Susie Castillo

Pageant titleholder bio
title=Miss Massachusetts Teen USA 1998
Miss Massachusetts USA 2003
Miss USA 2003
nationalcompetition=Miss Teen USA 1998
Miss USA 2003 (winner)
Miss Universe 2003 (Top 15)
location=Methuen, Massachusetts, United States
photo=
birthname= Susie Cintron Castillo
birth = birth date and age|1980|01|06
height=height|ft=5|in=8
eye color= Brown
hair color= Brown
ethnicity=Dominican and Puerto Rican

Susie Cintron Castillo (born January 6, 1980 in Methuen, Massachusetts), is a beauty queen who has held the Miss USA title and who has competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants. She is also a presenter on the MTV television show "Total Request Live".

Background

Castillo's parents were divorced when she was a child. Her father is Dominican and her mother Puerto Rican. After her father abandoned the family, her mother moved to Lawrence, Massachusetts where she worked multiple jobs in order to cover living and educational expenses for her family. [cite news|title=Miss USA, The Donald, and Me |date=2003-04-11|publisher=New York Sun|first=Lauren|last=Mechling] She was greatly influenced by her Puerto Rican heritage though in many past interviews she has stated that she considers herself both Puerto Rican and Dominican. [ [http://www.nypost.com/seven/06062007/tempo/my_mass__mania_tempo_susie_castillo.htm New York Post] ]

By 1996, at the age of 16, Castillo had already become a professional teen model appearing in many teen magazines and commercial advertisements.

Upon graduating from Methuen High School, she enrolled at Endicott 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.

Beauty Pageants

Miss Massachusetts Teen USA

Castillo won her first pageant title in November 1997 when she beat over forty other contestants to became Miss Massachusetts Teen USA 1998. [cite news|title=Teen Titleholder Reflects New Latino Culture|date=1998-01-25|publisher=Boston Globe|first=Christine|last=Macdonald|page=11] Castillo's sister titleholder, Miss Massachusetts USA 1998 Shawnae Jebbia went on to win the Miss USA title in February the following year.

Castillo represented her state in the Miss Teen USA pageant held in Shreveport, Louisiana on August 17, 1998. Although the pageant was usually broadcast live, that year's telecast was delayed due to a speech by President Bill Clinton's speech regarding his relationship with Monica Lewinsky.

Castillo placed 13th in the pageant.Fact|date=March 2007 She also won the Clairol Herbal Essence Award that year.cite press release|title=South Carolina contestant wins title |publisher=Associated Press|date=1998-08-18] The pageant was won by Vanessa Minillo of South Carolina.

Miss Massachusetts USA and Miss USA

In November 2002, Castillo participated in the Miss Massachusetts USA Pageant held at the Bridgewater State College in the town of Bridgewater and won the title. [cite news|title=There She Is|publisher=Boston Globe|date=2002-12-05] Castillo was the states first Latina titleholder.cite news|title=There He Is, the Boyfriend|date=2003-02-09|publisher=Boston Globe|first=David|last=Beard] She went on to compete in the Miss USA 2003 pageant held in San Antonio, Texas on March 24, 2003. [cite news|title=Miss Massachusetts Crowned Miss USA 2003 |publisher=Associated Press|first=T.A.|last=Badger|date=2003-03-24] Castillo won the Miss USA title in the nationally televised event, becoming Massachusetts' second titleholder, and the fourth former Miss Teen USA titleholder to win the pageant. She was the first woman with Dominican-Puerto Rican ancestry to win the title.

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

Miss Universe

Castillo traveled to Panama City, Panama to compete in the Miss Universe 2003 pageant in May. Her national costume was "Wonder Woman". Castillo placed among the top fifteen semi-finalists but did not make the top ten cut. She placed 13th overall, like her placement at Miss Teen USA. [cite news|title=Lawrence friends: Castillo will always be our beauty queen |date=2003-06-04|publisher=Boston Herald|first=Marie|last=Szaniszlo |page=3] The pageant was won by Amelia Vega of the Dominican Republic

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. Contrary to popular belief, it was not the first time two Dominican women have participated in the Miss Universe pageant simultaneously. In 1997, the pageant had two women of Dominican ancestry participating in the pageant, one representing the Dominican Republic and the other representing Italy (Denny Méndez).

After the Crown

) cast as "Shaunie".

In August 2005, Castillo co-hosted the Miss Teen USA 2005 pageant alongside "Passions" actor Galen Gering. The event was won by Allie LaForce of Ohio.

Castillo is now a regular Music Television (MTV) VJ and host of TRL, and helped with the launch of Mi TRL on MTV Tr3s in September 2006. Another TRL host is Vanessa Minnillo, who won the Miss Teen USA pageant Castillo competed in 1998.

During her spare time Castillo does volunteer work for HAWC (Help for Abused Women and Children), the Lawrence Girls Club and for the Latinas Against Sexual Assault.Fact|date=March 2007

On Saturday October 7, 2006 Castillo married Matthew Leslie in a quiet ceremony in Ipswich, Massachusetts. The two met shortly after Castillo won Miss Massachusetts Teen USA, [cite news|title=No contest; Pageant spotlight hasn't eclipsed boyfriend's love for Castillo |publisher=Boston Herald|date=2003-06-03|first=Stephanie|last=Schorow] Leslie proposed to Castillo during an appearance on talk show "On-Air With Ryan Seacrest" in April 2004, just prior to Castillo passing on her crown during the Miss USA 2004 pageant. [cite news|title=PEOPLE // After reign, Miss USA will become a Mrs|publisher=The Orange County Register|date=2004-04-07|first=Julia|last=Nelson|page=1]

In 2007, Castillo became a spokeswoman for Neutrogena. [cite news|title=Face time: Methuen beauty queen Castillo to star in Neutrogena TV campaign|date=2007-03-14|first=Jill|last=Radsken|url=http://theedge.bostonherald.com/styleNews/view.bg?articleid=188286|accessdate=2007-03-26] Castillo's work for Neutrogena includes serving as the "virtual host" of the company's promotional web site, The Big Blush.

Castillo is currently the host of ABC Family's new reality TV series, America's Prom Queen. [http://abcfamily.go.com/abcfamily/path/section_Shows+AmericasPromQueen/page_Detail America's Prom Queen ABC-TV official site] ]

Upcoming events

Susie will co-host at the 2008 Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day. The event is on August 23 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Canter in New York City. The 13th annual Arthur Ashe Kid’s Day presented by Hess is a full-day event of tennis and music for children and their families. Special guests at the event will include Demi Lovato, Colby O’Donis and tennis stars Roger Federer, Andy Roddick, Ana Ivanovic, Novak Djokovic, James Blake and Rafael Nadal. Nickelodeon’s Quddus will be Susie's co-host. [ [http://www.usopen.org/arthur_ashe_kids_day/fullstory.sps?iType=13846&iNewsid=405543 Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day] ]

References

ee also

*List of famous Puerto Ricans

External links

* [http://www.soyunica.gov/guests/castillo.aspx/ Spotlight on Susie Castillo, Miss USA 2003]
* [http://www.youngmoney.com/entertainment/television/051105 Young Money Magazine interviews Susie Castillo]
* [http://www.susiecastillo.net Official website]
*imdb name|id=1477107|name=Susie Castillo
* http://www.dominicantimes.com/news.php?nid=341
* http://www.dominicantimes.com/news.php?nid=275

Miss Universe Organization titleholders
Year=2003
Miss Universe=Amelia Vega
Miss USA=Susie Castillo
Miss Teen USA=Tami Farrell