Venezuelan-American Noelia Voigt, winner of the Miss USA 2023 title, stunned the beauty pageant community by returning to the Miss USA Pageant stage this week, more than a year after becoming the first woman in the pageant's history (72 years old) to relinquish her crown.
Voigt, who was crowned on September 29, 2023, representing Utah, made a public appearance at the pageant just one day before the grand finale, as co-host of the preliminary round, sharing the stage with presenter Sean Michael Rae.
This came as a shock to those who saw her resignation on May 6, 2024, via Instagram; it was motivated by the need to prioritize her physical and mental health. "Never compromise your physical or mental well-being. Our health is our wealth," she wrote in that post.
Born in Sarasota, Florida, to a Venezuelan mother and an American father, Voigt became the first Venezuelan-American winner of the Miss Utah USA state title and later Miss USA. That same year, she represented the United States in the Miss Universe pageant, reaching the Top 20.
Voigt's departure caused a stir: not only did she relinquish her crown, but her actions also led to UmaSofia Srivastava (Miss Teen USA 2023) relinquishing her title, putting the entire beauty pageant system under scrutiny. In her statement, Voigt made it clear that she could no longer sacrifice her well-being for a title. Her mothers' allegations of alleged harassment, a toxic environment, and oppressive contracts sparked public debate about the pageant's structure.
Why does this return matter?
Her appearance as co-host marks a symbolic step toward reconciliation, or at least dialogue, between Voigt and the pageant organizers. During her reign and subsequent departure, she spoke out for mental health, contractual transparency, and the well-being of the winners. The new Miss USA executive director, Thom Brodeur, has announced contract reforms to eliminate confidentiality clauses that he claims "silenced" the young titleholders.
