Shelley Hennig
Encyclopedia
Shelley Catherine "Shell" Hennig (born January 2, 1987) is a beauty pageant titleholder from Destrehan, Louisiana
who held the Miss Teen USA
2004 title. She is also an actress who played Stephanie Johnson on Days of our Lives
. Hennig currently stars on the CW
series The Secret Circle
.
Hennig won the Miss Louisiana Teen USA
2004 in a state pageant held in Lafayette, Louisiana
in November 2003. This was the first time that she competed in the state pageant. In August Hennig represented Louisiana in the Miss Teen USA 2004
pageant held in Palm Springs, California
. She won the Miss Teen USA title, becoming the first winner from Louisiana and the first girl from Louisiana to win a national title since Ali Landry
was Miss USA 1996. Her Miss Teen USA
winnings included a one year modeling contract, with Trump Modeling Management, and a scholarship to The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts.
As Miss Teen USA, Hennig represented the Miss Universe Organization
. Her "sister" 2004 titleholders were Jennifer Hawkins
(Miss Universe
, of Australia) and Shandi Finnessey
(Miss USA
, of Missouri), with whom she made appearances, which included a trip to Bangkok, Thailand. During her reign Hennig made numerous television guest and public speaking appearances, including a guest appearance in the NBC soap opera Passions
which was part of her prize package.
Hennig also worked with a number of other non-profit organizations, including Seeds of Peace
, D.A.R.E., Sparrow Clubs and SHiNE.
Her reign ended on August 8, 2005 when she crowned Allie LaForce
of Ohio
as the new Miss Teen USA.
where she was named an "Academic Excellence Student". She is an accomplished dancer, having won many awards in dancing competitions. She also enjoys writing, and two of her poems have been published in the Young Authors Book of Poetry.
Three years before she won the Miss Teen USA title, one of her older brothers was killed in a drunk-driving incident. Hennig has become an advocate against under-age drinking. She has done work with a local Louisiana non-profit organization called 'C.A.D.A' (Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse), mentoring peers, and other youths about the impacts, and consequences of drug and alcohol abuse.
Soon after she relinquished her crown, Hennig participated on MTV
's The Reality Show where she attempted to win her own show, After the Crown but was eliminated. She hosted the Miss Teen USA 2008
pageant on August 16, 2008 along with co-host Seth Goldman
.
In 2011, she plays Diana Meade in the TV series The Secret Circle
.
Where she takes on the role of lead witch initially.
in the contract role of Stephanie Johnson, a role previously held by Shayna Rose
from July 2006 to January 2007. In 2010 she received a nomination for the 37th Daytime Emmy Awards
in the Outstanding Younger Actress In A Drama Series category.
On January 18, 2011, Hennig announced that she will be leaving Days of Our Lives and said to Soap Opera Digest:
“It just feels right. I have been preparing for this for awhile, so I have said my mental good-byes. I will miss the faces I see here every day, but everybody has been really encouraging and has embraced my decision…. I feel like I’m going out with a bang after last week’s air shows and I feel great about it creatively and I am thankful to the writers for giving me that. It’s been a lot of fun to play and I wouldn’t change anything.”
Hennig’s last tape date was February 2 and her character last aired on April 6, 2011.
for a Daytime Emmy in the Outstanding Younger Actress category.
Destrehan, Louisiana
Destrehan is a census-designated place in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 11,260 at the 2000 census. It was named after Jean N...
who held the Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA is a beauty pageant run by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19. The reigning titleholder is Danielle Doty of Texas....
2004 title. She is also an actress who played Stephanie Johnson on Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives is a long running daytime soap opera broadcast on the NBC television network. It is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, airing nearly every weekday in the United States since November 8, 1965. It has since been syndicated to many countries around...
. Hennig currently stars on the CW
The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
series The Secret Circle
The Secret Circle (TV series)
The Secret Circle is an American television series broadcast on The CW Television Network. It was developed by Andrew Miller, based on the book series of the same name written by L. J. Smith. On May 17, 2011, The CW announced they had picked up the pilot as a series...
