Bio
Shelley Hennig is an American actress and beauty pageant titleholder who held the Miss Teen USA 2004 title, best known for her starring television roles as Stephanie Johnson in Days of Our Lives (2007-2011) and as Diana Meade in The Secret Circle, from 2011-2012.
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 organisations, 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.
Hennig attended Destrehan High School 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.
On April 20, 2007, Hennig joined the cast of Days of our Lives 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 was leaving Days of Our Lives and her character last aired on April 6, 2011.
Later that year she starred in the supernatural teen drama horror series The Secret Circle, which was cancelled after one season.