Stella Vangioni, Miss Corsica 2024 and actress of the series “Un Si Grand Soleil”

Elected on July 29 in Porticcio (South Corsica), Stella Vangioni is 27 years old and wears the sash of Miss Corsica 2024. She is preparing today for the election of Miss France 2025 which will be held on December 14 at Futuroscope, in Poitiers.

Introduce yourself in a few words. Where were you born and where did you grow up?
I am an actress, model and creator of the eco-responsible swimwear brand “Umanu Swimwear”. I'm lucky to have diplomatic parents, so I moved around a lot and traveled a lot. I grew up between Corsica, Jakarta, New York, Berlin, Abu Dhabi, Amman, and later lived in Montreal, Geneva, Milan and Paris.

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What were you doing before participating in the competition?
I was filming in the series “Un Si Grand Soleil”, broadcast at the time on “France 3”.

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A strong personal story to tell us?
When I was an English teacher in a French-English NGO in Siem Reap, Cambodia, there was a little girl who was harassed a lot by her classmates. I remember the first time I came to her aid and defended her: she was very emotional, she cried and didn't expect anyone to defend her.

When and why did you decide to submit your candidacy for the regional election?
When I turned 18, the Miss Corsica at the time spotted me and asked me to take part in the election, but I didn't want to put my studies aside. I've been wanting to introduce myself for a long time, but I was waiting for the perfect moment. This was my first attempt, and I'm very happy I dared!

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Did you have any doubts before starting out? If yes, which ones?
It's such a unique opportunity that only comes around once in a lifetime, so obviously I had doubts, because I wanted to be 100% sure that I was ready for this magnificent adventure. And I think I made the right choice.

Does everyone around you support you?
I'm very lucky because I have a wonderful entourage who has supported me from the start. They were all very happy. I am very grateful for their support, they all believe in me. This is a real plus in this adventure. I'm lucky to have them.

What do you say to those who consider the competition outdated or even misogynistic?
I do not agree with these prejudices. Today, Miss France represents more than a beauty contest, it is precisely the highlighting of ambitious women. I would add to this that the Miss France competition has been able to evolve and adapt with the times, and that today it is a much more inclusive competition.

What do you think of the evolution of the Miss France competition? Did opening the competition to more varied profiles influence your desire to present yourself?
The Miss France competition has had a very good evolution. The increase in the age limit, for example, certainly motivated me, but also allowed me to participate! We are in a constantly evolving society, and the fact that the Miss France competition is aligned with these changes clearly shows that it is a modern competition.

What particular cause do you want to defend?
I would like to talk about all the causes because they are all important. Today, the cause that I would like to defend at Miss France is mental health. I would like to help people with mental health conditions, such as depression, OCD, eating disorders, anxiety and ADHD,…

How do you handle the sudden notoriety that could fall on you on December 14?
After being elected Miss Corsica, I was able to confront, on a smaller scale, this notion of notoriety (people who recognize you, ask for photos, write to you, etc.) And I loved this direct or indirect contact with people. I nevertheless remain well aware of the abuses that this can unfortunately involve and of which some Misses have been victims. But I feel perfectly able to cope with it and I have an entourage on whom I could always count.

Does seeing Eve Gilles face harassment on social media worry you?
What Eve Gilles experienced is unacceptable and saddening, it proves that even deserving, caring, pretty and hardworking people are harassed. In any case, I am well aware that we cannot achieve unanimity, we cannot please everyone. This is in no way a reason to justify this hatred. Moreover, it is also a fight that is close to my heart, harassment.

A childhood memory strongly linked to Miss France?
The first time I watched Miss France. I stumbled upon Prime one evening. I remember being impressed by the show.

Which Miss France made an impression on you and why?
Amandine Petit, because she is on all fronts, she is someone who works hard and I admire her a lot for that.

A mentor or someone who has influenced you throughout your life? How ?
I was greatly influenced by Laetitia Casta. I always wanted to have a career similar to his.

The trait of your character that you like to highlight?
My kindness.

A hidden talent?
I know how to move my ears.

A book?
When I was studying, I discovered “Biography of Hunger” by Amélie Nothomb. In this book, she talks about her life as the daughter of a diplomat, who suffered from eating disorders. I found myself in this book, and it did me a lot of good to know that other people were living with these disorders.

A song?
“Another Day in Paradise” by Phil Colins and “Paradis Blanc” by Michel Berger. The melodies and lyrics of these two songs are very strong, very beautiful.

A film or a series?
The “Lords of the Rings” trilogy, the long versions! These are the films that we watched the most with my family.

Your favorite pastime?
My favorite hobby is diving. I feel good when I dive, I'm in my element. It's like meditating, it's very calming.

A guilty pleasure?
My guilty pleasure is nucciolina, it’s a Corsican spread, made with Corsican hazelnuts. It's delicious.

A fetish object?
My lip balm.

Are you a heart to take?
Yes, but that doesn't interest me at the moment.

Your regional pride?
My regional pride is Corsican culinary culture. My grandmother cooks a lot and passed on her passion for cooking to us!