porque é a mais bela do Universo . Diário de Notícias . 30 May 2012 . 25 September 2012.
  24. Web site: Saturday Exclusive: Miss Universe 2011 Leila Lopes SOS Tour To West Africa . PR UNO Limited. 9 June 2012 . 23 September 2012.
  25. Web site: Miss Universe and Drylands Expert Tag Together, Calling for Greater Efforts to Secure Healthy Soils and Combat Desertification . . 23 September 2012.
  26. Web site: Miss Universo 2011 participa da Rio+20 . . 17 June 2012. 23 September 2012.
  27. Web site: Miss Universe 2011 Leila Lopes + NY Giants Osi Umenyiora | Igbo Weddings Online . 2013-02-16 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130225120428/http://igboweddingsonline.com/miss-universe-2011-leila-lopes-ny-giants-osi-umenyiora/ . 25 February 2013 . dmy-all .
  28. Web site: Leila Lopes: "As angolanas estão mais poderosas, determinadas e independentes" - ANGONOTÍCIAS. ANGONOTÍCIAS. 2017-07-10.
  29. Web site: 'Osi Umenyiora e Leila Umenyiora Comentam sobre as mensagens da suposta amante de OSi Fonte: Jet 7 Angola. 31 May 2015. Platina Online. 22 July 2015.
  30. Web site: Phillips . Sabrina . Miss Universe Leila Lopes Starts Training BJJ With Fabio Gurgel . Jitsmagazine . 8 October 2023.