.
Pageants
Miss Louisiana Teen USA
The Miss Louisiana Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Louisiana in the Miss Teen USA pageant....
2004 in a state pageant held in Lafayette, Louisiana
Lafayette, Louisiana
Lafayette is a city in and the parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the Vermilion River. The population was 120,623 at the 2010 census...
in November 2003. This was the first time that she competed in the state pageant. In August Hennig represented Louisiana in the Miss Teen USA 2004
Miss Teen USA 2004
Miss Teen USA 2004, the 22nd Miss Teen USA pageant, was televised live from Palm Springs on 6 August 2004. At the conclusion of the final competition, Miss Louisiana Teen USA Shelley Hennig was crowned by outgoing queen Tami Farrell of Oregon....
pageant held in Palm Springs, California
Palm Springs, California
Palm Springs is a desert city in Riverside County, California, within the Coachella Valley. It is located approximately 37 miles east of San Bernardino, 111 miles east of Los Angeles and 136 miles northeast of San Diego...
. She won the Miss Teen USA title, becoming the first winner from Louisiana and the first girl from Louisiana to win a national title since Ali Landry
Ali Landry
Ali Germaine Landry is a former Miss USA , model and actress. She is perhaps best known as the Doritos Girl from her 1998 Super Bowl commercial, and for her portrayal of Rita Lefleur on the UPN sitcom Eve. In 1998, she was named by People magazine as one of 50 most beautiful people in the world.-...
was Miss USA 1996. Her Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA is a beauty pageant run by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19. The reigning titleholder is Danielle Doty of Texas....
winnings included a one year modeling contract, with Trump Modeling Management, and a scholarship to The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts.
As Miss Teen USA, Hennig represented the Miss Universe Organization
Miss Universe Organization
The Miss Universe Organization is the organization that currently owns and runs the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA beauty contests. Based in New York, it is owned jointly by NBC Universal and Donald Trump. The current president is Paula Shugart...
. Her "sister" 2004 titleholders were Jennifer Hawkins
Jennifer Hawkins
Jennifer Hawkins is an Australian beauty queen, model and television presenter best known as Miss Universe 2004 and the face of Australian department store Myer.-Early life:...
(Miss Universe
Miss Universe
Miss Universe is an annual international beauty contest that is run by the Miss Universe Organization. The pageant is the most publicized beauty contest in the world with 600 million viewers....
, of Australia) and Shandi Finnessey
Shandi Finnessey
Shandi Ren Finnessey is an American beauty queen, model, television hostess, and actress. She is best known for winning the Miss USA title, as Miss Missouri USA. She previously held the title of Miss Missouri 2002 and competed in Miss America where she won a preliminary award...
(Miss USA
Miss USA
The Miss USA beauty contest has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States entrant in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA...
, of Missouri), with whom she made appearances, which included a trip to Bangkok, Thailand. During her reign Hennig made numerous television guest and public speaking appearances, including a guest appearance in the NBC soap opera Passions
Passions
Passions is an American television soap opera which aired on NBC from July 5, 1999 to September 7, 2007 and on The 101 Network from September 17, 2007 to August 7, 2008....
which was part of her prize package.
Hennig also worked with a number of other non-profit organizations, including Seeds of Peace
Seeds of Peace
Seeds of Peace is a peacebuilding youth organization based in New York City. It was founded in 1993. As its main program, the organization brings youth from areas of conflict to its international camp in Maine. It also provides regional programming to support Seeds of Peace graduates, known as...
, D.A.R.E., Sparrow Clubs and SHiNE.
Her reign ended on August 8, 2005 when she crowned Allie LaForce
Allie LaForce
Alexandra Leigh "Allie" LaForce is a beauty queen from Vermilion, Ohio who held the Miss Teen USA 2005 title who now works as a broadcast sports reporter....
of Ohio
Miss Ohio Teen USA
The Miss Ohio Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Ohio in the Miss Teen USA pageant.Ohio is one of the least successful states at Miss Teen USA, and has only placed three times. Most importantly, Allie LaForce won the Miss Teen USA crown in 2005,...
as the new Miss Teen USA.
