Bio
Kelly Monaco is an American model, actress, reality television contestant and winner of Dancing with the Stars best known for her role as Sam McCall on the soap opera General Hospital, since 2003.
Monaco originated the role of Samantha McCall in October 2003. In the category of Outstanding Lead Actress, she was a Daytime Emmy nominee for this role in 2006.
Her television credits include co-hosting the 33rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards when they were broadcast for the first time from Hollywood. She also starred in the first season of Dancing With the Stars, where she won the dance championship.
She had a three-and-a-half-year stint on the daytime drama Port Charles, where she garnered her first Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in 2003.
Her television debut occurred in 1997, when she landed a recurring role on Baywatch. While shooting Port Charles, she also guest starred opposite Charlie Sheen and Heather Locklear in a season finale of Spin City. In addition, she has appeared in the feature films Idle Hands, Mumford and BASEketball.
In April 1997, Monaco became the Playboy Playmate of the Month. Throughout her tenure with Playboy in the 1990s, Monaco was also featured in many Playboy Special Edition publications.
Monaco made numerous cover appearances in other magazines such as FHM and Maxim. Along with her Maxim cover feature in 2005, the magazine also placed her at #88 on their annual Hot 100 List in May 2006. In 2009, she was named Maxim's number one sexiest cover model of the decade.
In 2011 she was a cast member of the reality series Dirty Soap, which followed the off-screen lives of eight soap opera stars. It was cancelled after one season.
Monaco grew up on the East Coast, where she participated in soccer, swimming, track and softball, among other sports. Her family moved from the bustling city of Philadelphia to the more peaceful environment of the Poconos.
In addition to athletics, she participated intensely in speech, debate and theatre in high school. She is involved in numerous children's charity events and programs for the elderly.
She resides in Los Angeles.