Maria Kanellis, better known to the wrestling world as Maria, was born in the small town of Ottawa Illinois.

Maria Kanellis, better known to the wrestling world as Maria, was born in the small town of Ottawa Illinois. Maria always dreamed of being a star. She started dancing and modeling when she was very young. In fact she started taking dance lessons when she was three and took them for 17 years.

Maria starred on the reality show Outback Jack in 2004. She was one of the final three but was not chosen. Later in 2004 Maria got another shot at fame. She entered the 2004 $250,000 RAW Diva Search. Maria says that she was the biggest wrestling fan out of any of the girls, but that wasn't enough. She was eliminated sixth. But Maria possessed something that the WWE and the fans liked, because she was hired anyway.

Since winning Maria has became a familiar face in the WWE both as an announcer, an interviewer and most recently a wrestler. There is just something to love about Maria's ditsy but weirdly intelligent persona. Only time will tell what she holds in store for the WWE.

Maria Kanellis (born May 2, 1981 in Ottawa, Illinois) is working for World Wrestling Entertainment as a "Rookie Diva", after competing in the $250,000 RAW Diva Search. She is the youngest Diva in the WWE Roster.

Maria had been a multiple-time beauty pageant winner before competing in the $250,000 RAW Diva Search. Despite not winning the Diva Search, she was hired anyway and brought into RAW as a backstage interviewer. She was eventually given a "dumb blonde" gimmick, playing on a mistake she made during one of her first interviews when she referred to wrestler Edge as "The Edge." This dumb blond gimmick has seen her in many comic skits, during interviews involving John Cena.