Some pageant winners train for years before a crown lands on their head. Elle Smith was crowned Miss USA 2021 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, after what Seventeen described as her first-ever pageant competition (Seventeen (celebrity magazine); USA Today (national daily)).
Birth date: June 20, 1998 · Height: 5’10” · Title: Miss USA 2021 · Represented: Kentucky · Occupation: Model and reporter
Quick snapshot
- Won Miss USA 2021 as her first national crown (The Courier-Journal (Louisville daily))
- Broadcast journalism degree from the University of Kentucky in 2020; later reported at WHAS-TV in Louisville (University of Kentucky (official alumni profile))
- Exact start date of the reported relationship with footballer Leah Williamson
- Whether either party will confirm or address the rumors
- Itemized value of the Miss Universe winner’s prize package
- Her next career move after the pageant cycle
- Whether her social media return in 2024 signals a new direction
- What prompted her return to social media after a hiatus
- : crowned Miss USA in Tulsa (USA Today (national daily))
- : Miss Universe 2021 in Eilat, Israel (NNPA (Black-press association))
- No announced return to full-time TV reporting
- Fitness and lifestyle content on social media since 2024
- Watch: whether she builds a post-crown media brand
Eight datapoints, one pattern: the public record on Smith is strongest on titles and education, and thinner on exactly what she does next.
| Label | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Elle Smith |
| Birth date | June 20, 1998 (per Wikipedia (crowdsourced reference)) |
| Place of birth | Springfield, Ohio, USA |
| Height | 5’10” (178 cm) |
| Title | Miss USA 2021 (The Courier-Journal (Louisville daily)) |
| Represented | Kentucky |
| Occupation | Model, actress, reporter |
| Known for | Miss USA 2021; Jack Harlow’s “Churchill Downs” video |
Was Elle Smith Miss USA?
Yes — and the date is precise. Smith, then 23, was crowned Miss USA 2021 on , at the River Spirit Casino Resort in Tulsa, Oklahoma (The Courier-Journal (Louisville daily)). She competed as Miss Kentucky, a state title she had won earlier that year (AL.com (regional news site)).
- First pageant: the 2021 season was reportedly her first-ever pageant competition.
Before the crown, the only unusual page in her file is the absence of a pageant file: she arrived with a single state win, not a decade of local titles.
Who is Ella Smith?
- The trophy winner spells it “Elle” — “Ella” is one of the most common search misspellings.
- Born and raised in Springfield, Ohio (Wikipedia (crowdsourced reference); Seventeen (celebrity magazine))
- Graduated Shawnee High School in 2016
Smith’s post-college resume is journalism-first. She earned a broadcast journalism degree from the University of Kentucky (University of Kentucky (official alumni profile)), served as vice president of the UK chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists, and worked as a reporter at WHAS-TV in Louisville.
Before graduating, she also picked up internships across broadcasting, sports production, and journalism (KRNL Magazine (student publication)).
What is Elle Smith’s ethnicity?
Precise ethnicity labels on random profile sites are the weakest link in Smith’s search trail. The verifiable record covers her Ohio upbringing, her Kentucky title, and her journalism degree — not a detailed ethnic profile.
Born and raised in Ohio, she represented Kentucky on the national stage. That bi-state identity already separates her from the typical pageant biography; her ethnic background simply has not been a documented part of the public story.
Has a Miss USA ever won Miss Universe?
- Yes — once: Olivia Culpo won Miss Universe 2012 after taking Miss USA 2012.
- No Miss USA winner has repeated it since.
That record matters for Smith’s own run: she represented the U.S. at Miss Universe 2021 and placed in the Top 10 (Seventeen (celebrity magazine)).
The pattern is clear: her public record is strongest on titles and education, and thinner on personal details.
Who is Elle Smith’s partner?
The public record is silent. Smith has not confirmed a partner in any major interview, and that absence of information is itself the story here.
How long have Leah Williamson and Elle Smith been together?
Readers researching Smith’s personal life face a wall of confident rumors because no major outlet has produced an on-record statement from either party. That absence makes the relationship question a curiosity, not a verifiable fact.
- Who: Leah Williamson, England and Arsenal footballer.
- Claimed start: 2023, per unconfirmed fan speculation.
- Current status: unconfirmed.
In most celebrity coverage this would be a thin paragraph. Here it is the whole picture: a quiet gap in Smith’s public biography, amplified by search curiosity.
The implication: until Smith or Williamson addresses it directly, any specific start date or status report is guesswork, not journalism.
Why did Donald Trump sell Miss Universe?
To understand Smith’s 2021 Miss Universe run, look at who ran the franchise before: Donald Trump’s company held the Miss Universe, Miss USA, and Miss Teen USA pageants from 1996 until 2015.
How many years did Trump own Miss Universe?
- 19 years: 1996 through 2015.
- The portfolio included Miss USA and Miss Teen USA alongside Miss Universe.
The sale to WME/IMG followed a disruptive 2015 sequence: Trump’s comments about Mexican immigrants during his presidential campaign sparked backlash, NBC dropped its pageant telecasts, and the organization was then sold.
Did Melania Trump compete in Miss Universe?
- Yes: Melania Knauss, later Melania Trump, competed as Miss Slovenia at Miss Universe 1992.
- She did not win; Michelle McLean of Namibia took the crown.
Did Trump actually graduate from college?
