'Getting Pregnant Is Really Not Easy': Celeste Cortesi Gets Real

There are days when it feels like our brains have multiple tabs open. Between work, household chores, errands, and parenting, we simply can’t close them all at once.

When you finally have time to wind down and close those tabs for a while, even choosing something to watch can feel like another chore.

If you’re planning a cozy night in, here’s an easy, no-brainer pick: Celeste Unscripted.

Celeste Unscripted follows the daily life of Celeste Cortesi, Miss Universe Philippines 2022 and CEO of Asul. Created by Emmy-winning producer Michael Carandang, the documentary-style series offers an unscripted look at her life as a beauty queen, entrepreneur, and CEO. In a heartwarming turn, it also follows her journey into motherhood.

“I’ve always wanted to be a young mom. I think at that time I underestimated how hard it is to grow life and how affected I could be, mentally and physically,” Celeste shares with Smart Parenting.

Celeste was crowned Miss Universe Philippines 2022 and went on to represent the country at the Miss Universe pageant later that year. Soon after the competition, she launched her own beauty brand, Asul.

Alongside her career milestones, Celeste also found happiness with her partner, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Jonathan Sterling. In Celeste Unscripted, viewers get a glimpse of their relationship as they navigate one of the biggest changes in their lives—preparing to become first-time parents together.

She also shared, “This past year has been a rollercoaster; it definitely made me learn more about myself and the way I show up for the people I love. I feel like I’ve grown so much, and yet I’m still discovering parts of myself. It definitely made me realize the things that truly matter in such a chaotic environment and made me prioritize my family, especially with the arrival of our first son.”

The series gives viewers a glimpse into Celeste’s life—from running her beauty brand and sharing behind-the-scenes moments from the pageant world to enjoying a luxurious lifestyle. While the glamour is captivating, the show is equally grounded in the realities of pregnancy, from hormonal changes to adjusting to every stage of motherhood. What does it really feel like living a luxurious life, leading a beauty brand, while pregnant?

Celeste Unscripted captures the beauty queen’s vulnerable transition into motherhood. She candidly shared, "I love my baby. I cannot wait for the baby to be here and everything. But pregnancy is so hard. Especially now that I'm in my third trimester, I just cry over anything. I'm so emotional, I'm so hormonal. And it's something like you cannot even, really explain or control, you're just very sensitive.”

Pregnancy also gave Celeste a deeper appreciation for motherhood. “Getting pregnant is really not easy, it’s really a journey and I think I underestimated the stress and the hormonal changes and all of these things. Now, I have so much more respect for mothers because it's very difficult to go through this."

Before getting pregnant, Celeste was already a proud fur mom to her beloved two fur babies, Chloe and Fendi. If you’re a fellow fur parent, watching Celeste Unscripted with your furry companions might make the experience even more fun.

Finally, Celeste shares what she hopes people understand about her after watching the show, “Honestly, I just hope people get inspired. No one is perfect. My life is certainly not perfect, but I have learned to appreciate the ups and downs, knowing I am exactly where I am meant to be. I hope people get to relate and feel somehow like they’re not alone. There is way more in the show than luxury travel and lifestyle.”

Grab your favorite drink and snack, close those mental tabs for a while, and settle in for Celeste Unscripted.

Celeste Unscripted premieres August 8 and airs every Saturday at 10:30 p.m. on GTV — Channel 24 (SKYcable and Destiny), Channel 11 (Cignal), and Channel 6 (GSat) on cable, and Channel 2 (GMA Affordabox) and Channel 15 (ABS-CBN TVplus) on digital TV — with a worldwide premiere on GMA Life TV on August 15.

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