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Ashley Callingbull’s face is all over the place and it’s not just because she’s beautiful
Indigenous supermodel who is competing to be Miss Universe defends pageants, explains the ‘rez’ mentality and criticizes the prime minister
Ashley Callingbull, a 34-year-old from Enoch Cree Nation near Edmonton, is the first Indigenous woman to be crowned Miss Universe Canada. In November, she competes for the title of Miss Universe, in Mexico City.
She’s comfortable in the spotlight: Ashley’s an actor, a model and a sports host. Currently, she’s filming a TV series for AMC network in Chicago, and a film she stars in, The Great Salish Heist, is due to be released this month. Ashley’s an in-game host for the National Hockey League, the Canadian Football League and the National Lacrosse League. In 2015, she was crowned Mrs. Universe.
For her two million followers, Ashley’s Instagram feed is a buzzy highlight reel of success. There she is — on the cover of Fashion magazine; nominated for Model of the Year at the Canadian Arts and Fashion awards; modelling a swimsuit in Sports Illustrated.
“It’s not really showing what I overcame to get there or how I grew up or what I went through emotionally, mentally, to be who I am today,” Ashley explains, when I finally catch up to her on Zoom.
It’s 7 a.m. in Vancouver, where she’s now living, and even though she’s not glammed up, she oozes poise and professionalism.
