Kathy Morningside is the main antagonist of the 2000 comedy movie Miss Congeniality.
She was portrayed by Candice Bergen.
Biography[]
When the FBI learns about a bomb threat against the 75th annual Miss United States beauty pageant in San Antonio, TX, they send agent and heroine, Gracie Hart, and other agents to investigate. Morningside, competition director and ex-pageant winner, gives Gracie a hard time by reminding her that it is not a beauty pageant, it is a scholarship program and that she has been fighting all her life against feminists and ugly women like Gracie and then threatening to kill her if she gets in her way. It is also revealed that Morningside along with other beauty pageant officials are getting replaced with younger people. Gracie suspects Morningside as well because of her past of winning a pageant contest by cheating, food poisoning the original winner.
Then it is revealed that Morningside is indeed responsible for the bomb threats, by writing the letters and planning, and the plan of blowing the winner up. It is revealed as well, Frank Tobin, her assistant and co-villain, is her son and helping her in her plans. She explains to him she is angry that she is getting replaced and plans revenge. Later, she questions Gracie that there are some people who see the pageant as outdated and anti-feminist, which Gracie answers that even though she used to be one of them, she has changed and realizes that they are very intelligent and wonderful women and trying to help the world be bigger and better. Gracie also gives Morningside a warning if she harms any of them she will take her out and hurt her real bad.
Then when Gracie finds out that Tobin is Morningside's son and with the help of other heroes, Victor and Eric, they stop Morningside from killing the winner. Later, when Morningside is arrested, she says that Gracie has not won anything and destroyed the dreams of many women of the USA, which Gracie replies "What? You think their dream is to get blown up?". Then Morningside reveals her true colors, accusing the the women of bitching and complains about getting fired and replaced from her beauty pageant job, which Gracie corrects her saying that it is not a beauty pageant, but a scholarship program and Morningside is taken to prison.