A Providence, Rhode Island native, Shanna Elisabeth Moakler was born on March 28th, 1975. She led an everyday girl's existence in high school until, as a late "bloomer," guys started to notice something special about her. She blossomed into a full-bodied, 5'8" beauty and started to model. 

Moakler wants world peace

She began modeling in Miami after graduation, and, at 18, set her sights on the Miss USA Pageant. In 1995, she competed in the popular event and came in second to Chelsi Smith. A few months later, Smith won the Miss Universe crown and thus turned over her USA title to Moakler. 

During her reign as Miss USA, she got a taste of the spotlight, but did not enjoy the constant chaperoning that went hand in hand with the tiara. Moakler was too much of a free spirit to be harnessed like that and was glad when her one-year reign was over.

Moakler proceeded to get involved in television, landing her first role in Friends 'Til the End with Shannon Doherty, and film, doing the raunchy Poison Ivy: The New Seduction, both in 1997. 

Golden Boy wasn't her golden man

The publicity continued when she started dating famous boxer Oscar De La Hoya. For the first years of the relationship, life was good for the poster-worthy duo and they had a daughter together; Atiana, born March 29th, 1999. During that time, Moakler was busy acting: you can catch her as a flight attendant in The Wedding Singer with Adam Sandler and in a more significant role as a beach-patrol cop, from 1998 to 2000, on the series Pacific Blue. 

Although they were engaged, the bond between De La Hoya and Moakler soon broke. Moakler accused the boxer of alcoholism and, after seeing him with another woman at the Latin Grammy Awards, recognized the relationship was over. She filed a $62.5 million US palimony suit in December of 2000, on the grounds that he was abusive and used Moakler and their daughter as show to promote his image. 

Small parts before centerfold feature

As dark as some of those days must have been, Moakler persevered. She had a small role in the film Love Stinks with Tyra Banks and was also on E! Television's Search Party, a popular game show. The forgettable B-movie Critical Mass served as a prelude to her biggest success yet: Miss December 2001 in Play..boy magazine. 

Nude is just the beginning

From there, she fully recovered from a stormy past after becoming involved with actor Dennis Quaid. Other Play..boy responsibilities served as a boost to her career, as did an appearance on the game show Weakest Link. There is certainly nothing "weak" about Moakler, and she caps off a busy schedule of late with the film Seeing Other People, starring Jay Mohr, due out in 2004. 

Credit: askmen.com