Ali Landry

Ali Germaine Landry (born July 21, 1973) is a former Miss USA (1996), model and actress. She is recognized as the Doritos Girl from her popular 1998 Super Bowl commercial. In 1998, she was named by People magazine as one of 50 most beautiful people in the world.

Early life

Landry grew up in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. This southern region of Louisiana is referred to as "Acadiana," the heart of Cajun country. Landry is of French and Spanish (Cajun) descent. She graduated from Cecilia High School in 1991. She attended the University of Louisiana-Lafayette and was majoring in Mass Communications. She is a sister member of Kappa Delta Sorority.

Pageantry

Her first foray into pageantry came in 1990 when she was crowned Miss Louisiana Teen USA, becoming the first representative from Louisiana directed by RPM Productions. She represented Louisiana in the Miss Teen USA 1990 pageant held in Biloxi, Mississippi in July 1990, where she placed seventh.

In 1995, Landry won the Miss Louisiana USA 1996 title, becoming the first former Miss Louisiana Teen USA to win the Miss title. She went on to compete in the Miss USA 1996 pageant, which was broadcast live from South Padre Island, Texas in February 1996 — she placed third highest after the preliminary competition and second highest on average during the final event. She was the highest placed of the finalists and eventually went on to win the Miss USA 1996 title, the first former Miss Teen USA delegate to win the title (although her predecessor Shanna Moakler, previously Miss Rhode Island Teen USA 1992, had inherited the Miss USA title from Chelsi Smith the year before.

Landry went on to compete in the 1996 Miss Universe pageant held in Las Vegas in May that year. She placed highest on average after the presentation show, and was ranked second in the evening gown and interview events during the final competition, however only placed seventh in swimsuit. She was second going in to the final round of six delegates, but fell to sixth after the judge's panel questions.

Until 1999, Landry was the only former Miss Teen USA delegate to compete at Miss Universe. Her record at all three pageants were not surpassed until 2000 when Miss USA 2000, Lynnette Cole made the top 5 at all three pageants.

Post pageants

Landry has done much modeling for photographers and magazines. As a spokeswoman for the Doritos chips brand, she appeared in celebrated TV commercials airing during the 1998, 1999 and 2000 Super Bowl football games. She was named by "People" magazine as one of 50 most beautiful people in the world in 1998.

In 2002, she hosted the second season of the hidden-camera series Spy TV. From 2003 to 2006, she was a regular cast member of the UPN sitcom Eve.

Landry has participated in the show Fear Factor, and was runner up. She is an avid athlete and also participated in the Boston Marathon.

Personal life

Landry met actor/TV personality Mario Lopez when he emceed the 1998 Miss Teen USA pageant and she was a commentator. They were engaged during the summer of 2003 and married on April 24, 2004, but two weeks later she had the marriage annulled over alleged infidelities committed by Lopez during the relationship.

She was married to film director Alejandro Gomez Monteverde on April 8, 2006 in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Their daughter Estela Ines Monteverde was born on July 11, 2007.