Michelle Dee on Miss Thailand Anntonia Porsild: 'We had so much in common!'

The Miss Universe 2023 beauty pageant is definitely one for the books and among its highlights include the #PorDee friendship formed between Michelle Dee and Thailand Anntonia Porsild, representatives from competitive pageant powerhouse countries the Philippines and Thailand. 

According to Michelle, they weren't instant friends. "When we arrived [in El Salvador] the first week, we were assigned to different tourist destinations, so hindi kami nagsama until rehearsals," she says of Anntonia.

But when they did, they instantly hit it off. "We realize we had so much in common. Our sarcasm, our humor. We could relate to being — super kalog kami!" Michelle said on "Unang Hirit" Monday.

On the first day of rehearsals, the two beauty queens from Southeast Asia posed for a photo "to show Philippines and Thailand are good friends, wala na yung away-away," Michelle said, explaining they didn't expect "to be linked together."

 From there, "naging inseperable kami," Michelle said.

Nicaragua's Sheynnis Palacios was crowned Miss Universe 2023, Anntonia became the 1st runner-up of Miss Universe 2023, while Michelle settled for a Top 10 finish, along with four special awards.

Throughout the beauty pageant, Michelle and Anntonia became darlings of social media, thanks to the photos and videos they constantly shared on socials. Netizens even whipped up a dedicated hashtag for the two duo, #PorDeeUniverse. 

Before going back home to their respective countries, Michelle and Anntonia posed for a photo and promised "it's not goodbye" for the two of them.

Michelle guested on "Unang Hirit" Monday and talked a little bit more about her Miss Universe journey. — LA, GMA Integrated News