Maria Menounos

Menounos was born to Greek immigrants on June 8, 1978,{{cite news|last=Duncan|first=Gabi|title=Happy 38th Birthday, Maria Menounos! Let's Celebrate With the E! News Host's Best Instagram Photos|url=https://www.eonline.com/news/769879/happy-38th-birthday-maria-menounos-let-s-celebrate-with-the-e-news-host-s-best-instagram-photos|work=E!|date=June 8, 2016|access-date=July 23, 2024}} in Medford, a suburb of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Her father, Constantinos "Costas" Menounos, is originally from Akovos, and her mother, Stavroula "Litsa"{{cite web|url=http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/maria-menounos/bio/198320 |title=Maria Menounos: Biography |website=TV Guide |access-date=April 10, 2013}} ({{nee|Kapernekas}}; 1954–2021), was originally from Kalamata.{{cite news |title=Chasing Maria Menounos: Good Luck Keeping Up! |url=https://www.thenationalherald.com/chasing-maria-menounos-good-luck-keeping-up/ |access-date=July 24, 2024 |work=The National Herald |date=May 9, 2014}}{{cite news |title=Obituary for Stavroula "Litsa" Menounos |url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/norwichbulletin/name/stavroula-menounos-obituary?id=8125982 |access-date=July 24, 2024 |newspaper=The Bulletin (Norwich) |date=May 4, 2021 |via=Legacy.com}} Menounos later worked as a janitor in the nightclub The Channel with her parents.{{cite interview|title=Maria Menounos Talks about Her Acces Hollywood Madcap Adventures|url=https://greekreporter.com/2010/05/20/maria-menounos-talks-about-her-acces-hollywood-madcap-adventures/|website=Greek Reporter|interviewer-last=Papapostolou|interviewer-first=Anastasios|date=May 20, 2010|access-date=July 24, 2024}} She has a younger brother.{{cite magazine|url=https://people.com/celebrity/maria-menounoss-greek-christmas/|title=Maria Menounos's Greek Christmas |date=November 12, 2008 |first=Antoinette Y. |last=Coulton |magazine=People |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303194815/http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0%2C%2C20245701%2C00.html |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |access-date=April 5, 2022 |url-status=dead}} She graduated from Medford High School in 1996.{{Cite web | url = https://patch.com/massachusetts/medford/medford-native-maria-menounos-now-has-own-reality-show | title = Medford Native Maria Menounos Now Has Own Reality Show | last = Waller | first = John | website = Patch | date = March 19, 2014}}

In 1995, Menounos began to compete in beauty pageants. The following year, she won the title of Miss Massachusetts Teen USA and competed at Miss Teen USA—where she placed in the top 15, receiving an honorary mention, during the preliminary competition. She placed 13th in the preliminaries. She competed for the title of Miss Massachusetts USA 2000 and was the first runner-up.

Menounos attended Emerson College, participating there in the organization Emerson Independent Video; she graduated in 2000.{{cite web | last=Loftus|first=Jamie| url = https://www2.emerson.edu/news-events/emerson-college-today/close-tvs-menounos-00 |title=Up close with TV's Menounos '00|publisher=Emerson College |date= April 19, 2011| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150403005753/http://www.emerson.edu/news-events/emerson-college-today/close-tvs-menounos-00 | archive-date=April 3, 2015|url-status=dead}}

{{BLP sources section|date=May 2023}}

During her senior year at Emerson, Menounos worked as a reporter for Channel One News. For her 10-minute segments, she traveled to El Salvador to report on the January 2001 and February 2001 earthquakes, interviewed NATO aircrew members aboard an E-3 AWACS plane during the military alliance's Operation Eagle Assist, and interviewed President George W. Bush.

