The former Miss Universe contestant caught up in a racism scandal has spoken out against cancel culture. Photo / Instagram
One of three Miss Universe contestants caught up in a racism scandal in 2018 has opened up about the moment she felt her career had ended.
Francesca Hung, 25, spoke to Stella Magazine about the moment she was filmed talking about non-English speaking contestants along with two other girls.
Now former Miss Australia Hung says the moment left her feeling "completely alone" - the video, posted to both Miss USA and Miss Colombia's Instagram accounts, could end her career.
But with Hung recently announced as E! Australia's new host, replacing Ksenija Lukich, it clearly didn't, despite her feeling that her reputation would never recover.
"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."
The Instagram Live video 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 said, "it would be really hard".
Summers then called Miss Vietnam "cute" and laughed at her English skills.
"She pretends to know so much English," she said.
Hung didn't comment but she appeared to be laughing along with the other girls.
Since the scandal, she's spoken up about online trolling and "cancel culture".
"I would never want anyone to feel what I felt ... Cancel culture is not helpful. Humans make mistakes."
Hung admitted she'd faced discrimination herself for her Asian heritage, despite having a privileged childhood in Sydney's northern suburbs.