Shelley Hennig

Shelley Catherine Hennig, born on January 2, 1987, is an American actress and model. She has garnered several accolades throughout her career, including a Teen Choice Award and two Daytime Emmy Award nominations.
Before venturing into acting, Hennig participated in beauty pageants and clinched the title of Miss Teen USA 2004. She made her breakthrough in the entertainment industry by landing the role of Stephanie Johnson on the soap opera Days of Our Lives, a character she portrayed from 2007 to 2011, and reprised in 2017. Following her success on Days of Our Lives, she joined the cast of The CW's supernatural teen drama The Secret Circle from 2011 to 2012.


Hennig gained further recognition for her role as Malia Tate in the MTV supernatural drama series Teen Wolf, a character she played from 2014 to 2017. She continued to expand her acting portfolio by portraying CIA agent Ava Winters in the Netflix action comedy Obliterated in 2023. Additionally, she has appeared in notable films such as Ouija (2014), Unfriended (2014), and When We First Met (2018).



Shelley Catherine Hennig was born on January 2, 1987, in Metairie, Louisiana, to Cathy Distefano Gosset and Glenn H. Hennig Sr. She spent her early years in St. Rose, Louisiana, before relocating to Destrehan, Louisiana, with her family. Tragically, three years prior to her winning the Miss Teen USA title, one of her older brothers lost his life in an accident caused by a drunk driver.


Shelley Hennig's journey in pageantry began when she won the Miss Louisiana Teen USA 2004 title in a state pageant held in Lafayette, Louisiana, in November 2004. This marked her first participation in the state pageant. She then represented Louisiana in the prestigious Miss Teen USA 2004 competition, which took place in Palm Springs, California. Hennig achieved a significant milestone by winning the Miss Teen USA title, becoming the first winner from Louisiana and the first representative from the state to clinch a national title since Ali Landry, who was crowned Miss USA 1996.


As the reigning Miss Teen USA, Hennig was affiliated with the Miss Universe Organization. She collaborated with her sister titleholders from 2004, Jennifer Hawkins (Miss Universe, from Australia) and Shandi Finnessey (Miss USA, from Missouri), making various appearances together, including a visit to Bangkok, Thailand. Throughout her reign, Hennig made numerous television guest appearances and engaged in public speaking events. Additionally, she worked with several nonprofit organizations, such as Seeds of Peace, DARE, Sparrow Clubs, and SHiNE.
Hennig's tenure as Miss Teen USA concluded on August 8, 2005, when she passed on her crown to Allie LaForce of Ohio. Following her reign, Hennig participated in MTV's reality show "The Reality Show," where she vied for her own show, "After the Crown," although she was ultimately eliminated from the competition. Furthermore, she had the honor of co-hosting the Miss Teen USA 2008 pageant on August 16, 2008, alongside Seth Goldman.


Shelley Hennig made her debut on "Days of Our Lives" on April 20, 2007, in the contract role of Stephanie Johnson. Her performance on the show earned her a nomination for the 37th Daytime Emmy Awards in the Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series category in 2010. However, she announced her departure from the show on January 18, 2011, expressing gratitude for the experience and feeling creatively fulfilled by her character's storyline.
From 2011 to 2012, Hennig portrayed Diana Meade, a main character in the TV series "The Secret Circle," based on the books by L. J. Smith. Following the cancellation of the series, she appeared in the MTV series "Zach Stone Is Gonna Be Famous" as Christy.


Hennig's notable role came in the MTV series "Teen Wolf," where she played Malia Tate starting from the third season. She was promoted to a series regular for the fourth season and continued in the role until the show concluded in 2017. Her portrayal of Malia earned her a Choice Summer TV Star: Female award at the 2016 Teen Choice Awards.
In addition to her television work, Hennig appeared in several films, including the Blumhouse horror movies "Ouija" and "Unfriended" in 2014. She also featured in music videos for artists such as the Band Perry and Maren Morris.
In 2018, she played a supporting role as Carrie Grey in the Netflix romantic comedy "When We First Met." Hennig's upcoming projects include a leading role in the NBC comedy pilot "Crazy for You," announced in March 2020.
Furthermore, in September 2021, it was revealed that a reunion film for "Teen Wolf" had been ordered by Paramount+, with Hennig set to reprise her role. The film was released on January 26, 2023, marking a reunion for the majority of the original cast members.

References

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2. ^ "UPI Almanac for Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019". United Press International. January 2, 2019. Archived from the original on September 2, 2019. Retrieved September 2, 2019. actor Shelley Hennig in 1987 (age 32)
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4. ^ "Obituary: Hennig, Brad Joseph". The Times-Picayune. August 10, 2001.
5. ^ Anderson, Karen (July 29, 2005). "Destrehan senior in teen USA pageant". Times-Picayune.
6. ^ "'Bangkok: Fashion City' scheme boosted by world beauty queens". Thai News Service. November 22, 2004.
7. ^ Swerczek, Mary (August 10, 2004). "Miss Teen USA is a La. girl; Destrehan student enjoying star status". Times-Picayune.
8. a b "Miss Teen USA ends reign with gratitude; Destrehan native calls La. fans 'awesome'". Times-Picayune. August 18, 2005.
9. ^ "Local actress lands soap opera role; Destrehan High grad aces her screen test". The Times-Picayune. New Orleans. May 31, 2007.
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