Entertainment Tonight hired Menounos as a correspondent in 2002;{{cite web | url=https://people.com/tv/maria-menounos-life-career-photos/ | title=From Competing in WWE to Battling a Brain Tumor: Inside Maria Menounos's Life & Career }} she reported on movies, music, and fashion. She left the program in 2005 to focus on her acting career, although she joined rival program Access Hollywood that fall as a correspondent.{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2005-08-23-menounos_x.htm?POE=LIFISVA|title=Maria Menounos joins 'Access Hollywood' and 'Today'|date=August 23, 2005|work=USA Today|access-date=August 9, 2008}}

She went on to co-host a few episodes of the Today show in the late summer and fall of 2006 as well as in April 2007. In 2003, she appeared on the November 30 episode of Punk'd as one of many celebrities caught in the awkward and embarrassing "Red Carpet Interviews".

File:MariaMenounos.jpg

In 2004, Menounos appeared in an episode of the UPN series One on One as Glenda, an eccentric, self-proclaimed "Fairy Godmother to the Stars". In the summer of 2005, she appeared in the comic book film Fantastic Four playing a nurse romanced by the Human Torch (Chris Evans). Her likeness and voice was featured in the 2005 Electronic Arts video game James Bond 007: From Russia with Love as Eva Adara, Red Grant's henchwoman, which stars Sean Connery as James Bond. She is a spokesperson for Pantene hair products. Menounos presented the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest (along with Greek singer Sakis Rouvas) which took place in Athens.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/5001448.stm|title=In pictures: Eurovision 2006|date=May 21, 2006|publisher=BBC News|access-date=August 9, 2008}} She directed Longtime Listener, starring Wilmer Valderrama. The film was an official selection of the Tribeca Film Festival 2006. She acted in and produced Adventures of Serial Buddies, which is credited with being the first serial killer buddy comedy.{{cite web|url=http://mariamenounos.com/movie-tv/long-time-listener/|title=Long Time Listener|website=MariaMenounos.com|access-date=July 3, 2017|date=February 5, 2016}}

At the age of 17, Menounos produced In the Land of Merry Misfits, an independent film fairy tale. The 35 mm feature film was produced by Menounos while attending Emerson College with director Keven Undergaro, then head writer for MTV's Singled Out. The negative of the film was stolen and the film was never completed but her work on the film, and the film's director, helped her land her reporting job at Channel One News and at MTV (ET on MTV). In 2005, she personally funded the recovery and restoration of the film, which was narrated by John Waters and starred an eclectic group in the Waters vein — including former WWE champion Bob Backlund, actress Josie Davis from the TV show Charles in Charge, and B-movie icon Randal Malone. The film premiered at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival.

File:MariaMenounosAAFeb09.jpgMenounos also maintains AfterBuzzTV, an online entertainment network she founded with Undergaro,{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2014/digital/news/extra-host-maria-menounos-youtube-channel-gives-tv-fans-an-online-forum-1201032513/|title='Extra' Host Maria Menounos' YouTube Channel Gives TV Fans an Online Forum|last=Graser|first=Marc|access-date=June 1, 2014|newspaper=Variety|date=January 7, 2014}} for which she was named the 2014 CES Entertainment Matters Ambassador. As an actress, she had recurring roles on the CBS-TV program Without a Trace and as Jules in the second season of The CW's One Tree Hill (during its run on The WB). Menounos also appeared on the Scrubs episode "My Extra Mile", which aired in May 2006 where she is attracted to John Dorian because she likes his hair. In 2006, she appeared in the music video for "A Public Affair" by Jessica Simpson. On April 27, 2007, Menounos starred in Kickin' It Old Skool. In 2007, she continued in her run as international spokesperson doing print and television commercials for Pantene hair products as well as print ads for New York & Company. From December 17 to 20, 2007, she hosted the reality game show miniseries Clash of the Choirs.

File:Maria_Menounos_Heart_Truth_3.jpg

In 2008, she became the host of Hollywood Green on the Planet Green network. In 2008, she had a role in the movie Tropic Thunder, and in the same year became the first (and to date the only) journalist to interview the entire Obama family as a whole. She also reported for NBC Nightly News.