- Yes: Trump graduated from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School in 1968.
What does Donald Trump own?
- Trump’s portfolio across real estate, licensing, and media changed repeatedly over decades.
- For pageant history, the key fact is that his ownership covered Miss Universe, Miss USA, and Miss Teen USA before the 2015 sale.
The Miss Universe stage Smith walked in 2021 had a new owner, a new broadcaster, and a deliberate distance from the Trump years. Yet the 1996–2015 ownership era still shapes how the pageant’s business history is told.
The pattern: Smith’s crown belongs to the post-Trump era of the franchise, but the franchise’s business reputation was built — and nearly broken — in the Trump years.
How many years did Trump own Miss Universe?
The short answer is 19 years, but the structure around that number is where the business story lives.
- 1996: Trump’s company took control of the pageant system.
- 2015: sale to WME/IMG closed after NBC dropped the telecasts.
How much does Miss Universe earn?
- The winner’s prize is not publicly itemized; pageant commentary estimates cash, wardrobe, housing, and travel support at more than $1 million.
That “salary” framing misses the real economics: most of the value comes from endorsements, appearances, and speaking fees that vary by winner.
The catch: “Miss Universe salary” is a popular search, not a contractual line item. The financial reality depends on the winner’s market, not a fixed payout.
Did Melania Trump compete in Miss Universe?
Yes — roughly 30 years before Smith’s run, Melania Knauss (later Trump) represented Slovenia at Miss Universe 1992.
- Winner in 1992: Michelle McLean of Namibia.
- The connection is frequently cited when the pageant’s Trump-era history comes up.
What this means: the Trump family’s pageant history predates Smith’s career by decades. It is useful context for why the franchise changed hands — not a personal link to Smith.
Key dates in Elle Smith’s run
- : Born in Springfield, Ohio (per Wikipedia (crowdsourced reference))
- May 2021: Won Miss Kentucky USA 2021 (AL.com (regional news site))
- 2020: Graduated from the University of Kentucky with a broadcast journalism degree (University of Kentucky (official alumni profile))
- : Crowned Miss USA 2021 in Tulsa, Oklahoma (USA Today (national daily))
- : Competed at Miss Universe 2021 in Eilat, Israel, making the Top 10 (NNPA (Black-press association))
- 2022: Appeared in Jack Harlow’s “Churchill Downs” music video (Wikipedia (crowdsourced reference))
The pattern: from a standing start to Miss USA in roughly six months — and a much quieter public footprint since.
Confirmed vs. unclear: what the public record shows
Smith’s story is unusually split: official titles are easy to verify, while the answers to the most searched personal questions are not.
Confirmed facts
- Elle Smith won Miss USA 2021 (NNPA (Black-press association))
- She represented Kentucky at Miss USA 2021 (AL.com (regional news site))
- She was born June 20, 1998 (Seventeen (celebrity magazine))
What’s unclear
- Start date and status of the reported Leah Williamson relationship
- Her ethnic background, which she has not publicly itemized
- Value of the Miss Universe winner’s prize package
- Whether she returns to full-time TV reporting or builds a pageant-adjacent media brand
- Whether her social media return in 2024 signals a new direction
- What prompted her return to social media after a hiatus
Why this matters: readers searching Smith’s name will find confident claims on gossip forums; the verified record is narrower, and the split above is the difference.
Voices: what Smith and her institutional bio say
After a long quiet stretch, Smith’s own public voice is minimal. Her Instagram return in 2024 carried a casual caption typical of her low-key style:
me for my @wearetala fam x
— Elle Smith, Instagram
The University of Kentucky’s alumni profile puts her post-graduation path plainly:
Elle Smith earned a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism and a minor in political science.
— University of Kentucky alumni profile
The takeaway: the biographical weight in Smith’s file comes from institutions — universities and newsrooms — not from a personal brand built on publicity.
Where that leaves Elle Smith
Smith’s title is on the record, her journalism degree is verifiable, and her rise was startlingly fast — but the most-searched details of her personal life are not. For editors and fans, the discipline is the same as it is for any pageant story: cite the verified record when it exists, and label the rest as rumor. For Smith, the next chapter is the harder one: turning a one-year crown into a durable media career before the pageant cycle moves on.
en.wikipedia.org, courier-journal.com, uky.edu, imdb.com, krnlmagazine.com, seventeen.com, usatoday.com, nnpa.org
Frequently asked questions
Is Elle Smith still Miss USA?
Smith won the title at the 2021 competition, and pageant crowns are held for a one-year cycle. She has not been Miss USA since that reign ended.
Did Elle Smith win Miss Universe?
No. She represented the United States at Miss Universe 2021 and reached the Top 10, but she did not win.
How old is Elle Smith?
She was born June 20, 1998, and was 23 when she won Miss USA 2021.
Where is Elle Smith from?
She was born in Springfield, Ohio, and represented Kentucky in the 2021 pageant season.
Who are Elle Smith’s parents?
No reliable public profile names her parents.
What ethnic background does Elle Smith have?
Smith has not publicly detailed her ethnic background. Precise labels in unverified profiles should be treated with caution.
Does Elle Smith have a TikTok account?
No official or confirmed TikTok account is documented; her visible social presence is mainly Instagram.
George Thompson is Senior Reporter at UrbanMixr.uk, covering breaking culture, lifestyle and general news stories across the UK.