Francesca Hung opens up about 2018’s Miss Universe racism scandal
She’s one of the Miss Universe contestants who made headlines for a “racist” video in 2018. Now, Francesca Hung is standing up against cancel culture.
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Francesca Hung – one of three Miss Universe contestants embroiled in a “racist” bullying scandal in 2018 – has opened up about the moment she thought her career was over before it began.
Just over a year ago, Hung, 25, was filmed sitting with fellow beauty queens as they discussed non-English speaking competitors, calling Miss Vietnam “cute” and commenting that taking part in the competition as a non-English speaker would be “confusing”.
The conversation led to global uproar, the three contestants labelled “racist” and “bigoted” after they appeared to make fun of their peers.
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Now, in an interview with Stellar, former Miss Australia Hung says the moment left her feeling “completely alone” as it dawned on her that the viral footage, posted to Miss USA Sarah Rose Summers and Miss Colombia Valeria Morales’ Instagram accounts, could spell the end of her career.
Of course, it didn’t, with Hung recently announced as E! Australia’s new host replacing Ksenija Lukich, but at the time, it felt like her reputation would never recover.
“That was a very low moment,” the 25-year-old model recalled of waking up to find her inbox flooded with messages.
“I was crying, I didn’t have any family or friends with me. I was completely alone. I remember thinking I was doomed, and that my career was over before it had really even started.”
But a phone call with her mother Kerry back home in Sydney brought some perspective, Hung explained.
“My mum said, ‘What are you talking about? Why are you so upset?’ And I said, ‘Mum, have you not seen what is online?’ And she’s like, ‘No, you know I don’t have Instagram or Facebook. Francesca, I haven’t seen any of it and you’re my daughter – so keep going and don’t let this affect you. The people giving you this hate are strangers. The people
who know you know your intentions and know who you are’.”
In the Instagram Live video filmed in Bangkok, the trio mocked Miss Vietnam H’Hen Nie and Miss Cambodia Rern Sinat for speaking poor English.
“Could you imagine? Like Francesca said, that would be so isolating, and I said yes, and I mean, just confusing all the time,” Miss USA Sarah Rose Summers said.
Hung nodded and added: “It would be really hard.”
Summers went on to call Miss Vietnam “cute”, laughing as she commented on her English skills.
“She pretends to know so much English,” she said.
While Hung didn’t comment at this point, she appeared to laugh along with the other girls.
It was a steep learning curve for Hung, who at that stage had very little experience in the public eye.
Since the scandal, she’s been inspired to speak up about online trolling and what she
considers the worrisome nature of cancel culture.
“I would never want anyone to feel what I felt,” she explained.
“I’ve spoken before about my struggles with anxiety and depression. At the time, I knew
I had to work when I was in a vulnerable head space, but I can’t imagine how anyone who hasn’t seen a psychologist could get through that. Cancel culture is not helpful. Humans make mistakes.”
What made it more troubling for Hung was that she’d grappled with discrimination herself. While she’s quick to point out her childhood in Sydney’s northern suburbs was privileged, she also says she struggled with her Asian heritage.
“When I went to primary school, there was one other Asian student,” explained Hung. “So I think that defined my insecurities growing up. Then I went to an all-girls high school and, of 180 girls, maybe three (in my year) were Asian.”
She vividly remembers the first time she encountered and understood the power of racism. “When I was 10, my family took a ferry over to Patonga on the NSW Central Coast. As we got off the ferry, a car drove past and the guys (inside) yelled out, ‘Go back to where you came from!’ I had never experienced anything like that before. That’s when I started getting really sensitive about it.”
Hung – whose Australian-born father Philip is of Chinese descent – now takes pride in her background. “I get to celebrate two cultures. I also love seeing someone successful in Australia who has any kind of mixed heritage; I rally behind them and it becomes this secret society.
“When I meet someone of a different ethnicity, there is a common feeling. We support
each other. Every win for them feels like a win for yourself.”
Hung was recently appointed as host of the E! channel in Australia.
“I flipped out,” she said of landing the job. “For years I’ve been telling myself I want to work in presenting – but nobody gets their dream job as their first. This just doesn’t happen.”
For the full story, Stellar Magazine is available inside The Sunday Telegraph, Sunday Herald Sun and The Sunday Mail.
For more from Stellar, head to www.stellarmag.com.au
Originally published as Francesca Hung opens up about 2018’s Miss Universe racism scandal