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On an episode of The SHE Word podcast, Miss Universe Malta titleholder Julia Ann Cluett reflected on the sacrifices she made to win her national pageant and compete at Miss Universe
Cluett shared that she was laid off from her job two days before she was crowned Miss Universe Malta in July 2025
Between her duties as a national winner and her participation on the international stage in November, Cluett said she was without income for a total of seven months
Miss Universe Malta winnerJulia Ann Cluettis pulling back the curtain on the not-so-glamorous side of preparing to take a pageant stage.
Cluett was one of three beauty queens who appeared on an episode ofThe SHE Wordpodcast on Thursday, Feb. 19. Host Sasha Vella also welcomed Ella Gatt Baldacchino, who won Miss Universe Malta in 2023, and Miss Grand International Malta Shailey Micallef.
The group discussed a variety of issues and topics associated with their experiences, including struggles with body image and balancing pageantry with personal and career pursuits. At one point, Vella asked the women about what they feel people don't see from the outside looking in.
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Cluett was quick to list time, effort, dedication and money as things contestants need to have and give to be competitive on a pageant stage. She referenced her own circumstances in July 2025, when she was laid off from her job shortly before winning her national preliminary for Miss Universe, which was held months later.
"I was made redundant two days before the Miss Universe Malta competition," Cluett recounted. "I was even in the process of looking for and getting an apartment at the time, so I lost everything."
She added, "I won Miss Universe Malta, and I'm super, super grateful, don't get me wrong, but there were a lot of things that were ... on my checklist of what I wanted to do that I lost."
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Cluett said she remained unemployed for another seven months while preparing to compete at the international level. The titleholder explained that she wasn't able to find work as she fulfilled her commitments, first to her reign as Miss Universe Malta, which required her to travel on tour, then to represent the country atMiss Universe in Thailandfor three weeks in November.
"What company is going to be like, 'Yes, of course, start with us, and then in September, you leave for two weeks, and then leave for another three weeks in November, it's totally fine.' No one wanted to do that," said Cluett, who has experience working as a psychologist. "I ended up having to sacrifice my job, an apartment, an income in order to be Miss Universe Malta."
The mental health advocate says she didn't take the decision to proceed lightly. Cluett ended up having a notably successful run in Thailand, where she was one of the top 12 finalists from around the world.
She was also named Miss Universe Europe and Middle East, but she still remembers the difficult lead-up to the competition.
"There were a lot of moments where I was like, 'How am I going to do this? How am I going to get through this?' But you have to," Cluett said on the podcast.
Despite all the challenges, Cluett never considered relinquishing her national title and spot at Miss Universe.
"I was like, 'I'm never going to get this opportunity again,'" Cluett reflected. "It was my time."
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