In May 2008, Menounos played in the AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Huntington Beach Open but was eliminated in the qualifying round. On July 13, 2008, she played in the celebrity softball game at Yankee Stadium in New York. In November 2008, when Richard Belzer fell ill, she filled in as host for the North Shore Animal League's Dogcatemy Celebrity Gala, which is held at NYC's Capitale.{{cite web|url=https://okmagazine.com/news/view-co-hosts-dish-ok-about-sherri/ |title=View Co-Hosts Dish to OK! About Sherri|publisher=OK! Magazine |date=September 6, 2007 |access-date=April 5, 2022}} From 2009 to 2012, she hosted various reunion specials of MTV's The Real World and The Challenge. She appeared on the 2008 Knight Rider series episode "Fly By Knight", which aired on February 11, 2009; she played a DEA agent who is in charge of investigating a plane crash.

On August 4, 2011, it was announced that she would join Warner Bros.'s Extra, where she co-hosted the show with Mario Lopez. She also had on-air duties at Dr. Drew's Lifechangers, with plans to develop new projects.{{cite web|url=https://www.nexttv.com/news/menounos-co-host-extra-116378 |title=Menounos to Co-Host 'Extra'|date=August 4, 2011|website=Broadcasting & Cable |publisher=NextTV |access-date=April 5, 2022}} For her work on Extra, Menounos won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Entertainment News Program. She was a contestant on the 14th season of Dancing with the Stars partnering with Derek Hough.{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/dancing-stars-season-14-cast-jack-wagner-sherri/story?id=15803787|title=New Dancing with the Stars cast revealed |publisher=ABC News |date=February 27, 2012|access-date=April 5, 2022}} The couple was eliminated on May 15, 2012 placing fourth in the competition. In May 2013, Menounos began a new interview series called Conversations with Maria Menounos;{{cite web|work=Conversations with Maria|url=http://conversationswithmaria.com/| title=Menounos Launches New Interview Series |access-date=May 30, 2013}} Zoe Saldana was her first guest.

On March 18, 2014, Menounos' reality TV series Chasing Maria Menounos premiered on the Oxygen Network.{{cite web|series=Chasing Maria|url=http://features.oxygen.com/blogs/about-chasing-maria-menounos#fbid=20VHZdTJ_oO|title=Menounos Launches New Reality Series|access-date=March 9, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140318212334/http://features.oxygen.com/blogs/about-chasing-maria-menounos#fbid=20VHZdTJ_oO|archive-date=March 18, 2014}}

In May 2014, after three years of hosting Extra, Menounos left the show signing a multi-year contract with E! Entertainment to host and produce several programs. In July 2015, The Hollywood Reporter announced that she would replace Giuliana Rancic as the co-anchor of E! News.{{cite news|last1=Massabrook|first1=Nicole|title=Maria Menounos To Replace Giuliana Rancic On 'E! News' Despite Viewer Criticism During SAG Awards|url=http://www.ibtimes.com/maria-menounos-replace-giuliana-rancic-e-news-despite-viewer-criticism-during-sag-2032510|access-date=July 31, 2015|work=International Business Times|date=July 30, 2015}} In July 2017, Menounos stepped down due to an ongoing battle with a brain tumor.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/maria-menounos-brain-tumor-e-news-leave-1202486312/|title=Maria Menounos Battles Brain Tumor, Steps Down From E! News|website=Variety|first=Cynthia|last=Littelton|date=July 3, 2017|access-date=July 3, 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/maria-menounos-steps-down-as-anchor-e-news-battle-brain-tumor-1018476/|title=Maria Menounos Steps Down as Co-Anchor of 'E! News' Amid Battle With Brain Tumor|website=The Hollywood Reporter|first=Georg|last=Szalai|date=July 3, 2017|access-date=April 5, 2022}}{{cite web|url=http://www.eonline.com/news/864682/maria-menounos-diagnosed-with-a-brain-tumor-as-her-mom-is-fighting-stage-4-brain-cancer|title=Maria Menounos Diagnosed With a Brain Tumor as Her Mom Is Fighting Stage 4 Brain Cancer|website=E! News|first=Zach|last=Johnson|date=July 3, 2017|access-date=July 3, 2017}}

In late 2015, it was announced that Menounos would host a daily, one-hour radio show on SiriusXM called Conversations with Maria on Stars 109.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2015/digital/news/conversations-with-maria-menounos-siriusxm-show-1201620147/|title=Maria Menounos to Host Daily Pop Culture & Lifestyle Show for SiriusXM|first=Elizabeth|last=Wagmeister|date=October 19, 2015|access-date=May 6, 2017}} She continues to host a pre-movie show named Noovie.

