Born on Sept. 9, 1980 in Ponce, Puerto Rico, actress Denise Marie Quiñones burst onto the scene in 2001 when she became the fourth woman from the unincorporated territory to become Miss Universe – and one of the few to do so on her native soil. After touring the world for a year as a goodwill ambassador in the fight against HIV/AIDS, Quiñones relinquished her crown and began to study acting at The School for Film and Acting in New York City. Two years later, she appeared in a few commercials in Puerto Rico, before landing guest spots on American series television, appearing in episodes of
