Vanessa Minnillo is a beautiful television personality and model. Born on an air base in the Philippines in 1980 to a Filipino Mother and an Italian-Irish Father, the family moved around the US before finally settling down in Charleston, South Carolina.

Vanessa Minnillo was soon noticed for her beauty, and was crowned Miss Teen USA of 1998. A modeling career followed, with an appearance on the cover of men’s magazine Maxim, before getting into television. Vanessa is best known for her regular appearances on two top shows, TRL and Entertainment Tonight.

Vanessa Minnillo has co-hosted MTV show TRL, (formerly known as Total Request Live), since 2003. The other hosts are Lyle Trachtenberg, Susie Castillo, Cipha Sounds, La La Vasquez, and Stephen Coletti. Known as MTV’s flagship program, viewers are invited to vote for their favorite music videos. The ones most voted for are played on the show. It has been instrumental in promoting several artists, especially those appealing to the teenage market. The Backstreet Boys and N Sync were both helped to stardom by the exposure and several acts have made their official TV debuts on the show. These include Eminem, Mandy Moore, Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, and Jessica Simpson.

Vanessa Minnillo cites her own favorite musical performer as Ashlee Simpson. The first guest she talked to on the show was hip-hop singer Chingy.

Vanessa Minnillo has appeared on many television shows, as herself and in acting roles. She has acted in an episode of the TV drama, The Break in 2003, which starred Dylan Bruno, Chas Chidester and Kris Kristofferson. Before then, in 2001, an episode of the comedy Maybe It’s Me featured Vanessa, along with Julia Sweeney and Reagan Dale Neis. She has also made a guest appearance on The Tony Danza Show, and co-hosted The Greatest Commercials: Super Bowl vs. the World, with Pat O’Brien.