In 2020, GSTV announced a partnership to air short-form videos called Better Together with Maria Menounos on GSTV-affiliated gas pump video screens in more than 28,000 locations. The brief videos feature Menounos providing tips for physical and emotional health, relationship advice, and other wellness-based information.{{cite web |date=June 25, 2020 |title=Better Together: GSTV and Maria Menounos Launch Partnership To Bring New Lifestyle Content to National Video Network |url=https://gstv.com/press-releases/2020/6/25/better-together-gstv-and-maria-menounos-launch-partnership-to-bring-new-lifestyle-content-to-national-video-network |access-date=October 26, 2022 |publisher=GSTV}}

In June 2021, Menounos hosted the reunion show for season one of The Challenge: All Stars, a special-limited series of the MTV reality-competition series The Challenge, alongside Nate Burleson.{{cite web |last=Warnock |first=Caroline |title='The Challenge' Sneak Peek Hints at Upcoming Reveal About On-Screen Hookup |url=https://heavy.com/entertainment/mtv-the-challenge/all-stars-reunion-trailer/ |website=heavy |date=June 2021 |access-date=August 25, 2021}} In December 2021, Menounos hosted the reunion show for the 37th season of the main series of The Challenge, titled The Challenge: Spies, Lies & Allies.{{cite magazine |last=Bucksbaum|first=Sydney|title=The Challenge: Spies, Lies and Allies reunion recap: Fessy wants to fight CT, CT ignores him|url=https://ew.com/tv/recaps/the-challenge-spies-lies-and-allies-season-37-episode-20/|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=December 23, 2021 |date=December 23, 2021}}

In 2025, Menounos worked with Taye Diggs in the Lifetime short film I'll Be Home for Margarita Day which was presented by Chili's.{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/food/2025/02/21/national-margarita-day-2025-deals-saturday/78522344007/|title=National Margarita Day 2025: Deals at Chili's, Chuy's, Hooters and more|website=USA Today|first=Mike|last=Snider|date=February 21, 2025|access-date=February 23, 2025}}

World Wrestling Entertainment/ WWE (2009-2019)

Menounos is a long-time WWE fan and has made several appearances with WWE. Her first appearance was on October 12, 2009; Menounos joined Nancy O'Dell and guest hosted WWE Raw. She made her in-ring debut that night in a six diva tag team match with Gail Kim and Kelly Kelly against Alicia Fox, Beth Phoenix, and Rosa Mendes; Menounos' team was victorious; a highlight was Menounos slapping the much larger-stature Phoenix.{{cite web|last=James|first=Caldwell|title=CALDWELL'S WWE RAW REPORT 10/12: Complete coverage of Nancy O'Dell and Maria Menounos hosting Raw|url=http://www.pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/TV_Reports_9/article_35963.shtml#.VyPJgqS7XIV|work=Pro Wrestling Torch|date=October 12, 2009|access-date=April 29, 2016}}

On December 11, 2011, at WWE Tribute to the Troops, Menounos returned and teamed with Alicia Fox, Eve Torres, and Kelly Kelly to defeat the team of The Bella Twins (Brie and Nikki) and The Divas of Doom (Phoenix and Natalya). Menounos got the win for her team by pinning Phoenix.{{cite web|last=James|first=Caldwell|title=CALDWELL'S WWE TRIBUTE TO THE TROOPS REPORT 12/13: Complete "virtual-time" coverage of USA Network special|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/TV_Reports_9/article_55980.shtml#.VyPMUqS7XIU|work=Pro Wrestling Torch|date=December 13, 2011|access-date=April 29, 2016}}

