Actors - Susie Castillo

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	Actors - Susie Castillo

Susie Castillo (born January 6, 1980 in Methuen, Massachusetts), is the first person of Puerto Rican-Dominican descent to win the title of Miss USA.

Background

Susie's parents were divorced when she was only a child. Her father was Dominican and her mother Puerto Rican. After her father abandoned the family, her mother moved to Lawrence where she had to work multiple jobs in order to make ends meet and to pay for her family's education. Susie was raised by her mother, whom she considers her inspiration, and her grandmother. She was greatly influenced by her Puerto Rican culture and in many of her interviews she states that she considers herself 100% Puerto Rican. Raised in a low income neighborhood, she was able to finish her primary and secondary education.

By 1996, at the age of 15, Susie had already become a professional teen model appearing in many teen magazines and commercial advertisements. In 1998, she represented her state as Miss Massachusetts Teen USA in the Miss Teen USA Pageant. It was the same year that Shawnae Jabbia, also from Massachusetts, won the Miss USA title becoming the first person from that state to do so. Susie also won the Clariol Herbal Essence Award that year.

Upon graduating from high school, she enrolled at the Enidicott College and in 2001 earned her Bachelors Degree in Interior Architecture and Design. She was awarded the Capstone Award, an honor which was bestowed upon her in recognition of her senior thesis.

Miss USA

In November 2002, Susie participated in the Miss Massachusetts USA Pageant held at the Bridgewater State College in the town of Bridgewater and won the title. On March 24, 2003, Susie was crowned Miss USA in the pageant which was held in San Antonio, Texas. She thus became the third Hispanic Miss USA, the second Miss USA from her state and the first Miss USA of Puerto Rican descent.

As Miss USA, Castillo represented the Miss Universe Organization. Her "sister" 2003 titleholders were Amelia Vega (Miss Universe, of the Dominican Republic) and Tami Farrell (Miss Teen USA, of Oregon).

Miss Universe

Susie traveled to Panama City, Panama where the 2003 Miss Universe Pageant was held in May. The costume which she used to represent the United States was that of Wonder Woman. She was among the top 15 semifinalists, however, the title was won by the representative of the Dominican Republic, Amelia Vega.

This was the first time in the history of the Miss Universe Pageant that two women of Puerto Rican descent participated at the same time representing different countries. Puerto Rico was represented by Carla Tricoli. It is a fact that it was also the first time that two women with Dominican ancestry participated in the same event.

After the Crown

Susie has made the following T.V. guest appearances: "On-Air with Ryan Seacrest" (April 5, 2004) where she became engaged to Matthew Leslie, her boyfriend of four years, "My Wife and Kids" (October 5, 2004), where she was cast as "Sharon", "Half & Half" (October 18, 2004) cast as "Shaunie" and she was co-host of "Total Request Live" (TRL) for the first time on (January 31, 2005).

Susie is now a regular Music Television (MTV) VJ and host of TRL.

During her spare time Susie does volunteer work for HAWC (Help for Abused Women and Children), the Lawrence Girls Club and for the Latinas Against Sexual Assault.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Susie Castillo ]

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