Photos of the exact moment 36 contestants found out they won Miss USA

Johnson was the fourth-ever Miss USA.

Howell was the first Miss Louisiana to win Miss USA.

Downey's hair has the signature '60s wave.

Hitchcock memorably said during her pageant, "I can't think of a single disadvantage that goes along with being pretty," according to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

At the time, getting the crown earned the winner a $10,000 prize and a brand-new wardrobe, reported the Reading Eagle.

Wilson originally competed as Miss Nevada in 1970 but after a move to Hawaii competed for the Aloha State.

Jones was the 22nd Miss USA and was 22 years old when she won her crown.

At 5-foot-11, Morrison was the tallest person to win a major beauty pageant at the time, according to the Sumter Daily Item.

Weatherly was the fifth Miss USA to become Miss Universe when she competed in Seoul, South Korea.

Hayek went on to appear in multiple TV shows including "Moonlighting," "Dallas," and "Twin Peaks."

Yes, that Halle Berry was the runner-up for Miss USA 1986 — and she's not the only celebrity to have dabbled in the beauty pageant world.

Gist was the first black woman to win Miss USA.

Marketic also won Miss Photogenic at the 1992 pageant.

Moore can be seen on "The Real Housewives of Atlanta," though she left as a full-time cast member in 2018.

Landry is one of the most notable former-Miss USA winners, having since appeared in numerous commercials, magazines, and movies. In 2018, she appeared in an episode of sitcom "Kevin Can Wait."

Pressler has been the reporter for all FOX Sports Professional Bowlers Association events since 2010.

Cole was the first Miss USA from Tennessee.

The 2001 pageant was hosted for the first and only time by William Shatner after he played a pageant host in the 2000 comedy "Miss Congeniality."

Hinton was the first winner from Washington, DC, in 38 years. The last Miss District of Columbia winner was in 1964.

After her reign ended, Finnessey appeared on and won the short-lived reality dating competition show "Ready for Love." She was chosen by one of the show's three bachelors, though the two broke up shortly after.

After her reign, Cooley joined the girl group BQ Girls — BQ stands for Beauty Queens — alongside former Miss Universe 1998 Wendy Fitzwilliam, Miss Teen USA 2012 first runner-up Haley Seibert, and Miss China Universe 2011 third runner-up Yi Na.

Conner became the center of a scandal during her reign when she was caught partying and tested positive for cocaine. She checked into rehab and was able to hang onto her crown.

When Smith traveled to Mexico for Miss Universe, she dressed up as Elvis Presley for the National Costume Show to honor her Tennessee home.

Read more: The wildest outfits in the history of Miss Universe's National Costume Show

Stewart had her first major acting role in the 2018 film "Acrimony," written and directed by Tyler Perry.

Pageants are in Dalton's blood — her mother, Jennie, was Miss North Carolina in 1982 and her sister, Julia, was the second runner-up in the 2008 Miss Teen USA pageant.

ABC News reported that Fakih was the first Muslim Miss USA.

Pageant queen Campanella is now married to another royal of sorts, actor Torrance Coombs, who played the illegitimate son of King Henry II on "Reign."

Culpo went on to win Miss Universe, the first Miss USA to take the crown since 1997.

Brady was the first Miss Connecticut to win Miss USA.

Sanchez is a fourth-degree black belt in taekwondo.

Jordan is the first woman to represent the US at two international pageants. She was the American representative at Miss Universe, as all Miss USAs are, and also was Miss World America at the Miss World pageant in 2013.

Barber was the first Miss USA to have served in the armed forces.

This was a back-to-back win for Washington, DC.

Summers was the reigning Miss USA after placing in the top 20 at Miss Universe.

Kryst is a full-time attorney who works on getting inmates released from prison.

Branch was crowned in Memphis, Tennessee, by Cheslie Kryst – the longest-running Miss USA in history due to the pandemic.

• Read more:
• Photos of the exact moment 35 contestants found out they won Miss Universe
• 10 of the biggest beauty pageant scandals of all time
• Here are the biggest differences between Miss Universe and Miss USA
• 37 photos of Miss America winners being crowned through the years