File:Wrestlemania 28 Kelly Kelly & Maria Menounos.jpg along with tag-team partner Kelly Kelly in April 2012]]

Menounos continued her feud with WWE Divas Champion Phoenix after Phoenix and Eve Torres interrupted an interview segment with Kelly Kelly on Extra. This led to a tag team match at WrestleMania XXVIII with Menounos teaming with Kelly Kelly to take on Phoenix and Torres.{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/28/beth-phoenix-menounos-interview|title=Beth: "I will Glam Slam you into tomorrow!"|last=Wortman|first=James|publisher=WWE|date=March 16, 2012|access-date=April 18, 2012}} Despite suffering two cracked ribs during practice for Dancing with the Stars before the match,{{Cite web|last=Glencross|first=Sharon|title=WrestleMania 28: What We Learned from Kelly Kelly and Maria Menounos' Win|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1127904-wrestlemania-28-what-we-learned-from-kelly-kelly-and-maria-menounoss-win|access-date=2021-02-08|website=Bleacher Report}} Menounos and Kelly were successful in defeating Phoenix and Torres on April 1, 2012, at WrestleMania, with Menounos pinning Phoenix for the win.{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/28/kelly-kelly-maria-menounos-beth-phoenix-eve|title=Kelly Kelly & Maria Menounos def. Divas Champion Beth Phoenix & Eve|last=Artus|first=Matthew|publisher=WWE|date=April 2, 2012|access-date=April 18, 2012}}

On April 6, 2013, at Madison Square Garden, Menounos inducted Bob Backlund into the WWE Hall of Fame.{{cite web | url=http://www.wwe.com/classics/wwe-hall-of-fame/maria-menounos-to-induct-bob-backlund-26102459 | title=Maria Menounos to induct Bob Backlund into the WWE Hall of Fame | access-date=April 8, 2013}} On August 18, 2013, at SummerSlam Axxess, she teamed with Natalya defeating Brie Bella and Eva Marie.{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/2013/maria-menounos-natalya-brie-bella-eva-marie-axxess-26140034|title=Eva Marie joins Brie Bella to face Natalya & Maria Menounos at SummerSlam Axxess|date=August 14, 2013|last=WWE.COM|first=STAFF|access-date=September 7, 2015|publisher=WWE.com}}{{cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/wweppvs/article_72775.shtml#.Ve4X4qSTrIV|title=SUMMERSLAM PPV RESULTS: Quick rundown of match results|date=August 18, 2013|access-date=September 7, 2015|publisher=PRO WRESTLING TORCH (pwtorch.com)}}

On August 17, 2014, Menounos was seen at the SummerSlam pay-per-view, appearing in the crowd and later in a backstage segment with Stephanie McMahon, who accepted Menounos's challenge for the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Menounos was actually nominated by McMahon's father and chairman of WWE, Vince McMahon.

She has hosted the WWE Hall of Fame red carpet pre-show for six years in a row (2014-2019). She also appeared during the event as a guest backstage interviewer for WrestleMania 31, WrestleMania 32 and WrestleMania 33. In 2016, Menounos appeared in one episode of the WWE Network's Swerved and was a backstage interviewer for SummerSlam. On January 28, 2018, she was the special guest ring announcer for the first-ever women's Royal Rumble match at the Royal Rumble.

In a 2008 NBC interview, Menounos shared she has been involved in charity work since age 13 and has always wanted to be able to help many causes in the charity world.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna24163760|title=For Menounos, it's lights, camera, Take Action|last=Lee|first=Brian|date=April 17, 2008|website=MSNBC|access-date=May 16, 2019}}

