Kelly Monaco

Kelly Marie Monaco (born May 23, 1976) is an American model, actress, reality television contestant and winner of Dancing with the Stars in Season 1. She is well known for playing the character of Sam McCall on the soap opera General Hospital, a role she originated in 2003.

Modeling
In April 1997, Monaco became the Playboy Playmate of the Month.Throughout her tenure with Playboy in the 1990's, Monaco was also featured in many Playboy Special Edition publications.

Monaco made numerous cover appearances in other magazines such as FHM and Maxim. Along with her Maxim cover feature in 2005, the magazine also placed her at #88 on their annual Hot 100 List in May 2006. In 2009, Monaco was named Maxim's number one sexiest cover model of the decade.

Acting
Monaco's first television role was on the nighttime drama Baywatch from 1997 to 1998. In addition to playing the role of Susan on the show, Monaco also was Carmen Electra's body double at times, as Electra could not swim. Monaco also had minor roles in the late 1990's films BASEketball, Idle Hands, and Mumford.

Monaco had two roles on the ABC soap opera Port Charles: Olivia “Livvie” Locke Morley (1999–2003) and Tess Ramsey (2002–03). When that program ended, she joined the cast of ABC soap opera General Hospital as Samantha McCall in September 2003.

In 2003, Monaco was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her role on Port Charles. In 2006, Monaco was again nominated for a Daytime Emmy, this time for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Sam McCall on General Hospital. In 2006, Monaco also co-hosted the 33rd Annual Daytime Emmys, with Dancing with the Stars host Tom Bergeron.

In March 2009, Monaco was chosen by Donald Trump and Paula Shugart to be one of the judges for the 2009 Miss USA pageant.

Monaco starred on the E! reality television series Dirty Soap, which premiered on September 25, 2011.

Dancing
Monaco was a cast member, and the season winner, on the ABC reality television series Dancing with the Stars, during its first season in 2005 with her partner, Alec Mazo. Although she initially faced tough criticism from the judges, she maintained a positive outlook throughout the series. Among the events that she experienced prior to her victory were a near-wardrobe malfunction in which the skimpy strap on her dress during a Latin dance number came apart.

In February 2009, Monaco expanded her dancing résumé with Peepshow, a burlesque act directed by Tony Award-winning director Jerry Mitchell, that plays at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. Monaco starred as Bo Peep, a precocious character who discovers her sexuality throughout the show. Monaco starred alongside singer and fellow Dancing with the Stars contestant Mel B, a.k.a. Scary Spice, until June 2009, when Monaco's contract expired and she was replaced by Holly Madison.

On July 27, 2012 it was announced that Monaco will be participating in the 15th season of Dancing with the Stars for a chance to win a second mirrorball trophy. This time she was partnered with Valentin Chmerkovskiy. After making the finals for a second time, Monaco finished in third place on November 27, 2012.

Charity work
In July 2009, Monaco and several other daytime celebrities traveled to Kenya, Africa as a part of the Feed the Children program, delivering food and other supplies and visiting schools and orphanages built by Feed the Children.

On October 24, 2009, as part of the iParticipate campaign, Monaco and several of her General Hospital co-stars volunteered to help beautify a school in Los Angeles.

Personal life
She was born to Albert "Al" and Carmina Monaco. Monaco has 4 sisters; Christine, Marissa, Carmina and Amber.

Monaco was in an 18-year relationship with her high school sweetheart, Michael Gonzalez, which began when she was 15 years old. They broke up in 2009, but Kelly was still mourning the loss of the long, but "toxic relationship", and Monaco's General Hospital costar Kirsten Storms counseled her through her feelings by convincing her to burn her prom dress in the premiere episode of Dirty Soap, a reality television series on which they both had appeared.

On April 25, 2009, Monaco's apartment at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino was ransacked by burglars. On September 8, 2009, Merrill Wetter was sentenced to 12 to 30 months in jail after pleading guilty with no contest after being caught by surveillance tape. Wetter is to pay Monaco a reported $5,000 restitution, a $25 court fee as well as $150 DNA Fee.