Vanessa Minnillo Biography

Summary

"Vanessa Joy Minnillo" (born November 9, 1980) is an American television personality. A former Miss Teen USA, she is mostly known for hosting "Total Request Live" on MTV from 2003-2007 as well her past reporting as a New York-based correspondent for "Entertainment Tonight".

Early life

Her father, Vince, is an American of Italian and Irish descent. Her mother, Helen Berecero, is a Filipina from the province of Pampanga and Leyte, that Vince met while based in the Philippines, though Minnillo referred to her mother as Polynesian on at least one occasion. Vanessa has a two years older, adopted brother, Vincent.

As a child, Minnillo's family moved numerous times due to her father's work in the United States Air Force, including living in Washington, California, Nevada, Florida, Germany and Japan and placing Minillo in eight different schools within nine years. Minillo's parents separated in 1983, divorced in 1986.

Subsequent to Helen's remarriage to a United States Air Force serviceman, Minnillo and her brother moved to Turkey with their mother and stepfather. By 1990, as a result of Desert Shield, Minnillo and her brother returned to their father's home, eventually settling in Charleston, South Carolina where she attended Bishop England High School and was a cheerleader.

Minnillo is fluent in English and has passing knowledge of two languages spoken in the Philippines: Kapampangan and Tagalog. She has a close relationship with her stepmother Donna Minnillo and brother Vincent, but is estranged from her mother.

Beauty pageants

Minnillo entered the public eye as Miss South Carolina Teen USA 1998, and went on to be crowned as the winner of the 1998 Miss Teen USA pageant. She was the first delegate from South Carolina to capture the title and the first winner of the pageant to be chosen as Miss Congeniality.

She later co-hosted the Miss Teen USA 2004 pageant with Tony Potts and Miss Universe 2007 with Mario López.

Career

Hosting

She is best known for hosting MTV's "Total Request Live" ("TRL"), 2003-2007.

Minnillo was a finalist in E!'s competition to find a replacement for Brooke Burke as host for the show "Wild On", though the job went to Cindy Taylor.

Advertising

Since exiting MTV and "Entertainment Tonight", she has been featured in a print and web-based advertising campaign for BONGO Jeans' Spring/Summer 2007 collection as well as becoming the spokesperson of Flirt! Cosmetics, a line she helped create that debuted in August 2007 in Kohl's department stores.

In May 2006, "Maxim" magazine listed Minnillo as #15 in its

Hot 100 issue. She has also graced both covers for "Maxim"s October issues in 2006 and 2007.

Minnillo was also featured on covers for "Shape" in March 2007 and "Lucky" magazine in July 2007.

Filmography

"Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer" (2007) as Johnny's Wedding Date

Television

"Maybe It's Me" (1 episode, 2002) as Sexy Student

"That's Life" (1 episode, 2001) as Cheerleader

"City Guys" (1 episode, 2001) as Hot Girl

"The Bold and the Beautiful" (8 episodes, 2001) as Amanda Wexler

Personal life

Minnillo was in a sporadic three-year relationship with New York Yankees shortstop and captain Derek Jeter beginning November 2003.

Since June 2006, Minnillo has been dating singer Nick Lachey, former member of boy-band 98 Degrees, and the ex-husband of singer/actress Jessica Simpson. Minnillo and Lachey officially moved in together in April 2007, sharing Lachey's Bel Air, California home and purchasing an apartment in the Atelier condominium building in Manhattan

Minnillo was negatively tied to actress Lindsay Lohan in June 2007 when digital photographs leaked onto the Internet of the two women posing suggestively with knives.

The following month, in July 2007, provocative photos of Minnillo and Lachey were published in "Life & Style Weekly" magazine revealing nudity and intimate relations during their 1-year anniversary vacation to Mexico.