Menounos founded the charity "Take Action Hollywood!" after her trip to South Africa, where she reported on the effects of the AIDS crisis there.{{cite web|url=http://www.macares.org/maria-menounos-take-action-hollywood-2|title=Maria Menounos: Take Action Hollywood|website=macares.org |first=Roxanne|last=Raynor|date=March 6, 2013|access-date=July 3, 2017}} She created the Cosmo Girl Cup, a national, annual competition and award given to the group of teens who do the most in their communities to affect for positive social change.{{cite web|url=http://www.tvguide.com/news/menounous-entertainment-access-38307/|title=Maria Menounous Is Hollywood's It Girl|website=TV Guide|first=Matt|last=Mitovich|date=October 13, 2005 |access-date=July 3, 2017}} Menounos presented at the Earth Day Network's Climate Rally in Washington, DC on April 25, 2010.{{cite web|url=http://www.upi.com/News_Photos/view/upi/bda51bb8ba22cb698610f1e60feea8af/Actress-Maria-Menounos-at-the-Climate-Rally-Earth-Day-Concert-in-Washington/|title=Actress Maria Menounos at the Climate Rally Earth Day Concert in Washington |website=UPI.com|access-date=July 3, 2017}} in 2012 Menounos took part in Red Cross's and AMC joint effort to raise awareness for donating blood.{{Cite web|url=https://people.com/tv/maria-menounos-whitney-port-become-zombies-for-a-good-cause/|title=Maria Menounos, Whitney Port Become Zombies for a Good Cause|website=PEOPLE.com|access-date=May 16, 2019}}

• The Everygirl's Guide to Life (2001) {{ISBN| 978-0061870781}}
• The Everygirl's Guide to Diet and Fitness (2014) {{ISBN| 978-0804177139}}
• The Everygirl's Guide to Cooking (2016) {{ISBN| 978-0804177146}}
• Better Together (2021)

In 2012, Menounos posed nude for the May issue of Allure magazine.{{cite web |url=http://www.allure.com/celebrity-trends/2012/the-naked-truth-celebrities-go-nude#slide=3 |title=The Naked Truth: Five Celebrities Go Nude for Allure |work=Allure |date=2012-04-17 |access-date=2014-03-18 |archive-date=July 10, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160710011836/http://www.allure.com/celebrity-trends/2012/the-naked-truth-celebrities-go-nude#slide=3 |url-status=dead }} In the same year, Menounos told Howard Stern that she had previously been sexually abused by two doctors during medical examinations.{{cite web |title=Maria Menounos reveals she's been sexually abused by multiple doctors during examinations |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/maria-menounos-reveals-sexually-abused-multiple-doctors-examinations-article-1.1093546|first1=Cristina |last1=Everett |first2=Joyce |last2=Chen |date=2012-06-11 |website=NY Daily News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120614175655/http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/maria-menounos-reveals-sexually-abused-multiple-doctors-examinations-article-1.1093546|archive-date=2012-06-14}}

In April 2017, she had surgery to remove a meningioma, an intracranial tumor which was benign.{{cite web |title=Maria Menounos Reveals She Was Diagnosed with a Brain Tumor — While Her Mom Is Fighting Stage 4 Brain Cancer |url=https://people.com/celebrity/maria-menounos-diagnosed-brain-tumor-mom-cancer/ |first= Julie |last=Jordan |date=2017-07-03 |website=People}}{{Cite web |title=Maria Menounos Battles Brain Tumor |url=https://www.tmz.com/2017/07/03/maria-menounos-brain-tumor-cancer-battle/ |access-date=2023-03-20 |website=TMZ|date=July 3, 2017 }} In January 2023, she was diagnosed with stage II pancreatic cancer and underwent surgery. The cancer was found on a whole body MRI screening, after being missed earlier on a hospital-ordered CT test.{{cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/04/entertainment/maria-menounos-pancreatic-cancer/index.html |title=Maria Menounos reveals she's recovering from pancreatic cancer |work=CNN |last=Harvey |first=Marianne |date=May 4, 2023 |access-date=May 12, 2023}}{{cite web |url=https://www.today.com/video/maria-menounos-talks-cancer-diagnosis-with-baby-on-the-way-172703301524 |title=Maria Menounos opens up about pancreatic cancer diagnosis |work=CBS Today |date=May 4, 2023 |access-date=May 12, 2023}}

