This brown-haired beauty got her start the same way any other self-respecting bombshell does: She entered beauty pageants. But rather than use them as an avenue toward a Play..boy shoot, Maria parlayed her exposure into a job as an anchor for Channel One, a cable channel that broadcasts news into classrooms across America. She was an onscreen natural and eventually attracted the attention of Entertainment Tonight, joining the show's motley crew in 2002. As regards her place on the Top 99 list, Maria has expressed her pleasure: "I'm flattered and thankful to all who voted!"
2005 was a year of change for Ms. Menounos. She left ET to focus on her acting career, and the risk was rewarded: She landed recurring roles in shows like Without a Trace and One Tree Hill. Okay, not exactly top 10 shows, but a good start for this young Boston-born beauty. She also appeared alongside in Fantastic Four, taking on a character billed as "Sexy Nurse." An accurate description if we've ever seen one.
This former Miss Teen Massachusetts is one ambitious girl. She is currently fulfilling executive producer duties on In the Land of Merry Misfits, an upcoming college/fantasy flick. Her production company, Omega Girl, also optioned the film rights for the book Boy Giant, the true story of 8' 11" Robert Wadlow. Beauty and brains -- whoa!