Brook Lee

Brook Antoinette Mahealani Lee (born January 8, 1971) is an American former beauty queen who was crowned Miss Hawaii USA 1997, Miss USA 1997, and Miss Universe 1997. Lee is the first native Hawaiian to win the title of Miss Universe.[1]

Not to be confused with Lee Brooks or Lee Brookes.

Brook Lee
Born
Brook Antoinette Mahealani Lee

(1971-01-08) January 8, 1971
Pearl City, Hawaii, U.S.
Height5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Beauty pageant titleholder
TitleMiss Hawaii USA 1997
Miss USA 1997
Miss Universe 1997
Hair colorBrown
Eye colorBrown
Major
competition(s)		Miss Hawaii USA 1997
(Winner)
Miss USA 1997
(Winner)
Miss Universe 1997
(Winner)

Early life

Lee was born on January 8, 1971, in Pearl City, Hawaii. She is of Chinese, Korean, Native Hawaiian, Portuguese, French, Dutch and English ancestry.[2] Her Korean grandfather emigrated to Hawaii in the 1950s. Lee's mother, Toni, was president of Na Pua Ke Ali'i Pauahi, an alumni association of the school who petitioned the board for reforms.[3]

Lee attended University Lab School for one year (1987–88) and graduated from Kamehameha Schools in 1989.[4][5] She is a graduate of Chaminade University.[6] Lee also pursued graduate-level studies in communications at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.[5]

Her Korean name is Lee Shi-nae (이시내).[7]

Pageantry

Miss USA 1997

Lee was crowned Miss Hawaii USA on her first try, then went on to participate in Miss USA 1997 at Shreveport, Louisiana on February 5, 1997, where she was crowned the winner by outgoing titleholder Ali Landry of Louisiana.[4][8]

Miss Universe 1997

Lee represented the United States in the Miss Universe 1997 pageant in Miami Beach, Florida.[9] On May 16, 1997, she won the crown at 26 years and 128 days, becoming the oldest Miss Universe to win up until the victory of Andrea Meza, Miss Universe 2020, who won at the age of 26 years and 276 days. This record would be broken once more during the Miss Universe 2022 competition when R'Bonney Gabriel won at the age of 28 years and 300 days.[9][10][11]

Lee and Al Masini, along with funding from the state, helped bring the Miss Universe 1998 pageant to Honolulu, Hawaii, for the first time.[2][12]

Later life

After her reign as Miss Universe she made several cameo appearances in movies and television shows, and has hosted many television shows in Asia and the United States. She is the host of a regional television show known as Pacific Fusion, which focuses on Asian-American lifestyles. She has also hosted episodes of Great Cruises on the Travel Channel.

References
  1. Kim, Leland (June 5, 2009). "Where are they now? Hawaii's Miss Universe Brook Lee".
  2. Wilson (2000). Reimagining the American Pacific: From South Pacific to Bamboo Ridge and Beyond. Duke University Press. pp. 16–. ISBN 9780822325239.
  3. Rath, J. Arthur (2006). Lost Generations: A Boy, a School, a Princess. University of Hawaii Press. pp. 210–. ISBN 9780824830106.
  4. "Never forget when Miss Universe Brook Mahealani Lee gave the best pageant answer ever". Hawaii Magazine. October 16, 2015. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  5. "Hawaii's Miss USA jumps into the job". archives.starbulletin.com. Archived from the original on December 30, 2015. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  6. Kakesako, Gregg K. "Hawaii's Miss USA jumps into the job". Star-Bulletin.
  7. "[클로즈업]한국계 97년 미스 유니버스 브룩 리 : 연재 : 뉴스 : 동아닷컴". Donga.com. September 13, 2000. Retrieved September 1, 2012.
  8. "Miss Hawaii Named Miss USA". Newspapers.com. February 6, 1997. Archived from the original on July 19, 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  9. "Miss USA new Miss Universe". Newspapers.com. May 17, 1997. Archived from the original on July 19, 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  10. "From the oldest to the tallest winners and backstage sabotage: 11 winning facts about Miss Universe". Channel. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  11. Power, Monito (June 18, 2021). "Who Is Andrea Meza? From Miss World and Miss Mexico, the Journey to Her Miss Universe 2020 Win". queenly.com. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  12. "Hawaii landing the crown jewel of pageants was like 'winning the right to host the Olympics'". archives.starbulletin.com. Archived from the original on March 2, 2014. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
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