After a six-year hiatus, Miss USA is making its return to broadcast television, now airing during prime time. On Friday, September 29th, 51 women will be taking the stage at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno Nevada for the chance to be named the 72nd Miss USA. Mary Malloy, the current Miss Rhode Island USA, will be competing in hopes of securing Rhode Island’s second Miss USA crown. Rhode Island’s first Miss USA winner, Olivia Culpo, won back in 2012 and later went on to win Miss Universe. Mary will be competing in three different categories; interview, swimsuit, and evening gown. All delegates will compete first in a private interview followed by the preliminary swimsuit and evening gown competition on Thursday, September 28. The top 20 women will recompete during the final broadcast live on the CW from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern time.
Mary has been competing in pageants for almost a decade. Her first pageant was Miss Rhode Island Teen USA 2014 where she placed as a semi-finalist. She then returned to the stage and won the title of Miss Rhode Island Teen USA 2015. That same year, she represented Rhode Island in the Bahamas at the national Miss Teen USA pageant. Mary is once again excited to represent her home state on the national stage this time as a Miss rather than a Teen. “I grew up watching Miss USA and Miss Universe on TV with my family so it feels very nostalgic to have it back on prime time,” says Malloy.
Miss USA competitors checked in on Friday, September 22 where they began preparing for the big week leading up to the pageant. Mary and the other delegates participated in photoshoots, fittings, producer interviews, and other excursions before rehearsal started. I had the honor to be able to interview Mary before she hit the stage to discuss her experience, goals, and the impact her title has had on her.
When and why did you start doing pageants?
“I started competing in pageants in 2013 after my best friend Vanessa Perera suggested I start competing. I grew up doing theater and although I loved being on stage as a character I found it difficult to be myself in my everyday life so I started competing to force myself out of my comfort zone and build my confidence. The first pageant I competed in was Miss Rhode Island Teen USA 2014 and I placed as a semi-finalist. I returned the next year and I won! Flash forward nearly 10 years later, I’m still competing and going after my dream title of Miss USA.”
What are your goals going into Miss USA?
“I would love to win the title, but more importantly, I would love to highlight the work that I’ve done as a mental health advocate. I volunteer as a crisis counselor for a crisis hotline and I wrote and published a children’s coloring book about emotion. I hope that I’ll be able to highlight all of the work that I’ve done while also ensuring that people know that there are free resources that they can connect to whenever they’re in crisis and that there are people that want to help them during the hardest moments. Unfortunately, mental health is a stigmatized topic but suicide is the second leading cause of death and young adults so it’s an important topic to talk about. Hopefully, I can help combat the stigma and start important conversations.”
What has been your favorite part of being Miss Rhode Island USA 2023?
“Going out into the community and making a difference at local events! Miss USA is just one day out of the year of being Miss Rhode Island USA. It’s important for me to stay involved in the community as a title holder throughout my year before and after Miss USA because I know that this is an opportunity for me to be a positive role model within the state. It’s an opportunity that I do not take for granted.”
As we eagerly await the Miss USA pageant, the anticipation among viewers is growing by the day. This year's panel of judges includes Nicole Miller, Vivica A. Fox, Emina Cunmulaj Nazarian, and Patrick Star. If Mary is fortunate to be crowned Miss USA, her journey will continue as she competes for the Miss Universe title in El Salvador this November. Be sure to watch Miss USA and support Mary as she fights for her chance at the crown. Mary’s journey is nothing short of inspirational and a testament to her personal strength. Her dedication and consistency throughout the years have helped her get to where she is today. Her story serves as a compelling example, challenging others to pursue their dreams and work hard to achieve them.
