Maria Kanellis is a multifaceted personality who has made a name for herself in the entertainment industry. Born on February 25, 1982, in Ottawa, Illinois, Maria is the oldest of three siblings and grew up surrounded by cars. She spent her free time juggling sports, pageants, and dancing.
Maria's early career in television began when she was a contestant on the reality series Outback Jack in 2004. She then tried out for the WWE Diva Search and placed fifth out of thousands of contestants. Although she was eliminated, Maria was later hired by WWE as a backstage interviewer on Monday Night Raw and began training for the next three years at the Ohio Valley Wrestling facility.
As a professional wrestler, Maria worked alongside some of the biggest superstars in the industry, including John Cena, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. She never shied away from angles or storylines and is most comfortable in the spotlight.
Maria's Playboy magazine cover and pictorial in April 2008 was a huge success, and she even designed and produced some of her own wardrobe for the shoot. She has also created outfits for her wrestling matches, television appearances, red carpet charity events, and high-profile WWE ceremonies.
In addition to her work in the WWE, Maria has made several television appearances, including co-hosting G4 Network's "Attack of the Show" and appearing on shows such as "Deal or No Deal," "Family Feud," "Project Runway," "VH1's Top 20 Video Countdown," "The Insider," "Best Damn Sports Show," "Red Eye," and "The Today Show."
Maria will appear as a cast member on NBC's hit series "The Celebrity Apprentice" alongside fellow contestants Sharon Osbourne, Brett Michaels, and Cindy Lauper. She is also releasing her first musical album, a four-song EP titled "Sevin Sins," on April 13th, 2010.
Philanthropy is a big part of Maria's life, and she has worked with several charitable organizations, including the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Generation Rescue, Paws For Style, St. Jude's Children Hospital, and The Kentucky Humane Society. She has also traveled overseas with the WWE for its annual USO Tribute to the Troops Tour, donating her time and energy to entertain and spread goodwill to our servicemen and women stationed overseas.
Maria was recently named WWE's Diva of the Year for 2009, and she has an intense drive for success. Her creativity is evident in everything she does, and she describes her rock music as a combination of glamour, twisted lyrics, and sex appeal.
