Sonia Rolland

Rolland in 2013, photo by Prphotos.com

Place of Birth: Kigali, Rwanda

Date of Birth: 11 February, 1981

Ethnicity:
*father – French, Occitan
*mother – Tutsi Rwandan

Sonia Rolland is a French actress and beauty pageant titleholder. She was Miss Burgundy 1999 and Miss France 2000. She competed in the Miss Universe competition, landing in the top 10. She was the first African-born winner of the Miss France pageant. She is 5′10″.

Sonia was born in Kigali, Rwanda, to a Tutsi Rwandan mother, Landrada Twagiramariya, and a French father, Jacques-Pierre Rolland. Her family left the country due to safety concerns with the Rwandan Genocide instigating, especially as her mother is Tutsi. They settled in Cluny, Burgundy.

Sonia has a daughter with her former partner, impostor and confidence man Christophe Rocancourt; and a daughter with her former partner, actor, screenwriter, and director Jalil Lespert.

Sonia’s paternal grandfather was Eugène Maurice Rolland (the son of Joseph Marie Rolland and Germaine Jeanne Joséphine Deslandes). Eugène was born in Angers, Maine-et-Loire, Pays de la Loire, France. Joseph was the son of Joseph Marie Rolland and Joséphine Marie Pitois. Germaine was the daughter of Maurice Auguste Deslandes and Marie Rosalie Anne Duval.

Sonia’s paternal grandmother was Cécile Casalot (the daughter of Pierre Casalot and Joséphine Laborde). Cécile was born in Orion, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Aquitaine, France. Pierre was the son of Jean Casalot Sacaboueu and Marguerite Haurat Hitos. Joséphine was the daughter of Elisabeth Laborde.

Sonia’s maternal grandfather was named François Rushingabigwi. François survived the Rwandan Genocide.

Sonia’s maternal grandmother was named Angélina Nyiramahore (the daughter of Paul Ruvuzandekwe/Nyiramahore).

Source: https://www.gala.fr

Genealogy of Sonia Rolland – https://gw.geneanet.org

Genealogy of Sonia Rolland (focusing on her mother’s side) – https://gw.geneanet.org