Few resumes lead with “Miss USA winner” and “former Louisville TV reporter” in the same breath, but Elle Smith’s does. The University of Kentucky graduate won the 2021 title in Tulsa after entering her first pageant ever, according to her alma mater, and has been publicly linked with Arsenal and England captain Leah Williamson since 2023.
Born: June 19, 1998 (Wikipedia (biographical reference)) · Title: Miss USA 2021 · Occupation: Journalist, Model, Writer · Partner: Leah Williamson · Instagram Followers: 162K
Quick snapshot
- Won Miss USA 2021 in Tulsa (The Courier Journal (Kentucky news outlet))
- Won Miss Kentucky USA in her first pageant (The Courier Journal (Kentucky news outlet))
- Graduated from the University of Kentucky in 2020 (Seventeen (women’s lifestyle magazine))
- In a public relationship with Leah Williamson (Wikipedia (biographical reference))
- Exact start date of the Smith–Williamson relationship
- Full ethnic background details beyond public interviews
- Leah Williamson’s exact salary
- Whether the Jordan Nobbs rumor had any basis
- 1998 – Born June 19 (Seventeen (women’s lifestyle magazine))
- 2020 – Graduated from the University of Kentucky (Seventeen (women’s lifestyle magazine))
- 2021 – Won Miss USA (Seventeen (women’s lifestyle magazine))
- 2023 – Relationship with Williamson became public (Seventeen (women’s lifestyle magazine))
- Elle Smith’s screenwriting project “Untamed” is in development
- Leah Williamson continues to captain Arsenal and England
- Expect more public appearances from the couple
The essentials are compact: one title, one degree, one high-profile relationship.
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Ellen Elizabeth Smith |
| Born | June 19, 1998 (Wikipedia (biographical reference)) |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Title Held | Miss USA 2021 |
| Education | University of Kentucky |
| Occupation | Journalist, Model, Screenwriter |
| Partner | Leah Williamson |
| Social Media | @officialellesmith |
Who is Elle Smith and what is she known for?
Miss USA 2021 journey
- Won Miss Kentucky USA 2021 in her first pageant (University of Kentucky (her alma mater))
- Crowned Miss USA 2021 on November 29, 2021, in Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Represented the U.S. at Miss Universe 2021 in Eilat, Israel, and placed in the Top 10 (Seventeen (women’s lifestyle magazine))
- Advocated for cervical-cancer education and awareness during her reign
Smith’s pageant run was unusually short. Before entering Miss Kentucky USA, she had never competed in a pageant. The same year, she was crowned Miss USA at the River Spirit Casino Resort in Tulsa.
A first-pageant state win followed by a national crown is rare. Smith’s edge wasn’t pageant polish; it was the composure she built reporting live on air.
Her platform focused on cervical-cancer education, a cause tied to her grandmother’s death from the disease in 2015.
Career in journalism and screenwriting
- Graduated from the University of Kentucky in 2020 with a degree in broadcast journalism and a minor in political science
- Worked as a reporter for WHAS-TV in Louisville after graduating
- Served as vice president of the University of Kentucky chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists
- Has screenwriting credits, including the announced project “Untamed”
Smith began her WHAS-TV position in October 2020. Her journalism résumé was not a footnote to the crown; it is the base of her public profile. For a full bio of the Miss USA winner, our separate profile covers her pageant and media career in more depth.
Background and education
- Born June 19, 1998
- Graduated from Shawnee High School in 2016 (Seventeen (women’s lifestyle magazine))
- Earned a broadcast journalism degree and political science minor from the University of Kentucky in 2020
The education piece matters because pageant interview rounds reward exactly what a broadcast journalism degree trains: concise, on-message answers under pressure.
How long have Leah Williamson and Elle Smith been together?
Public confirmation of the relationship
- Relationship became public in 2023
- Neither Smith nor Williamson has given an exact start date
- Both women have continued to focus on their individual careers
Williamson, who captains Arsenal and England, has always kept her personal life measured (Nike Football Stories (sports feature)). Smith, by contrast, has been public-facing from the moment she won Miss USA.
Pageant star plus national team captain creates a crossover story that pulls attention from both sides of the Atlantic.
Are Elle Smith and Leah Williamson still together?
- Yes, as of the most recent reports, they are still a couple
- There has been no announcement of a split
- Williamson remains focused on Arsenal and England
The relationship timeline is relatively short, but it has been consistent. No major tabloid or sports outlet has reported a breakup. Our earlier overview of Smith’s background looks at the same relationship details from the pageant side.
Key milestones in their relationship
- 2021 – Smith wins Miss USA; Williamson wins the WSL title with Arsenal (Wikipedia (biographical reference))
- 2022 – Williamson captains England to the Euro 2022 title
- 2023 – The relationship becomes public
- 2024 – Williamson discusses EDS; Smith announces the screenwriting project “Untamed”
The pattern: the relationship became visible exactly when both careers were peaking, which is why it now reads as a stable fixture rather than a fleeting headline.
What is Elle Smith’s ethnicity?
Family background
- Smith has spoken about her mixed heritage in interviews
- She has not published detailed genealogical information
Identity has been a quiet thread in her public story. She represented Kentucky, a state not often at the center of national pageant conversations, and her win was framed as a step for diverse representation.
Mixed heritage and cultural identity
- According to Wikipedia, Smith is the second woman from Kentucky to win Miss USA (Wikipedia (biographical reference))
- Her platform emphasized education and cervical-cancer awareness
The rare double — a Kentucky winner who also made the Miss Universe Top 10 — gave Smith a national platform beyond the pageant itself.
The trade-off: Smith’s identity is often summarized in shorthand by headlines, but she has focused on her work in journalism, pageantry, and screenwriting.
What condition does Leah Williamson have?
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome explained
- Williamson has spoken publicly about having Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
- EDS affects connective tissue and can vary widely in severity
For an elite athlete, a connective-tissue condition creates extra recovery demands. Williamson has described it as a manageable part of her life, not a career-ending diagnosis.
Because EDS is invisible, athletes who mention it are often met with skepticism. Williamson’s willingness to talk about it helps change that.
Impact on her football career
- Williamson continues to play for Arsenal and captain England
- She has used her platform to advocate for chronic-condition awareness
Her career timeline shows the condition has not stopped her from reaching the top of the women’s game.
Why this matters: when the England captain is open about a chronic condition, it gives younger players a template for managing their own health while continuing to compete.
Are Leah Williamson and Jordan Nobbs together?
The timeline of Williamson and Nobbs
- Jordan Nobbs and Leah Williamson were long-time Arsenal teammates
- No reliable source has reported a romantic relationship between them
The rumor appears to be fan inference from their on-pitch partnership and off-pitch friendship, not a report from a credible outlet.
Current relationship status: Williamson and Smith
- Leah Williamson is in a public relationship with Elle Smith
- Smith has been the partner identified in coverage since 2023
That makes the answer to the old rumor simple: no, Williamson is not with Nobbs; her partner is Elle Smith.
The implication: separating rumor from reality matters here because Williamson’s long-term relationship is with Smith, and the Nobbs question keeps resurfacing without evidence.
Seven dates compress the dual timeline of Smith and Williamson into a single view.
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2016 | Graduated from Shawnee High School (Seventeen (women’s lifestyle magazine)) |
| 2020 | Graduated from University of Kentucky; joined WHAS-TV |
| 2021 | Won Miss Kentucky USA and Miss USA |
| 2021 | Represented the U.S. at Miss Universe, Top 10 |
| 2022 | Led England to the Euro 2022 title |
| 2023 | Relationship with Leah Williamson became public |
| 2024 | Williamson discussed EDS; Smith announced the screenwriting project “Untamed” |
Timeline signal
- – Smith is born on June 19
- – Smith wins Miss USA; Williamson wins the WSL title
- – The relationship becomes public
- – Williamson speaks about EDS; Smith announces “Untamed”
Confirmed facts
- Elle Smith won Miss USA 2021
- She is a journalist and screenwriter
- She is in a relationship with Leah Williamson
- Leah Williamson has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (Wikipedia (biographical reference))
What’s unclear
- Exact start date of the Smith–Williamson relationship
- Full ethnic background details beyond public interviews
- Leah Williamson’s exact salary
- Whether the Nobbs rumor had any basis
- Details of Smith’s upcoming screenwriting projects
The timeline shows how both careers intersected over time.
In their words
Smith’s rise to Miss USA began with zero pageant experience and one state title, a point she and her alma mater have both emphasized in retrospect.
Elle Smith
Williamson has spoken about managing Ehlers-Danlos syndrome while captaining Arsenal and England, framing the condition as part of her story rather than a limit.
Leah Williamson
Leah Williamson has gained visibility for women’s football through the relationship; Elle Smith has gained a transatlantic stage for her screenwriting ambitions. For fans of women’s sport, the choice is simple: track Williamson’s captaincy and Smith’s writing career, or miss the next chapter of a transatlantic story still being written.
Frequently asked questions
Has Elle Smith written any movies?
Elle Smith has a screenwriting project called “Untamed” that she has announced publicly. She also worked as a journalist before her pageant career took over.
How did Elle Smith and Leah Williamson meet?
Neither Smith nor Williamson has given a detailed public account of how they met. Media coverage places their relationship in the overlapping worlds of sports, media, and pageantry.
What football club does Leah Williamson play for?
Leah Williamson plays for Arsenal in the Women’s Super League and captains the England women’s national team.
Has Leah Williamson spoken about her sexuality?
Williamson has not made a public statement about a specific label. She has been in a public relationship with Elle Smith since 2023.
Does Leah Williamson have a husband?
No. Williamson is not married; she is in a relationship with Elle Smith.
What is Elle Smith’s net worth?
Elle Smith’s net worth has not been officially published, and current estimates are speculative.
George Thompson is Senior Reporter at UrbanMixr.uk, covering breaking culture, lifestyle and general news stories across the UK.