Education and employment
Hennig attended Destrehan High SchoolDestrehan High School
Destrehan High School is a public high school located in Destrehan, Louisiana, United States. The St. Charles Parish school serves all students on the East bank of the Mississippi River in grades 9 through 12.-History:...
where she was named an "Academic Excellence Student". She is an accomplished dancer, having won many awards in dancing competitions. She also enjoys writing, and two of her poems have been published in the Young Authors Book of Poetry.
Three years before she won the Miss Teen USA title, one of her older brothers was killed in a drunk-driving incident. Hennig has become an advocate against under-age drinking. She has done work with a local Louisiana non-profit organization called 'C.A.D.A' (Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse), mentoring peers, and other youths about the impacts, and consequences of drug and alcohol abuse.
Soon after she relinquished her crown, Hennig participated on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's The Reality Show where she attempted to win her own show, After the Crown but was eliminated. She hosted the Miss Teen USA 2008
Miss Teen USA 2008
Miss Teen USA 2008, the 26th Miss Teen USA pageant, was held on August 16, 2008 at Grand Ballroom in the Atlantis Paradise Island, Nassau, Bahamas. This was the first Miss Teen USA pageant that was not televised, after Miss Universe Organization broadcast partner NBC failed to renew its contract,...
pageant on August 16, 2008 along with co-host Seth Goldman
Seth Goldman
Seth Goldman, raised in East Irvington, New York is an American entertainment reporter and producer, who is the host of NBC's "Entertainment Buzz", and appears daily on television, online and on cell phones.-Career:...
.
In 2011, she plays Diana Meade in the TV series The Secret Circle
The Secret Circle (TV series)
The Secret Circle is an American television series broadcast on The CW Television Network. It was developed by Andrew Miller, based on the book series of the same name written by L. J. Smith. On May 17, 2011, The CW announced they had picked up the pilot as a series...
.
Where she takes on the role of lead witch initially.
Days of our Lives
On April 20, 2007, Hennig joined the cast of Days of our LivesDays of our Lives
Days of our Lives is a long running daytime soap opera broadcast on the NBC television network. It is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, airing nearly every weekday in the United States since November 8, 1965. It has since been syndicated to many countries around...
in the contract role of Stephanie Johnson, a role previously held by Shayna Rose
Shayna Rose
Shayna Rose is an American actress and singer.-Private life:Rose moved to Los Angeles in 2002 after declining a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music in Boston...
from July 2006 to January 2007. In 2010 she received a nomination for the 37th Daytime Emmy Awards
37th Daytime Emmy Awards
The 37th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards were held on June 27, 2010, hosted by Regis Philbin and broadcast on the CBS network. Nominations were announced May 12 on The Early Show...
in the Outstanding Younger Actress In A Drama Series category.
On January 18, 2011, Hennig announced that she will be leaving Days of Our Lives and said to Soap Opera Digest:
“It just feels right. I have been preparing for this for awhile, so I have said my mental good-byes. I will miss the faces I see here every day, but everybody has been really encouraging and has embraced my decision…. I feel like I’m going out with a bang after last week’s air shows and I feel great about it creatively and I am thankful to the writers for giving me that. It’s been a lot of fun to play and I wouldn’t change anything.”
Hennig’s last tape date was February 2 and her character last aired on April 6, 2011.
Awards
In 2010, she was nominated alongside co-star Molly BurnettMolly Burnett
Molly Kathleen Burnett is an American actress and occasional singer. She has portrayed Melanie Jonas on the NBC soap opera Days of our Lives since July 31, 2008.-Personal life:Burnett was born on April 23, 1988 in Littleton, Colorado...
for a Daytime Emmy in the Outstanding Younger Actress category.