Menounos married Keven Undergaro in Times Square during the 2017 New Year's festivities in a ceremony officiated by Steve Harvey{{cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/2018/01/steve-harvey-performed-maria-menounos-live-nye-wedding.html|title=Maria Menounos Got Married on Live TV on NYE With Steve Harvey Officiating|website=Vulture|date=1 January 2018}} and then again in a 2018 Greek Orthodox wedding in her father's village of Akovos, Greece.{{cite web|url=https://greekcitytimes.com/2018/10/31/maria-menounos-says-her-wedding-in-greece-was-an-absolute-fairytale-pics/|title=Maria Menounos says her wedding in Greece was an absolute 'fairytale'|website=greekcitytimes.com|date=31 October 2018}} On February 7, 2023, Menounos and her husband announced they were having a baby with the aid of a surrogate.{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2023-02-07/maria-menounos-baby-surrogate-keven-undergaro |title=Maria Menounos, beaming and grateful, announces a baby is on the way — with some help |work=Los Angeles Times |last=D'Zurilla |first=Christie |date=February 7, 2023 |access-date=May 12, 2023}}

Menounos announced her dual citizenship between the United States and Greece on May 19, 2023.{{cite news |last1=Kokkinidis |first1=Tasos |title=Maria Menounos is Now Officially a Greek Citizen |url=https://greekreporter.com/2023/05/19/maria-menounos-greek-citizen/ |access-date=23 August 2023 |work=Greek Reporter |issue=2023–05–19}}

She was Spike TV's 2005 "Cyber Vixen of the Year",{{cite web|url=http://www.spike.com/articles/6aoa62/vgx-2013-every-vga-winner-from-years-past|title=Every VGA Winner from Years Past|website=Spike TV|access-date=July 3, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131119210014/http://www.spike.com/articles/6aoa62/vgx-every-vga-winner-from-years-past|archive-date=2013-11-19}} and the 2010 Madden NFL Pro-AM MVP.{{cite web|url=http://nesn.com/2010/08/maria-menounos-named-mvp-of-madden-nfl-pigskin-proam/|title=Maria Menounos Named MVP of Madden NFL Pigskin Pro-Am|website=NESN|first=Nick|last=Coman|date=August 9, 2010|access-date=July 3, 2017}} In 2014 Extra, which she co-hosts, won the Daytime Emmy award for Outstanding Entertainment News Program.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2014/tv/news/daytime-emmy-awards-live-coverage-from-beverly-hilton-1201240890/|title=Daytime Emmy Awards: 'Young and the Restless,' 'Ellen DeGeneres,' Steve Harvey Among Top Winners at Raucous Ceremony (FULL LIST)|website=Variety|first1=Shelli|last1=Weinstein|first2=Cynthia|last2=Litteton|date=June 22, 2014|access-date=July 3, 2017}}

{{See also|List of Eurovision Song Contest presenters}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Maria Menounos}}

• {{Official website}}
• {{IMDb name}}
• {{Muckrack}}
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{{S-start}}

{{Succession box

| before=Erika Ewald

| title=Miss Massachusetts Teen USA

| years=1996

| after=Jessica Gregory

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{{Succession box

| before={{flagicon|Ukraine}} Maria Efrosinina & Pavlo Shylko

| title=Eurovision Song Contest presenter

| years=(with Sakis Rouvas)
2006

| after={{flagicon|Finland}} Mikko Leppilampi & Jaana Pelkonen

}}

{{S-end}}

{{WWE personnel}}

{{Massachusetts Pageant Winners}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Menounos, Maria}}

Category:1978 births

Category:Living people

Category:1996 beauty pageant contestants

Category:20th-century Miss Teen USA delegates

Category:21st-century American actresses

Category:Actresses from Massachusetts

Category:American female models

Category:American film actresses

Category:American television actresses

Category:American television reporters and correspondents

Category:American women television journalists

Category:American writers of Greek descent

Category:Emerson College alumni

Category:Entertainment journalists

Category:Greek female models

Category:Participants in American reality television series

Category:Sportspeople from Medford, Massachusetts