marissa

Passionate, driven, genuine and eager to experience life all makes me who I am. Everyday is seen as a challenge to make myself and others around me better human beings. My goal is larger than me. My ultimate goal is to positively influence and affect people's lives no matter what medium I am using. Art, music, sports, school and being of service to others are all things I love. I grew up playing basketball, playing cello, singing and loving to learn new things. After high school, my life took an unexpected turn after I was crowned Miss Teen USA in August of 2001. I moved to New York for what turned out to be the coolest, most challenging year of my life. 9/11 happened, I juggled college simultaneously with the responsibilities of the national title and in August of 2002, relinquished the title on CBS. In 2003, I was hired by MTV as a VJ for The College Television Network. Currently, I am on the west coast continuing my work as a performer with a broader perspective than simply being "an actress". The art of finding yourself while creating tangible characters is why I act. I have many other ambitions aside from acting. I love writing and would love to write a number of books before I die. My life revolves around staying productive and positive, which hasn't steered me wrong yet. I trust my instincts and truly enjoy the process of meeting, learning, traveling and enjoying all that the world has to offer.