Audrey Eckert falls during Miss USA farewell walk

Audrey Eckert, Miss USA 2025, fell multiple times during her farewell walk at the Miss USA 2026 pageant. Eckert tripped twice on stage in front of the audience and once behind the scenes immediately before her appearance.

During her walk toward the center of the stage, Eckert struggled with her long gown, nearly losing her crown. After receiving assistance from host Ian Ziring and encouragement from the audience, she returned to the stage but fell a second time. Despite the mishaps, she completed the program and crowned her successor, 31-year-old Justus Kelly of Virginia.

In a statement to People, Eckert described the situation as ‘pretty stressful’ and noted that the fast pace of the program prevented her from fixing her dress after the initial fall behind the scenes. She later joked about the incident, comparing herself to ‘the Jennifer Lawrence of the beauty world.’