Biography

Armi Kuusela was born on August 20, 1934 in Muhos, Finland. She is an actress, known for Maailman kaunein tyttö (1953), Now and Forever (1953) and Between the Fist and the Stove (1997). She has been married to Albert Williams since June 8, 1978. She was previously married to Virgilio Hilario.

Armi Kuusela was the first winner of the Miss Universe pageant in 1952, making her the first Finnish woman to hold the title.

Children with Gil Hilario: Arne, Anna-Lisa, Jussi, Eva-Maria and Mikko.

The first Miss Universe to make a movie in the Philippines with Now and Forever (1953). Other Miss Universe winners who did Filipino films are Philippines' Gloria Diaz - Miss Universe 1969, Spain's Amparo Muñoz - Miss Universe 1974, Puerto Rico's Dayanara Torres - Miss Universe 1993, Philippines' Pia Wurtzbach - Miss Universe 2015 and Philippines' Catriona Gray - Miss Universe 2018.

She is the first Miss Universe winner, and also the first Miss Universe to quit the title. She relinquished her crown shortly before her reign ended to marry Filipino businessman, developer, and hotelier Virgilio Hilario. They got married on May 4, 1953 in Tokyo, Japan.

She is the very first foreign beauty queen to do a movie in the Philippines with Now and Forever (1953). These elite circle of foreign beauty queens who did movies in the Philippines include Puerto Rico's Dayanara Torres - Miss Universe 1993, Michelle Van Eimeren - Miss Universe Australia 1994; and Priscilla Meirelles - Miss Earth 2004, Brazil.