Celeste Cortesi on Love, Loss, Pageantry, and Her New Chapter with Kylie Verzosa

Description

In Episode 19 of Almost Honest, Kylie sits down with Celeste Cortesi for a raw and deeply personal conversation about identity, loss, reinvention, and stepping into a new chapter after the crown. From growing up between Italy and the Philippines to losing her father at a young age and navigating the pressure of representing the country on the Miss Universe stage, to being the founder of Asul. Celeste opens up about grief, belonging, and the realities behind public expectations. The episode explores the emotional toll of pageantry, the harshness of online criticism, and the quiet strength it takes to rebuild after moments that feel like failure. Now entering a new season marked by business, love, and motherhood, this conversation is about healing, growth, and embracing life's unexpected plot twists. This episode is brought to you by &you. Use code KYLIE12 at checkout for a discount on your first order! Open a global business account with Airwallex: https://partners.airwallex.com/almost-honest-podcast Kylie Verzosa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kylieverzosa/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kylieverzosa2016 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@verzosakylie Celeste Cortesi Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celeste_cortesi/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/celesterambibicortesi TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@celestecortesi?lang=en 0:00 Intro 2:23 Growing up Italian-Filipino & getting bullied for her Asian side 6:00 Moving to the Philippines without a word of English 11:35 Losing her dad at 10: "My whole world broke into pieces" 16:47 What her single mom taught her about being a woman 21:18 The Miss Earth trauma & answering in three languages 26:23 Going to Miss Universe and not placing 33:30 Rebuilding herself after the loss 36:56 Why she built Azul (and clapping back at the lip filler haters) 46:23 Why she walked away from acting 50:03 Finding out she was pregnant in the Maldives 56:53 Telling her mom & Kylie about the baby 1:03:10 The fears (and joys) no one tells you about pregnancy 1:09:36 Sergio: